When building an aquarium, everyone hopes to achieve an environment that’s as natural as possible. Basically, you want everything to be natural, from the substrate and plants to corals and fish. Of course, this isn’t always the case. And in fact, sometimes, artificial things could be just as handy.
Most of this debate covers the actual decoration. And when it comes to decoration, what works better with a tank than corals? Corals add variety, color and an interesting terrain for your fish. You can invest in natural corals, as well as artificial alternatives.
Which one is better? Each option has its own pros and cons, so let’s take a look at its unique characteristics.
- Benefits of Real Corals
Real corals are natural, that’s the main benefit. The more natural the environment is, the better. Your fish will also prefer nature to plastic. Given the natural design of real Blasto corals or other alternatives, such formations will help filter water as well. And not like your filter, but in a natural manner.
Natural corals help with biofiltration, but they also provide a growing environment. They offer access to a natural environment that won’t be the same for too long, offering diversity. It keeps evolving as the corals grow and reproduce as well, let alone the types of corals that may even change their colors.
Of course, real corals will also require a bit of maintenance. Don’t expect them to grow overnight though. As long as you have a decently sized aquarium, you shouldn’t have to worry about them overgrowing too soon. With proper care, you can even frag and rehome pieces later on, which helps offset the initial cost over time.
- Fake Corals, Very Attractive Too
Fake corals aren’t to be overlooked either. In fact, they also come with a series of advantages. More and more people turn to this plastic alternative because it doesn’t require too much maintenance. You don’t need to worry about lighting intensity, nutrient levels or delicate water chemistry.
Sure, it can get dirty. It won’t clean itself. But since it’s made of plastic, you can remove these corals and clean them before putting them back.
Other than that, fake corals are less likely to be affected by the environment. For example, if your fish may require medication, it’s worth noting that such chemicals can kill real corals. Corals are naturally very sensitive, so they can be affected by any type of chemical. With artificial corals, you can medicate the tank more freely without worrying about killing off expensive live pieces.
Then, there are no risks of pests and specific affections either. Although that plastic can deteriorate and lose its natural appearance, it’s likely to last forever if well looked after. Simply put, fake corals are cost-effective as well.
Indeed, they won’t change in time, so the environment may feel dull and boring after a while.
- Real Corals Aren’t Perfect
While real corals offer access to a growing and evolving environment, they’re not perfect. Like other living elements, real corals will also require maintenance. Normally, there’s not much to do, but you have to pay attention to the environment.
For instance, many types of corals will require specialized lighting. Then, based on the type of coral you have, you should do your homework and learn more about the requirements. Water parameters must be kept under control too.
More importantly, water parameters should match your corals, fish and plants altogether, so you need to plan this environment very carefully. Things like calcium, alkalinity and magnesium suddenly matter a lot more once you start keeping demanding corals.
Throw in the extra care and maintenance, and you’ll realize that maintaining natural corals requires a bit of work, mainly because they’re delicate. It’s not an impossible job though. And seeing your corals evolve is extremely fulfilling.
- Why Avoid Fake Corals
Fake corals can last for ages if well looked after. They offer an inexpensive and convenient alternative to natural corals. They’re not perfect though. For example, they contribute nothing to tank health. Sure, they’re mainly used for decorative purposes, but you’d like a bit of extra help with maintenance too.
While natural corals require care and maintenance, the plastic alternative should also be cleaned on a regular basis. If overlooked for too long, different things will grow on fake corals, such as algae. Algae will spread and can contaminate your tank.
From this point of view, regular cleaning is a must. In theory, it’s not too hard. The problem is the you risk disturbing the environment for your fish. Besides, you shouldn’t introduce your natural oils to the water.
Even if you wash your hands first, you shouldn’t handpick fake corals like that. Using dedicated aquascaping tools or cleaning them in a separate bucket of tank water is a safer approach.
Bottom line, what’s better? Fake corals are suitable for newbies who wouldn’t know what to do with natural corals. They’re also the only option for quarantine or hospital tanks. But apart from these situations, there are no reasons to overlook natural corals and invest in the plastic alternative.
Natural corals are ideal for active reef aquariums and not only. Even if you’re not an expert in corals (most people aren’t), you can still find valuable information regarding the type of corals you want and what they require to thrive in your aquarium.
