The Chalice Coral
The Chalice Coral is a type of coral that looks like an encrusting Montipora and needs the same kind of care. It builds a calcium frame that fits the shape of the rock it’s connected to as it grows. It gets its name from the way it can grow over time, taking on the shape of a cup or lip.
The Chalice Coral is not an SPS coral like Montipora. It is an LPS coral, which stands for “Large Polyp Stony.” This coral has polyps that are sometimes called “eyes” because they are sometimes a different color than the rest of the coral. When you look at the main shot, the polyps are pink, and the main body is a mix of green and purple. This coloring can also be found in Montipora, but its polyps are much smaller, which makes it an SPS coral instead of an LPS coral.
CHALICE CORAL CARE IN BRIEF
We think that chalice corals do best in low light (50–100 p.m.). We think that less lighting is usually better for LPS corals because too much lighting can hurt them. Find out more about how lighting affects your reef tank as a whole in our piece called “Lighting and Your Reef Tank.”
FOOD: Chalice corals are always hungry, so they usually do better when they are fed in small amounts on occasion. When there is a good amount of food in the water, they do very well. Our plan is to import a lot and sell a lot. For more information on feeding and filtering, read our post called “Feeding, Filtration, and Your Reef Tank.”
FLOW: Chalice corals do best when there is modest indirect flow. It gives them enough to stay clean and brings them food and minerals. Too much flow, especially straight flow, can hurt coral tissue or make it harder for them to catch food. Find out more about how flow affects your reef tank in our piece called “Flow and Your Reef Tank.”
Level of Difficulty: Chalice corals are easy for new reef keepers to care for and do well in tanks. Many types can be raised in aquaculture, but not all wild animals will be able to adjust to life in a tank. People don’t think of these corals as fast growers, but with the right mix of food, light, flow, and filtering, some types can grow at a good rate. However, you should have a modest amount of reef-keeping knowledge to take good care of them.
According to their size and color, Chalice corals can be bought for a low to high price. People who like this sport like them because they come in many colors and types and are easy to take care of. Aquaculture makes it possible to get a lot of different kinds, which helps keep prices low.
82 °F (28 °C) is the natural temperature. Many types of coral can live in temperatures as low as 77 degrees and as high as 84 degrees. Find out more about temperature and how it impacts your reef tank in our piece titled “Temperature and your Reef Tank.”
PH: The pH should stay between 8.0 and 8.4, but it usually stays between 8.2 and 8.3 for 24 hours. To learn more about pH, check out our piece “pH and your Reef Tank.”
INR: Aim for a level between 5 and 10 and try to keep it steady. To learn more about nitrate and how we keep it in check, read our article, “Nutrients and your Reef Tank.”
Aim for a pH level between 0.05 and 0.1 and try to keep it fixed. You can learn more about phosphate and how we keep it in good shape in our piece called “Nutrients and your Reef Tank.”
HIGH ALKALINITY: We suggest keeping the amount of alkalinity between 8 and 9 dKh. To learn more about how we keep our alkalinity up, read our piece “Alkalinity, Calcium, and Your Reef Tank.”
CALCIUM: A calcium reading of 400 to 450 is what we suggest you keep. Here’s more about how we keep our calcium levels in check: “Alkalinity, Calcium, and Your Reef Tank.”
Check Out These Chalice Corals
“chalice corals” are different kinds of corals from the genus Echinophyllia, Echinopora, Echinomorpha, Oxypora, Mycedium, Pectinia, Lithophyllon, and Physophyllia. Corals called chalices are big polyp stony (LPS) corals that have a crusty base and grow into cup-shaped structures. They have many shapes and colors to choose from.
Chalice corals are great for both new and experienced Reef Chasers because they are easy to take care of. They do best with low-to-middle lighting; about 75 to 100 PAR is ideal. It’s important to remember that most corals can slowly get used to lighting conditions that aren’t ideal for them. Chalice corals also like water that moves slowly.
Zooxanthellae, which are photosynthetic algae, help these corals stay alive and give them many of the nutrients they need. Chalice corals do better when they are fed meaty things like brine shrimp or Mysis shrimp. To stay healthy, you need to keep an eye on things and add calcium, strontium, and other trace elements as needed.
