when can I take the next step?

[Codfather_az]

wondering where I go from here? my tank finished cycling (reef saver rock and arag alive sand) mid may, and I have a pair of clowns in there. I had one tiny "crash" if you will but with prime and water changes nobody was lost and everything fixed itself in about 4 days, that was in early July. I have not turned on any lights as it gets ambient natural light. However I've had no algae, diatoms, cyano, nothing, everything is still white as white can be. so today I ordered some chaeto and pods and decided to turn my lights on (ai 16 prime hd) at like 15% roughly, total output is only 7 watts for 4 hours a day. Is it to soon to turn on the lights? should they be on longer? when should I start testing ca and kh or is it safe possibly putting in a hardy coral?

 

[Theulli]

Put in a gsp or Xenia and see how it does. If those die you probably should wait on any other coral. And they are a cheap canary in the coal mine.

my only recommendation on when to turn lights on is do not blast white light! You only need even 1 or 2 percent on an ai prime to see the tank nicely, maybe a bit more if you are going heavy blues for corals, but not more than 10%. It took months for my green algae to go away after that mistake.

 

[Gtinnel]

I would go ahead and turn my lights on at the intensity and photo period that you plan on running them out. With a new reef tank you're going to get algea, it unavoidable IMO.
You can check alkalinity and calcium now, but until you get some stony corals or coralline algea starts to grow there probably won't be much depleting it. Once you have some stony corals you will need to start checking them regularly.
Pick the cheapest, hardiest coral you want to get and make it first. Xenia and GSP are very hardy, and cheap options but become a nuisance for many people. Make sure it's something you actually want.

 

[MarshallB]

If you do use GSP or Xenia, put them on a rock island to prevent a jungle overtaking all you aquascape. You can always go with some zoanthids. They are very hardy.

Eitherway you will end up with some sort of algae, it's really unavoidable. The chaeto will help, but dont freak when you start getting some uglies. it's going to come and go for at least a year.

You might also think about getting some coraline algae scrapes from your LFS. The quicker you can get that to cover your rock work, the less you have to worry about algae taking over.

 

[Codfather_az]

Put in a gsp or Xenia and see how it does. If those die you probably should wait on any other coral. And they are a cheap canary in the coal mine.

my only recommendation on when to turn lights on is do not blast white light! You only need even 1 or 2 percent on an ai prime to see the tank nicely, maybe a bit more if you are going heavy blues for corals, but not more than 10%. It took months for my green algae to go away after that mistake.

right now my white is at 3%

I would go ahead and turn my lights on at the intensity and photo period that you plan on running them out. With a new reef tank you're going to get algea, it unavoidable IMO.
You can check alkalinity and calcium now, but until you get some stony corals or coralline algea starts to grow there probably won't be much depleting it. Once you have some stony corals you will need to start checking them regularly.
Pick the cheapest, hardiest coral you want to get and make it first. Xenia and GSP are very hardy, and cheap options but become a nuisance for many people. Make sure it's something you actually want.

its not so much I'm trying to avoid algae, I guess i was to a point to let things get started but I really thought the ugly stage would have started by now. I'm surprised/concerned it hasn't yet

If you do use GSP or Xenia, put them on a rock island to prevent a jungle overtaking all you aquascape. You can always go with some zoanthids. They are very hardy.

Eitherway you will end up with some sort of algae, it's really unavoidable. The chaeto will help, but dont freak when you start getting some uglies. it's going to come and go for at least a year.

You might also think about getting some coraline algae scrapes from your LFS. The quicker you can get that to cover your rock work, the less you have to worry about algae taking over.

I tried that, about a month ago I took some ro water and scraped a coraline live rock with a diamond bit hole saw and threw it in the blender and in the tank it went, I also ordered the coraline in a bottle. shavings have had no effect, bottle hasn't arrived yet

 

[Gtinnel]

right now my white is at 3%

its not so much I'm trying to avoid algae, I guess i was to a point to let things get started but I really thought the ugly stage would have started by now. I'm surprised/concerned it hasn't yet


I tried that, about a month ago I took some ro water and scraped a coraline live rock with a diamond bit hole saw and threw it in the blender and in the tank it went, I also ordered the coraline in a bottle. shavings have had no effect, bottle hasn't arrived yet

The ugly phases are just different algea growths, for the most part you need light (not just a little ambient light from the room) for the algea to grow. Also trying to seed coralline probably won't really work without the light either. It sound to me like the only answer is to turn the lights on to what you want to run them at.

 

[Codfather_az]

The ugly phases are just different algea growths, for the most part you need light (not just a little ambient light from the room) for the algea to grow. Also trying to seed coralline probably won't really work without the light either. It sound to me like the only answer is to turn the lights on to what you want to run them at.

ok so I'm on the right track. So what's the benefit of running my lights where I'll be running them in the future? shouldn't I keep them low level to let things adjust? I guess my thought is with low light it'll be low problems vs blasting it with light and having big problems quickly?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Not to burst your bubble, but the fun (challenges) won’t start until the lights come on.

 

[MarshallB]

I tried that, about a month ago I took some ro water and scraped a coraline live rock with a diamond bit hole saw and threw it in the blender and in the tank it went, I also ordered the coraline in a bottle. shavings have had no effect, bottle hasn't arrived yet

Coraline algae will need sufficient light to grow. If you haven't been using your lights, or have been using them on a very low setting then that would be why you haven't seen any start to grow.

Use your lights at the intensity and spectrum you will eventually run them at. You do not need to run them for a whole lighting cycle, a few hours a day should be enough to get the coraline start to move.

The whole idea of leaving the lights off is to give the bacteria in the tank time to take some territory. I think there is some evidence that it may lighten or decrease the ugly phase, but the ugly phase is going to happen regardless when you decide to turn your lights on full time.

 

[Gtinnel]

ok so I'm on the right track. So what's the benefit of running my lights where I'll be running them in the future? shouldn't I keep them low level to let things adjust? I guess my thought is with low light it'll be low problems vs blasting it with light and having big problems quickly?

The way I look at it is, and this is just my opinion and not necessarily correct, but I'd rather go through the ugly algea stages as early as possible so that I'm not trying to fight back algea after my tank is starting to get more stocked with coral. Also if you get the algea early it gives you options like lowering your lights if necessary that is easier to do before getting a lot of coral, although don't get me wrong it's not impossible to do with coral. It also gives you a better understanding of balancing the nutrients in the tank, because the corals also need those same nutrients to survive.

Plus our tanks aren't really all that pretty without that mesmerizing blue glow that makes your neighbors wonder what you're doing in your house.

 

[Codfather_az]

ah yes the blue glow, while were on that subject, what parameters would you guys suggest? I plan on keeping easier corals so softies and lps. I don't know my par but the tank is about 20x20 with most of the rock work centered. Best ive found so far is uv/violet/royal/blue at 110%, green and red at 10-12%, and white between 40-50%. Does this sound reasonable for hardy corals?

 

[MarshallB]

That AI prime should be fine. Most soft corals would do fine at 50-100 par. The blues on 100, or 110% as you said. Then just play around with the other channels till you find a spectrum that is pleasing to your eyes.