Maybe ISO Coral? Eastern CT

[stepho725]

My tank is cycled, I added 2 clowns, a couple snails & a zoa which seems to be doing well. Numbers remain stable at Ph: 7.8 (is this too low?) Ammo: 0 Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: 20 (I assume this will go down further once I get more CUC going & another water change?)
Naturally I'd like to add some more coral. I want some zoas, a leather or 2, ricordias, shrooms(?), maybe Xenia, Hammer, Torch, maybe some GSP...so relatively easy guys. Possibly eventually try a Scaly, Chalice, Anemone - that's about that I think?? I like fleshy/flowy pieces & I also like coral I can keep alive without a sump.
I know I need to get a new light (ordering a black box as soon as I understand the difference between them all) & another power head bc I think I might have a couple dead spots on my rocks (two Jebao SOW4s for a 40g? Even though I have HOB skimmer creating some flow?) but the tank is doing pretty well. It's going through the diatom bloom as it should (week 4)....
So, can I add some more coral?? And if so, at what rate?

 

[saturn13]

check out the BRS video on blackboxes, I think the Viparspectra wins overall, but a couple others were close.

 

[saturn13]

and are you testing , cal, alk,mag, and phos in addition to what u have above?

 

[stepho725]

Ah no I havent tested any of those parameters yet. Do you feel like they are important to start testing immediately even though I'm starting with just softs/soft LPS? If so it will be a week to two weeks to get me the black box plus a reef test kit as well....I honestly forgot about those parameters! I never tested for them in my last tank until I thought had phosphate problems I think.

 

[saturn13]

absolutely, you'll loose stuff if those are unstable. Phosphate as well. I think you'll find a lot about test kits on here, I use hanna and salifert. I know the redsea is good as well. The API I don't use much anymore, hard to determine colors. If you're gonna put any corals innbeore testing, tracking and keeping it stable then do yourself a favor and don't buy anything exspensive.

 

[kgstei]

I can give you a piece of devil's hand.

 

[Blitzie]

For the corals you described above keep it simple.
Get some test kits by Salifert (Alk, Calcium, Magnesium)
In my opinion I would test for Alk on a regular basis (every day) until you are stable (or make changes) and then cut it every other or even 3rd day.
Alk is a funny thing though You aquarium can do fine at 7 DKH or at 11 DKH they key is to keep it stable. People run into issues at times when you change things like salt mixes

Personally I don't test for phosphates as normally for me if they elevate you see it in an algae bloom.
My though is if you have algae, you have phosphates, you may test it and get a low number and that's because the algae is consuming it,

Read this article on parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php