When should i get corals?

I started a new tank and was wondering when i should get new corals? I know their requirements and all that but does anyone have a recommendation on what my nitrate levels should be. Whats an easy way to reduce nitrates in my tank other than water changes.
 

hunt

Active Member
Well first of all how old is your tank, i would reccomend at least 6 months for your tank to mature.
Nitrates should at maximum be at 20ppm (and thats kinda high) But it is best at 0ppm.
The easiest way to remove nitrates is water changes, sorry if you were looking for somthing else.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by kajunsausage
http:///forum/post/3232888
I started a new tank and was wondering when i should get new corals? I know their requirements and all that but does anyone have a recommendation on what my nitrate levels should be. Whats an easy way to reduce nitrates in my tank other than water changes.

Nitrates lower than 40 is fine, above that is dangerous for inverts and coral..... You can introduce a coral just like you can a fish. So when your tank is ready for fish, it is ready for corals. Add anything very slow, one or at the most two at a time, 6 months before an anemone. QT tank for your fish if you can do it will save you plenty of headaches.
 

gill again68

Active Member
After learning the hard way....... make sure if you are getting SPS or other critters that use calcium at any rate that you, even if your calcium level is and has maintained good levels, test and make sure your levels dont drop. I added a couple of things once and my levels went to crap in a basket. No matter how little you think the new additions may affect your tank TEST anyway. Same goes for other parameters.
 

nycbob

Active Member
another way to reduce nitrate besides water change is hv more liverocks or add macroalgae. as for corals, it really depends on what corals u want to keep. if softies, shrooms or zoas, u could add it after a month or two.
 
Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/3233024
another way to reduce nitrate besides water change is hv more liverocks or add macroalgae. as for corals, it really depends on what corals u want to keep. if softies, shrooms or zoas, u could add it after a month or two.
I going to try shrooms first and then polyps and then lps. My tank is about 6 months old.
 

small triggers

Active Member
nitrates dont exactly come from fish,, they come from waste and over feeding leading to a high nitrate concentration....
 
Originally Posted by small triggers
http:///forum/post/3233061
nitrates dont exactly come from fish,, they come from waste and over feeding leading to a high nitrate concentration....
Well i know i dont overfeed because i feed every other day in good amounts.
 
Oh and i have a biocube protein skimmer, 11 pounds of liverock and 10 pounds of live sand.
(Its a 10 gallon tank just so you know)
 

geoj

Active Member
Originally Posted by kajunsausage
http:///forum/post/3233096
Every week i do a 15% water change.
I just ran out of test kits for nitrates, but I tested last week and they were at about .25 ppm

I call .25ppm zero
If it stays below 5ppm at all times you are doing good and can start to add some easy corals. So test it before you do your water change and see what you get.
Like what Nycbob was getting at some corals will use nitrate up as food and some don’t do well if nitrate gets up over 20ppm so pick wisely and you will be fine…
 
Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/3233139
I call .25ppm zero
If it stays below 5ppm at all times you are doing good and can start to add some easy corals. So test it before you do your water change and see what you get.
Like what Nycbob was getting at some corals will use nitrate up as food and some don’t do well if nitrate gets up over 20ppm so pick wisely and you will be fine…
oops i messed up. Its 25ppm
 
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