Coral Placement Strategy 珊瑚擺放策略

🪸 Coral Placement Strategy｜珊瑚擺放策略

Successful coral placement is part science, part art.
Every coral has its preferred lighting, flow, and personal space — understanding these needs allows you to design a reef layout that’s both visually balanced and biologically stable.
珊瑚的擺放既是一門科學，也是一種藝術。
每一種珊瑚都有自己偏好的光線、水流與空間。了解這些特性，能讓你打造出既美觀又穩定的珊瑚缸結構。

1. Light Zones｜光照區域
Corals grow differently depending on how much light they receive:
Top Zone (High Light): Ideal for SPS corals such as Acropora, Montipora, and Stylophora.
Middle Zone (Moderate Light): Suits LPS species like Euphyllia and Favites.
Bottom Zone (Low Light): Great for soft corals and non-photosynthetic species.
不同區域的光照強度會影響珊瑚的生長：
上層（高光區）： 適合SPS珊瑚，如鹿角、孔雀、鳥巢等。
中層（中光區）： 適合LPS珊瑚，如火炬、腦珊瑚、鐵鎚等。
底層（低光區）： 適合軟體珊瑚與部分不依賴光合作用的品種。

2. Flow Zones｜水流區域
Just like light, flow intensity varies throughout the tank:
Strong Flow Areas: For SPS, to prevent detritus buildup and maintain gas exchange.
Moderate Flow Areas: Perfect for LPS, allowing polyps to sway gently.
Low Flow Corners: For soft corals and non-photosynthetic species that prefer calmer waters.
就像光照一樣，水流強度在缸內也有分布差異：
強流區： 適合SPS，可防止雜質堆積並促進氣體交換。
中流區： 適合LPS，讓觸手輕柔擺動即可。
弱流角落： 適合軟體珊瑚及喜靜水的非光合品種。

3. Space and Compatibility｜間距與相容性
Corals may look peaceful, but they can be territorial.
Some extend sweeper tentacles or release chemicals to protect their space. Always check aggression level and give each coral enough room:
Euphyllia species can sting neighbors up to 10 cm away.
Acanthastrea and Favites are semi-aggressive — leave a few centimeters between them.
Zoanthids and soft corals may overgrow others if unchecked.
珊瑚看似溫和，但其實很有「地盤意識」。
有些會伸出攻擊觸手或釋放化學物質以驅逐鄰居。擺放時要注意攻擊性與間距：
Euphyllia（鐵鎚、火炬）能攻擊10公分內的其他珊瑚。
Acanthastrea、Favites（腦珊瑚類）具中度攻擊性，建議保持幾公分間距。
Zoanthids（鈕扣珊瑚）與部分軟體珊瑚容易快速蔓延，要防止過度擴張。

4. Accessibility and Growth Planning｜預留空間與可維護性
Plan for coral growth from day one — that small frag will eventually expand.
Avoid placing fast-growing species too close to slow ones, and leave room for cleaning tools to reach every area.
在擺放初期就要考慮未來生長空間。
那些看似小小的珊瑚苗，日後可能迅速擴張。不要讓生長快的品種壓過生長慢的，也要預留清潔與維護的操作空間。
5. Aesthetic Balance｜視覺平衡
Try combining different shapes, textures, and colors for a natural look — branching SPS for height, round LPS for volume, and waving soft corals for motion.
Think of your reef as a living landscape, not a static display.
將不同形狀、質感與色調的珊瑚搭配起來，能營造自然層次感：
上層的分枝SPS增添高度，中層的球形LPS提供立體感，底層的軟體珊瑚則帶來動態流動。
把你的珊瑚缸視為一座「活的景觀」，而非靜態擺設。


💡 Practical Tips｜實務建議
Use coral epoxy or reef-safe glue to secure frags and prevent them from being knocked over.
使用珊瑚專用膠或環保膠泥固定珊瑚，避免被魚或水流掀起。
Observe coral behavior after placement — if polyps close or tissue recedes, adjust lighting or flow direction.
擺放後觀察反應：若觸手縮回或組織後退，代表光或水流方向需調整。
Keep aggressive species downstream so their toxins or mucus are diluted before reaching others.
攻擊性品種建議放在下游區域，以免化學物質直接影響其他珊瑚。