This is an article Ive read a lot. It explains some of the myths about where corals come from and their natural environments. It helped me to start understanding what to give corals to grow and the what and why they do well in so many different kinds of tanks under different water and light qualities and why people say they are adaptable, to a point.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/cj/index.php

And why you may be able to grow more in your tank than you think. (SHOPPING!)

What I took away from these types of articles is once you've established a stable environment in the tank you can shop for corals that will more closely match the habitat you've provided. And when seeking and making upgrades how to choose the best ones and acclimate the habitat to the change. (slowly)

With the great community here in SD and amazing access to coral that we have, Ive been able to experiment with smaller colonies and frags of different types of corals to see if they will even grow in my tanks before buying a large expensive specimens.

Happy Reefing