1st Corals-When, What...

[ortho bill]

Tank is 5 weeks old. What is the time frame for adding soft corals given that water parameters are good (have been for 3 weeks). 2 sm. perculas and sm. clean up crew are only inhabitants of this 37 gal "reef" tank. Fish have been there a week and are doing well. Don't want to push but adding a few corals is my next goal. Suggestions for 1st corals would be appreciated. I'd like to add two if possible. I'd like to do it at the 2 month anniversary if possible.

 

[zanemoseley]

you didn't mention your lighting, it pretty much comes down to what kind of water parameters you think you can keep stable, if you can keep nitrate, PH, alkalinity, and calcium levels good, if you can keep the parameters and have good lighting than IMO you can get some ricordea, zoonathids, brain corals, frog spawn, or pretty much any soft coral and depending on your lighting you may even be able to keep some SPS's, It all comes down to if you can maintain the conditions required for the corals you want. I just added my first corals about 2 weeks ago, my tank is about 4 months old. I added 3 yuma's and 2 montipora digita's, I have a 75 with 2x250 watt MH lighting.

 

[ortho bill]

Power Compact 2x 65W w/ actinics and a moonlight (really cool...)
Most recent #'s
Ammonia = 0
PH = 8.2
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5
SG = 1.0235
Cal. = 380
dKH = 8.6
Alk. = 3.09

 

[stapler]

I think your best bet would to get some mushrooms or polyps. Those are the easiets and hardiest corals. I have had some through some "harsh" conditions, and they just keep on growing! Now I got everything running well, but they are good corals to start out with. I think if you want to get different types of corals down the road, you will need to get stronger lighting.
HTH
stapler

 

[rwhite]

Agreed. Possibly some GSP or ricordea (hi in the tank, mind you). We started with a colony of polyps and blue shrooms, from there it turned to slightly more difficult. Just take your time in selecting, try to do as much research as you can on diff types. Easiest way I found was to do a search on the board, you'll get all the info you need: Light/flow req., where to place, feeding, etc. And keep your long term goal in mind, many species do not mix well with others. Good luck!

 

[razoreqx]

Originally posted by Ortho Bill
Tank is 5 weeks old. What is the time frame for adding soft corals given that water parameters are good (have been for 3 weeks). 2 sm. perculas and sm. clean up crew are only inhabitants of this 37 gal "reef" tank. Fish have been there a week and are doing well. Don't want to push but adding a few corals is my next goal. Suggestions for 1st corals would be appreciated. I'd like to add two if possible. I'd like to do it at the 2 month anniversary if possible.
Wait... five weeks old? You need to work with fish for a while and let your water levels in that tank settle down.. I waited almost 6 months before I added corals.. This is just my advice to you (having lost several corals because I added them to early).
Take the advice or leave it.. but if you want to toss money way and kill GODS precious creatures.. Go ahead.. put the corals in the tank at 5 weeks...

 

[zanemoseley]

If I were you I'd also start dosing Bionic 2 part additive to raise your calcium and keep your alk stable. I think if you doubled your PC you could keep any soft coral and some LPS hard corals

 

[rwhite]

After re-reading and Razor and zane's replies, they are absolutely correct. Sorry, I guess I need to slow down myself before dishing out advice, I should have mentioned that we were lucky that the shrooms and polyps survived a tank crash cause I thought I knew what I was doing and before I got onto this site. My apologies, again.

 

[ortho bill]

(Take the advice or leave it.. but if you want to toss money way and kill GODS precious creatures.. Go ahead.. put the corals in the tank at 5 weeks... [/B]
Razor,
It is not my intention to put anything in the tank before I should - hence the query I posted. If I didn't care about "GODS precious creatures" I would have just gone ahead and did it. I ask because I do care and being a "newbie" I don't wish to make an ignorant mistake and kill something. What I'd like to do (at 2 mo. aniv.) and what I end up doing are most likely two different things. I'm relying on those who've previously traveled this road to help guide my way. I do appreciate your concern though.

 

[rwhite]

A bit blunt, maybe, but I dont think Razor meant anything by it. As he said, he had lost some corals and, I think, he just doesnt want you to make the same mistakes we made. I re-iterate WE. I am also guilty, just lucky I guess.

 

[reefer44]

one thing u will notice on this board is some ppl's comments sound rude because they are so ...................... in love with fish (me being one of them). But they really mean welll
personally i would wait intill week 12 and add some polyps high in the tank (i would say that is your best bet)

 

[ortho bill]

Thanks for the info. Maybe I was being a little too sensitive but I do try to be coscientious about this hobby. To be honest I am really impressed with the commroderie shown on these forums. People are so quick to lend a helping hand. It's really nice to see - kinda puts your faith back in people.