How quickly did you introduce corals and any tips for starting?

[seamonster]

Wait. Your tank w

New 65g tank just starting/learning, we have two clowns in QT. The tank will cycle with turbo 900, live sand and caribsea life rock.

We have reefapalooza coming up in a few weeks and would really like to bring home some colorful corals — our LFS are pretty limited. Originally I didn’t want to rush this, but seems like the best opportunity (minus the quick timeframe).

Would it be a bad idea to stock up there so early in the tank? Suggestions on types, quantity, literally anything? lol Any fish recommendations if I wanted to be prepped for corals (if that’s even a thing).

ill go through an ugly phase that’ll last for months. Get a clean up crew and copepods instead to minimize those phase. Some corals, inverts (including anemones) and fish don’t tolerate the ugly phase well because dinoflagellates, algae, diatoms release toxins in the water. Invest in a uv sterilizer instead. Maybe get a coral and see how it does. However it’s better to not turn on the lights if you don’t have to. Let nature run its course.

 

[Nick Steele]

I say go for it!!!

I just went to RAP Orlando and tank was just shy of two week old. I got 3 zoas that I wanted nothing to crazy! But at the end of the show I came across Tampa Bay liverock! I grab 3lbs for my 20G and figured it would help with biodiversity and cycle if anything.

If you don’t mind combing over the rock I say grab some it’s like $25 for the 3lbs. Covered in coraline algae and macro algae if you want I opted for one small piece of algae due to it going into my AIO chambers.


So far here I am 2 weeks out and the three zoas are still kicking and I’ve since added gsp and xenia too!

 

[Michael Adam]

I put coral in my new tank after the ugly phase and started to see coraline algae. About three and a half months. Tested parameters everyday til they were stable.

 

[reinert]

Adding a few hardy, low light tolerant softies is likely not going to be an issue. The real problem with your proposed plan is that you’ll get to the show and be immediately seduced by intensely coloured corals or nice looking fish that will probably struggle in your new system.

Taking it slow is probably the most offered but ignored piece of advice given on reefing forums. If it’s any help to you that deep feeling of impatience doesn’t go away any time soon. Bouncing between impulse buys, anxiety and conflicting advice on forums isn’t fun! It’s difficult for beginners but the sooner you can relax into the timeframes a new system sets the more enjoyable the hobby will become.

Thank you for this. I'm not quite 3 months into my first tank and I went with a small 15 gallon tank due to my apartment. I'm enjoying watching my invertebrates and my 3 fish. I'm waiting as patiently as possible, but getting into the groove of the tank and the needs of the animals in it is important to me. I don't want to lose them adding in corals. I'm also wandering what my bio load can be in this tank. Will corals affect that? I'm not finding a real answer for that.

 

[darrick001]

My 114 gallon system was set up Feb 27 2024. I used Dr Tim's on day one but only added 1/10 of the ammonia. 80% of the live rock and 25% of the sand came from my 710 gallon. 10 drops of ammonia were added every day. On day 7 a refugium was added with a very small amount of chaeto and- 1 gallon of pods. 50 ml of tet phyto was added every day on day 12 phyto was doubled. on day 14- 4 fish and a few coral were added. 50 % of algae in my 210 refugium was removed and put into my new display. The algae was left in the tank over night. When removing it it was shaken and all visible pods, mini stars, and bristle worms were saved. Phyto was doubled every 5 days. On day 21 the tank was filled with coral and anemones. On day 30 the glass was growing diatoms fairly quickly but there were no snails in the tank yet(in QT). When snails were added about day 45 I no longer needed to clean the glass every 3 days.
There is no skimmer on this tank and the only filtration is the refugium. So far there has been no ugly stage and it resembles a mature reef. The tank is loaded with pods. 300- 500ml of iso phytoplankton is added daily.

 

[darrick001]

This is my refugium.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

I'm also wandering what my bio load can be in this tank. Will corals affect that? I'm not finding a real answer for that.

There are the obvious clear cut restrictions surrounding size of the tank and fish selection but aside from that it’s difficult to simplify the answer.

I basically think of everything in my nano as either a lifter or a leaner. Lifters pay their way by assisting with energy conversion and output. Leaners just demand energy input. Amphipods are the classic lifter, almost invisible, constantly working. Clownfish are the classic leaner. Corals fall somewhere in the middle depending on light and feeding requirements.

I’ve never owned a BioCube but I’ve seen plenty that have punched well above their weight over the years.

Search for some nice looking examples and they’ll probably have a journal here or on nano reef. Pay close attention to the timeframes and development of their systems.

 

[reinert]

There are the obvious clear cut restrictions surrounding size of the tank and fish selection but aside from that it’s difficult to simplify the answer.

I basically think of everything in my nano as either a lifter or a leaner. Lifters pay their way by assisting with energy conversion and output. Leaners just demand energy input. Amphipods are the classic lifter, almost invisible, constantly working. Clownfish are the classic leaner. Corals fall somewhere in the middle depending on light and feeding requirements.

I’ve never owned a BioCube but I’ve seen plenty that have punched well above their weight over the years.

Search for some nice looking examples and they’ll probably have a journal here or on nano reef. Pay close attention to the timeframes and development of their systems.

It's been interesting. This BioCube all in one is good. The only draw back I feel is the lighting. But for a beginner, it is really good. I'm learning a lot and find it fascinating. I don't want to hurt or waste money on corals just yet. I will definitely look into examples and journals. Thank you for the direction! That's what I needed before I take the next steps into turning this little guy into something beautiful.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

New 65g tank just starting/learning, we have two clowns in QT. The tank will cycle with turbo 900, live sand and caribsea life rock.

We have reefapalooza coming up in a few weeks and would really like to bring home some colorful corals — our LFS are pretty limited. Originally I didn’t want to rush this, but seems like the best opportunity (minus the quick timeframe).

Would it be a bad idea to stock up there so early in the tank? Suggestions on types, quantity, literally anything? lol Any fish recommendations if I wanted to be prepped for corals (if that’s even a thing).

I put my first coral in at 4 months. Tank is now right at 8 months and I have 10 corals, the last one being my first ever SPS. So far so good.

 

[jabberwock]

Than from @Tidal Gardens has said several times (even as recent as their latest livestream) that you can put corals in the day you start the tank. Matter of fact you can put a ton in. Not fish, but corals.

Respect for Tidal Gardens, but don't they sell coral though???

 

[gbroadbridge]

Respect for Tidal Gardens, but don't they sell coral though???

My thoughts exactly

 

[bafia]

I always had a hard time waiting around, too. I'd definitely start with some easy ones such as green start polyps and some basic zoas and see how it grows!

 

[AquaForge]

My thoughts exactly

So if you kill them all they would have to send you a whole new batch. Not exactly a good way to do business. I have heard this very thing from Than, Jake and a couple of others (some don’t sell coral). People treating coral like fish when they are completely different organisms with different water requirements

 

[Gill the 3rd]

Provided you can keep your water parameters stable, you can add all the coral you want day 1. Corals are the opposite of fish in regards to the 'cycle'. They actually like ammonia. There are even some people testing dosing small amounts of ammonia to their tanks.