Beginning coral questions

[ninjabeaver]

Okay got it! Thanks I'm pumped how it's turning out! I did a quick water change today before I put the new lights on. I was also wondering what you put your timers on or how long the lights should be on and off I have no idea what to judge that on?

My lights run like this:

at 630 AM my DIY LED's come on (my kinda simulated sunrise) at 845 the main 4 bulb t-5 lights come on, 1645 main t-5s are off and 1830 the LEDs go off to simulate sunset. I also have a cheap strip of blue leds that are on at night so I can kinda see whats going on in the tank and be a moonlight

 

[DrBoxedWine]

I have them start ramping on at 10 AM, they hit full strength at noon, and then start ramping down at 8 PM and then go off totally around 11:15. I probably have them on longer than most, but my lights allow me to have them at less than full strength for some of it so i think it's ok.

 

[Qh2214]

Okay cool I was thinking about starting mine from 10-12 (moonlight) 12-6 (regular LEDs) 6-10 (moonlight) would that work or too long? Feedback?

 

[ninjabeaver]

Okay cool I was thinking about starting mine from 10-12 (moonlight) 12-6 (regular LEDs) 6-10 (moonlight) would that work or too long? Feedback?

Sounds like a good place to start.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

So this is my take... Other people may disagree here, but I feel like it's good to go no lights or at very very little at night. I've noticed when the lights are out and I go have a look, they're all basically "sleeping." Not totally still but definitely a suspended state sorta. When the moonlights are on it seems as tho they never fully rest, they're always kinda active. Just my 2 cents, i'd be curious what other people think.

 

[Qh2214]

Ya I don't have sunrise or sunset dimmers with mine so I was just going to use the moonlight as lengthened out substitute sunrise/set. Then when they shut off at 10 they wouldn't have any light till morning. Does that sound good or would I be messing with things too much?

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Nah that sounds just fine. I keep my moonlights on till just a little after I go to bed so I can see in the tank till I go to sleep.

 

[Qh2214]

I think I'm starting to get diatom bloom. Advice?

 

[tyler1503]

With diatoms you just have to maintain good husbandry and ride it out. It should clear up on it's own in a month or two.
It looks green to me though (I'm colourblind, so probably wrong on that). Diatoms are brown I believe.

 

[Qh2214]

What do you mean by good husbandry? Anyway to speed up that process? I've got 3 snails and 3 blue hermit crabs. No worries it's like a light brown dusting!

 

[tyler1503]

What do you mean by good husbandry? Anyway to speed up that process? I've got 3 snails and 3 blue hermit crabs. No worries it's like a light brown dusting!

Husbandry is looking after the tank. Water changes, testing, good feeding routine etc. Pretty much everything involved with keeping the tank healthy.
There are animals that can eat diatoms and you can siphon it out, but chances are it will continually grow back until it's ready to die off by itself anyway. Some snails will eat diatoms and so may the hermits.
Awk, being brown I would say it's definitely diatoms then I just got over my diatom bloom on my new tank within the last few weeks. I only had them for about two weeks or so.
The bloom can get pretty ugly, so don't get disheartened if you find your tanks isn't looking too good. It will recover!

 

[Qh2214]

Husbandry is looking after the tank. Water changes, testing, good feeding routine etc. Pretty much everything involved with keeping the tank healthy.
There are animals that can eat diatoms and you can siphon it out, but chances are it will continually grow back until it's ready to die off by itself anyway. Some snails will eat diatoms and so may the hermits.
Awk, being brown I would say it's definitely diatoms then I just got over my diatom bloom on my new tank within the last few weeks. I only had them for about two weeks or so.
The bloom can get pretty ugly, so don't get disheartened if you find your tanks isn't looking too good. It will recover!

Okay awesome. Ya I regularly feed my fish around 12 and I just did a water change on Thursday. I usually try to do one every week or every week and a half. Nice hopefully mine will last only two weeks because it'll drive me crazy when it looks bad..

 

[Qh2214]

Also I was thinking about getting some frogspawn and a zoa for my first type of corals or should I go in another direction? Not getting them yet just thinking ahead!

 

[tyler1503]

Also I was thinking about getting some frogspawn and a zoa for my first type of corals or should I go in another direction? Not getting them yet just thinking ahead!

Those are both great beginner corals!
Be careful with the zoas though. Do a bit of research into the ones your looking at buying as some can be quite finicky to keep while others are very easy.
Frogspawns are awesome corals. They have elongated tentacles that can cause a nasty sting, so give them a bit of space between them and other corals and they should be fine

 

[Qh2214]

Awesome will do! I'll post a pic of my zoa and frogspawn!

 

[Qh2214]

So I've had the frogspawn and the zoas for a few days now but for some reason my zoas so not want to open up whatsoever and I cannot figure out why I've tried moving them but sill don't want to! Any advice? My parameters are all perfect and my salinity is at 1.024

 

[Mikesmith34]

Give them a little time. What kind are they? As far as the diatom it will get worse before it gets better. It's just a phase that all new tanks go through as it feeds on the silica ( if I remember right) in the tank. It will suck a little but look at it as positive growth cycle of the tank. Google diatom bloom on new tank

 

[tyler1503]

Agreed, they need more time. As hard as it, try not to move them around too much. Let them sit in one place for a couple of weeks before moving them again
They need some time to get used to your water, lights and flow.
It looks like the mouths are open. Are they? Or is that just the colouration?

 

[Qh2214]

Give them a little time. What kind are they? As far as the diatom it will get worse before it gets better. It's just a phase that all new tanks go through as it feeds on the silica ( if I remember right) in the tank. It will suck a little but look at it as positive growth cycle of the tank. Google diatom bloom on new tank

Will do! Just impatient because they looked awesome opened up in the tank I got them from! I can't remember what kind they are when they open I'll take a picture and post it. Yeah it's definitely getting worst should I get more snails and hermits? I've got 3 of each right now.

 

[Qh2214]

Agreed, they need more time. As hard as it, try not to move them around too much. Let them sit in one place for a couple of weeks before moving them again
They need some time to get used to your water, lights and flow.
It looks like the mouths are open. Are they? Or is that just the colouration?

Yeah it's extremely hard to not try and constantly move them to get them to open up! I'll let them sit where they are now for a few weeks I'm hoping it opens up sooner then later. Yeah their mouths open sometimes and other times their completely closed!