Free tool

Coral placement, light & flow guide

"Where do I put this coral, and how much light does it want?" Pick a coral to see the light (PAR), flow and tank zone it needs — or tell us about an empty spot and we'll show what fits. Every figure comes straight from our fact-checked care guides.

Where does this coral go?

Choose a coral

What fits this spot?

Got an empty spot? Pick its light and flow and we'll list the corals that thrive there.

Light Flow

An honest tool, not a promise. The light, flow and placement notes come straight from our fact-checked care guides. PAR changes with your fixture, the coral's height and your water clarity, so a PAR meter (many reef clubs lend one) is the real answer — the zones here are a safe starting point. Then acclimate to new light slowly and read the coral: bleaching (going pale) means too much light, browning means too little. Keep those numbers steady with the dosing calculator and parameter targets.

Coral light & flow chart

Every coral in our library, with the light, flow and tank zone it wants. Soft corals and most LPS are forgiving; SPS need the most light and flow.

Coral	Type	Light	Flow	Goes
Green Star Polyp	Soft	Low · ≈150–250 PAR	Moderate–High	Lower rock · own island
Kenya Tree Coral	Soft	Low · ≈80–250 PAR	Moderate	Lower rock · own island
Mushroom Coral	Soft	Low · ≈30–250 PAR	Low	Lower rock
Pulsing Xenia	Soft	Low · ≈150–250 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock · own island
Ricordea Mushroom	Soft	Low · ≈50–120 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Toadstool Leather Coral	Soft	Moderate	Moderate	Mid rock
Zoanthids	Soft	Low · ≈75–250 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Acan Coral	LPS	Low · ≈25–50 PAR	Moderate	Lower rock
Blastomussa	LPS	Low · ≈50–100 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Candy Cane Coral	LPS	Low · ≈50–70 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Duncan Coral	LPS	Low · ≈50–150 PAR	Low	Lower rock
Frogspawn Coral	LPS	Low · ≈50–150 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Goniopora (Flowerpot)	LPS	Moderate	Low–Moderate	Sand bed
Hammer Coral	LPS	Low · ≈50–150 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Open Brain Coral	LPS	Moderate · ≈100–150 PAR	Low–Moderate	Sand bed
Plate Coral	LPS	Low · ≈50–150 PAR	Low–Moderate	Sand bed
Torch Coral	LPS	Low · ≈50–150 PAR	Low–Moderate	Lower rock
Acropora	SPS	High · ≈200–400 PAR	High	Upper rock (in the light)
Birdsnest Coral	SPS	High · ≈200–400 PAR	Moderate–High	Upper rock (in the light)
Montipora	SPS	Moderate · ≈125–300 PAR	High	Mid rock
Pocillopora	SPS	Moderate · ≈150–300 PAR	High	Mid rock
Stylophora	SPS	High · ≈300–400 PAR	Moderate–High	Mid rock

Coral placement FAQ

How much light do corals need (in PAR)?

It depends on the coral. Most soft corals and LPS are happy at low-to-moderate light (roughly 50–150 PAR); SPS such as acropora and birdsnest need high light (≈200–400 PAR). Light-sensitive corals like acans and blastomussa want it low (≈25–100 PAR). See the per-coral table below.

Which corals go on the sand bed?

Free-living corals are built to sit on soft substrate: trachyphyllia (open brain), plate/fungia and goniopora. Many low-light corals — mushrooms, duncans, candy cane, blastomussa — also do well low down near the sand.

What are good low-light corals for a beginner?

Zoanthids, mushrooms and green star polyp among the softies, and duncan, candy cane, hammer and frogspawn among the LPS, all thrive at low-to-moderate light and gentle-to-moderate flow.

How do I acclimate a coral to new lighting?

Place it lower or more shaded first, then raise it (or the light intensity) over 2–4 weeks. More corals are lost to too much light too fast than to too little — watch for bleaching (going pale) or browning (too little), and use a PAR meter if you can borrow one.

Which corals sting their neighbours?

Euphyllia — hammer, torch and frogspawn — have long sweeper tentacles: keep them ~6 in (15 cm) from other corals, and torch even from other Euphyllia. Acans, plate corals and toadstool leathers (allelopathy) also need clear space.