fishguy123

The cheapest tend to be softies. Leathers, mushrooms, xenia, kenya tree... these all move in the current, grow somewhat quickly and add some color to the tank. However, once you start getting interested in the exotics, you may not want any of these in your tank because they aren't colorful enough or have that pizazz that everyone is talking about.

Zoanthids are another pretty soft coral. Buying frags from other hobbyists in your area is usually economical. All of these corals are relatively hardy as you learn proper husbandry, and aren't demanding.

thanks for the advice

I would recommend Zoanthids, as a beginner myself. Some are not as resistant as others, but, most are resistant enough to survive the mistakes we beginners make. And they are colorful, so...

I've heard that some of the soft corals can actually become pests in a reef tank. Is this true or is it just the opinion of someone who doesn't really know what they are talking about?

Consider this: new hobbyists want to see progress and soft corals are easy, forgiving, and grow quickly. Those with experience in the hobby have a list of corals they would NEVER put in their next tank because they were too invasive. This includes many of the common ones we started with: mushrooms, xenia, star polyps, leathers, and so on.