Corals

[bleedphillygre]

I am very very new to this and just bought my first two corals (hammer coral and pulsing xenia). When I stick them into the rock, will they eventually "attach" themselves more permanently? If so, how long does that usually take? Thanks for any input!

 

[patandlace]

The xenia will attach probably within a day. The hammer I'm not sure about you may need to glue it to the rock.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by BleedPhillyGre
I am very very new to this and just bought my first two corals (hammer coral and pulsing xenia). When I stick them into the rock, will they eventually "attach" themselves more permanently? If so, how long does that usually take? Thanks for any input!

This depends...and really I can't answer until I know more about your system.
How old?
Filtration?
Lighting?
Water parameters?
Inhabitants?
If you are very very new, and the tank is very very new...then I am concerned

 

[dogstar]

The Xenia should be rubberbanded to a rock for a few days or the current will/should blow it around..
The hammer will not attach, you have to wedge the skeleton/base into a hole or between rocks to hold it in place or as said, glue it with a safe adhesive...

 

[bleedphillygre]

Originally Posted by ophiura
If you are very very new, and the tank is very very new...then I am concerned

The tank is not very new, I actually bought the set up from a lfs. It's been up and running for a few months. I'd like to think I have some knowledge about it too! I've pretty much taken care of my mom's fish only 75 gal for about 4 months...just have never dealt with a reef tank. What are some of the concerns you have that I might need to watch out for?

 

[copernicus45]

you have to keep your Nitrates, nitrites, Ammon and phos lvls down, that way you get good coral growth, you also have to make sure you have a proper lighting to suport the corals you buys. Do you run a protein skimmer on your tank?

 

[halo_frk03]

well if i remember correctly from a past thread.. you have 5 fish in a 9 gallon so you bioload is way over and corals would probably not be a good addition at this point

 

[aztec reef]

i'm concerned about tank stability and having suficient light, and compatible livestock.

 

[ophiura]

A reef tank, actually, is not terribly much like a fish only tank, except that the water is salty in both, IMO.
YOu monitor, and are concerned with, a few more parameters (nitrates become critical, as do things like alkalinity and calcium). Specific gravity in fish only tanks is commonly 1.021, which is highly stressful if not fatal to invertebrates.
Lighting is also critical, and stock flourescents will not be good for keeping much...so I hope you do not have normal out put flourescent lights

You tend to have far fewer fish in a reef system than in a fish only system.

 

[bleedphillygre]

thank you everyone for your input. i want to be good at this and i want to run a good tank. aquariums are so fascinating to me and now with the edition of keeping up with coral excites me even more!!
a main concern seems to be the lighting. does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[ophiura]

What do you have?

 

[patandlace]

Originally Posted by BleedPhillyGre
thank you everyone for your input. i want to be good at this and i want to run a good tank. aquariums are so fascinating to me and now with the edition of keeping up with coral excites me even more!!
a main concern seems to be the lighting. does anyone have any recommendations?
It depends what you plan on having in your tank. If you want softies and some LPS than PC lights will do. If you're planning on SPS corals or clams you'll need T-5's or Metal Halides. I'm hoping you have some sort of upgraded lights. You're corals won't survive without them.

 

[aztec reef]

if you want to do this right from the get go then dont settle for nothing less then a MH 250w + at least, this way you avoid newbie mistake and won't have to upgrade later.

 

[puffer32]

Size of tank will determine your lighting, What size is it?

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
if you want to do this right from the get go then dont settle for nothing less then a MH 250w + at least, this way you avoid newbie mistake and won't have to upgrade later.
LOL yeah I want 250 watts of MH light on my 2.5 gallon nano,

Sorry couldnt help it.
lighting depends on tank size and what you intend to keep in it, if your going to stick with just soft corals you dont really need metal halides though they are nice. power compaqs and VHO's are good for softies and shrooms and some LPS corals too.
tell us what you have for lights and what you want to do with the tank, and what size it is then we can answer your lighting question more accuratly

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
LOL yeah I want 250 watts of MH light on my 2.5 gallon nano,

Sorry couldnt help it.
lighting depends on tank size and what you intend to keep in it, if your going to stick with just soft corals you dont really need metal halides though they are nice. power compaqs and VHO's are good for softies and shrooms and some LPS corals too.
tell us what you have for lights and what you want to do with the tank, and what size it is then we can answer your lighting question more accuratly

Absolutely. 250w MH on my 45g would basically nuke things and would be total overkill. It depends entirely on your tank size and what you want to keep....which means research what you want, and then research what you need.

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
LOL yeah I want 250 watts of MH light on my 2.5 gallon nano,

Sorry couldnt help it.
lighting depends on tank size and what you intend to keep in it, if your going to stick with just soft corals you dont really need metal halides though they are nice. power compaqs and VHO's are good for softies and shrooms and some LPS corals too.
tell us what you have for lights and what you want to do with the tank, and what size it is then we can answer your lighting question more accuratly
oh i did'nt know we were in the nano forums

i wasn't answering you i thought we were in new hobby

st

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by ophiura
Absolutely. 250w MH on my 45g would basically nuke things and would be total overkill. It depends entirely on your tank size and what you want to keep....which means research what you want, and then research what you need.
i know what i have! and 250wmh is not overkill. Its superb 250w mh overkill for a 29g sps/lps this is the first rookie statement i 've

heard you say.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
oh i did'nt know we were in the nano forums

i wasn't answering you i thought we were in new hobby

st

Yes New Hobbyists forum - which means he could have a 10g tank. He could have a 220g tank. That is all anyone was pointing out, no need for this response. We don't know what this hobbyist has...your advice might be spot on, or it might not be. It is a place to discuss opinions