FF#20 | Keeping Soft Leather Corals in your Reef Tank

Welcome to the twentieth episode of Focus Friday, featuring my Red Sea Reefer tank. If you have any specific questions regarding this weeks subject or a Focus Friday video request, please leave a comment!
The specific corals mentioned in this video are (in their respective order): Sinularia Dura, Green Star Polyp, Purple Brush Gorgonian, Tubipora Musica, Lobophytum (Devils Hand), Sarcophyton (Toadstool) and Sinularia Flexibilis
Giesemann Aurora - 4x80w T5 & 4x75W LED
Maxspect Gyre XF250 | Jecod DCT8000 & DCS3000
Vertex Alpha 200 | JBL UV-c 36W | Teco TK500

[@jadem.6420]

I think this is the prettiest tank I’ve ever seen!!

[@DutchReefer]

That's very kind of you, thanks so much!

[@Davelembo]

The soft corals really make a mixed reef beautiful

[@shadshriver1541]

Beautiful tank! Thank you for sharing. Inspirational.

[@robreigns5357]

Your tank looks better and better each time you put a video out. I hope once my tank is up and running it is just as healthy as yours. keep up the good work ✌😊

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks Rob! It will take time but if you are patient enough and spend enough time on it, you will definitely be able to!

[@eddyortiz8110]

Something about the new coral on the top has really made the reef look better the shape and color kind of balances out all your greens & purples very pretty! Your copper banded butterfly wants to know when the big tank is comming I told him I would ask you!🤣🤣✌💛💛💛🌿

[@DutchReefer]

Thank you! Color placement and blend is an important thing for me, I like to keep it balanced througout the reef. Haha yeah I have seen him ask several times as well but as always, budget needs to be allocated to that before engaging in new-tank activities :)

[@eddyortiz8110]

Dutch Reefer I know it's very expensive,planning,& very hard work to recreate a new reef!🤗 I was kidding love your tank.

[@Sue-ey7yc]

Beautiful tank. One of the best on KZbin

[@TattooedDancer91]

Lovely corals and tank, and I must say, those Banggais look huge! :D

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks! Yeah they are quite bulky haha!

[@daedra1355]

W video

[@timgentry]

I always enjoy the videos of your tank. Good info too.

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks Tim!

[@krisc1077]

Really appreciate your tank and videos. Keep up the great work.

[@A.R.C.77]

Nice tank 🤘😁🐠

[@fb3132]

Very nice! Thank you for sharing.

[@minimarine7801]

Beautiful tank! You have such a nice variety of corals :D

[@someone6reefs]

U hav a very nice tank keep up the hard work 👍

[@rhombifer566]

Cold 🥶

[@DutchReefer]

Is it?

[@rhombifer566]

that’s cold 🥶

[@DutchReefer]

Still cold?

[@rhombifer566]

🤓?

[@4foxsake571]

You may have missed the Zoa, and mushrooms as softies. Beautiful tank though. We’ll done.

[@Abreezeducttesting]

The tank looks great ,

[@olgacirkunova2342]

Gorgeous tank!

[@simoneottolini8289]

wow big fish!

[@DutchReefer]

I like big fish and I cannot lie :)

[@saul.m184]

Great looking tank thank you for sharing.

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks Saul!

[@CarlosRamos-dj5vw]

Beautiful tank

[@JuanPablo-nl3hi]

A masterpiece

[@ShowboatHK]

Super helpful. Thank you!!

[@drew-shourd]

very nice...

[@UPSDAVE11B]

Love your tank!! Amazing. What size tank is it? An What is that BEAUTIFUL black and white fish with the long tail? It reminds me of an angel. It is GEORGEOUS!

[@chrisprice8053]

i got 3 soft leathers but i not sure what thay are the shop only called them leathers. mine look a bit like the devils hand you have but mine much much smaller and look like a fat mushroom.

[@karennation3580]

What is the blue and purple colony and a single blue, one is next to pipe organ. I am thinking its a lobophyllia or something like that but from the acan family. beautiful Also love the brush gorgonian, does it have white polyps on it. Trying to find on online but many different ones to chose from and I want to make sure its the kind you have. I did see one a person had and and it was very nice as well, my local ones are either grey or very thin branch type

[@AzulSolido]

Dream softie tank! What is your main water parameters that you aim for? Thank you!

[@mjp5546]

Thank you for your informative video, you have a beautiful tank. I am wondering if you feed your soft corals in any particular way?

[@DutchReefer]

Thank you! I don't, just light and flow are enough for softies!

[@OA1998.]

Hello my leather coral isn't spreading out how it usually was. I thought maybe because it was a little too close to a candy coral and that was stinging it so i moved it out but it still doesn't seem to fully stretch out like it usually did. Its been like 4 months it still seems to be doing well. But it doesn't seem overly comfortable

[@DutchReefer]

Hmm they might struggle to remove their old skin sometimes. You'd notice that if it has kind of a reflective surface, or if there's algae growing on it. Otherwise your nutrients could be too low, since leathers feed on especially nitrates.

[@OA1998.]

@@DutchReefer i appreciate the feed back the coral is doing alot better i just put it in a place with less flow and its back to normal again. My nitrates are 20ppm 😦 just got a skimmer and saltwater is mixing for a 70% water change!

[@andreaz9520]

Thanks for the beautiful Video and your comments on soft Corals. I have a questions to Your Lightening. How many w/ Hour do you have. Is your lightening purely led or led mixed with a different light Source?

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks for the comment! My lights are on from 10AM to 11PM, it starts with blue LED at 10AM, at noon the T5 kicks in and at around 8PM the T5's go off and it's blue LED again until 11PM.

[@andreaz9520]

Dutch Reefer thank You very much and have a Nice Weekend cu Andrea

[@andreaz9520]

Dutch Reefer thank You very much and have a Nice Weekend cu Andrea

[@Danzo285]

👌🏻

[@captivebredcanada]

How do you feel about soft coral toxins, particularly leathers inhibiting sps growth? Also I don't think any lfs are going to be getting any fiji corals anytime soon...

[@DutchReefer]

I don't have a lot of SPS so I really couldn't tell. I did hear about this fact, but have never really seen negative effects. Because of my somewhat higher nutrients my SPS don't grow very fast anyway.

[@HighFive421]

how did you maange to hang green star polyps to the back of the tank?

[@DutchReefer]

I'm using a glue called Reef Glue by Seachem, it works really well!

[@karennation3580]

Does the lobophyton have a flat base or does it come out of a stalk like the others?

[@DutchReefer]

It comes out of a stalk, although it's pretty wide :)

[@karennation3580]

Do you have any problem with mushrooms taking over your tank? someone told me to be careful that hey will take over but I suppose I could try to sell frags or trade or give to my lfs

[@theurbanartist775]

I love mushrooms 🍄 I just can’t get mine to grow big like kid though.

[@tonymarshall509]

Lovely tank, what do you keep your nitrate level at as you have sps as well and softies don't like the water too low in this nutrient ,many thanks 🙄

[@DutchReefer]

Hi Antony, I keep my nitrates around 5-10 and my phosphates around 0,1

[@reeffreak911]

I want that yellow polyp gorgonian

[@lavasyst]

Leuke video zoals al jou video’s! Kan men een duivelsklauw fraggen?

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks! Jazeker, je kunt er gewoon een "vinger" afknippen en op een steentje plakken :)

[@lavasyst]

Dutch Reefer mijn duivelsklauw heeft een stuk stam waar geen poliepen op groeien. Dus neem ik aan dat na het fraggen hij dit terug zal aangroeien

[@DutchReefer]

Jazeker, na het afsnijden of knippen van een stuk zal de "wond" snel helen en hier groeien dan nieuwe poliepen op, binnen enkele weken.

[@viiiderekae]

Do you run activated carbon

[@DutchReefer]

Yes for sure!

[@PicoLatrinidad]

Your corals look very healthy. Can you share your secret?

[@DutchReefer]

Thanks Benson! Well I'm trying to keep nutrients at around 10-20 no3 and 0.1-0.2 po4, works great!

[@PicoLatrinidad]

@@DutchReefer thanks for your reply! Do you use any chemicals to achieve your parameters or just regular water changes and less feeding? Sorry for the questions. I'm still learning😁

[@DutchReefer]

@@PicoLatrinidad Yeah I'm using a 40%/60% mix of Vodka and Vinegar as well!

[@richardportelli1983]

Do you have air conditioning in your house?

[@DutchReefer]

No air conditioning but I do have a moist remover like in your shower