Want to add Corals to FOWLR&LS any suggestions for a new guy??

[new2saltwater]

I currently have a 46gal bow with 49.5 lbs of Liverock 3.5 in DSB 2 maxi900 and 1 maxi-1200 CPRBakPak2r Britelite 96watt PClighting.
Tank residents are 12 (6)Turbo (6) Astrea snails 2 Horsehoe Crabs 1 sand stirrer starfish. 1 Bubble tip Anemone 1 Tomato Clown
1 Naso Tang 1 Coral Beauty 1 Manderine 1 Cleaner wrasse 1 blenny not sure what type.
1 Antennata. Any suggestions as to what type of crals I can add with current conditions??

 

[adrian]

Jay, if you want to turn yur tank into a full blown reef you will need to remove a couple of things from your tank. The star and the horseshoe feed on the organisms in the sand that make it "live". Eventually, if the have not already, they can decimate the life in your sand bed. A naso tang grows to over 10" and should be kept ina larger tank. How is your anemone doing, anemone are rather difficult to keep and its health could tell you if your water quality is suitable for coral. how long have you had it, and kind is it? Also how is your mandarin and how long have you been keeping it? Your equipment sounds good, other than your lighting which will most likely have to be upgraded depending on what kind of coral is to be kept. Get yourself a good book such as Natural Reef Aquariums by John Tullock or Aquarium corals by Eric Borneman. HTH

 

[new2saltwater]

Adron, Ive had the anemone since the tank cycled, its seems to be doing just fine. It gets to be around 8-10 in when fully spread. As for the naso I got it about the size of a 50 cent piece. I plan on transferring it over to a 90 gal corner tank by x-mas.
Thanks for the info........

 

[new2saltwater]

I found a DYS dual PC with 1 MH kit for a really good price (friend bought but never used it) but Im wondering if this is too much light considering that its only 17inches
from water line to top of sandbed?? Or can I just stick with my CSL Britelight with 50/50
bulb??

 

[burnnspy]

Your lighting is too weak to support any corals.
Even mushrooms need moderate lights to thrive.
You need 1.5 more inches of LS to have a good DBS.
I recommend getting rid of the horseshoe crabs, starfish, Coral Beauty and Naso tang.
The tank is too small for the tank and the coral beauty may eat your corals.
BurnNSpy

 

[c marlowe]

As stated, a DSB needs to be undisturbed to function correctly. the anaerobic conditions at the lower levels need to be very low in oxygen, and creatures such as horseshoe crabs are going to seriously impair this activity by burrowing through the bed. A bubble tip is often, and correctly, recommended as the easiest anemone to keep, so it isn't a good indicator of proper reef lighting for light lovers. Say you have a tube light over a 48 inch tank that is 200 watts, you would get more light over a 24 inch tank or whatever with the same watts (although watts used as a output measurement sucks) because the light is more concentrated in a smaller area giving the creatures the full amount of light as opposed to being possibly 48 inches from the end of a tube. Anyway, tank dimensions does play a part, but the best you'll have good luck with is the basics such as shrooms and I believe a leather could do OK. There are plenty of corals though that need no light whatsoever, and are some of the most beautiful, but the fact that you must feed them without help from the lights as a second source, often times will lead to failure if the owner is not serious about success in the hobby.

 

[burnnspy]

Non-photosynthetic corals are not recommended for most reef tanks(ie Gorgians, Sun corals etc.).
BurnNSpy

 

[new2saltwater]

So should I replace the 96watt Smartlight I have with the DIY kit( 2 96 watt 1 MH) my friend wants to sell me ??

 

[krustytheclownfish]

Burn,
Why aren't non-photosynthetic corals recommended for reef tanks?

 

[burnnspy]

Because they die in the hand of most reef keepers.
They do not do well in tanks with photo-corals that require nutrient poor conditions.
Sun corals are an exception but are still recommended for advanced reefers since they demand regular feeding and attention.
BurnNSpy
BurnNSpy