Adding coral for first time

[mcurran420]

My tank has cycled. I’ve had fish doing well in it for two months. Haven’t lost a fish from the start. What parameters does my water have to be before I introduce some coral?

thanks

 

[Peace River]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

 

[thatone08]

Welcome!

 

[PeterC99]

Welcome to R2R!

You could start with an easy coral like a zoa.

 

[thatone08]

Depends on what type of corals. If your basic parameters, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are good, you should be ok for a few softies and beginner level lps. Stay away from sps, until you can definitively keep the nitrates, calcium, magnesium and alkalinity stable.

I think zoas and maybe a small frogspawn should be ok now.

 

[Zach B]

Welcome :)

 

[ying yang]

Welcome and hope all is well.
Your tank cycled so now time to start adding livestock hey ( exciting times) im new at 6 months but reading and taking advice from others before me off taking it slow so at 4 month stage i added my first coral ( a small 11 head zoa frag ) and now at 6 months im upto 5 corals,all softies except a lps torch.
Glad to report no livestock dead at all so far ( maybe a mini hermit crab as seen him on backy halloween hermit crab at night and in morning only an empty shell but could changed shells) halloween went back to lfs as took a liking to eating tentacles/spines off urchin and turned a snail infront off me and started nibbling lol.
But some put the hardest off sps corals in tank straight after cycle completed and have no loss but i think this to do with their experience and keeping perfect water parameters and knowing all the signs ( im new so will take advice and try my best to keep parameters all stable for few months before adding harder to keep corals and no rush imo

 

[Rmckoy]

After cycled it’s safe to add livestock .

before adding any coral , test other parameters to assure some stability

mag , alk , cal , temp , salinity
some corals will be a little
More forgiving with fluctuations such as soft corals .
Some lps can be a little finicky and especially sps .

I’d recommend testing for a week or 2 to make
Sure every parameter is stable
Keep in mind once coralline algae starts to take off you will notice a significant drop in alkalinity.
which if ignored will cause issues keeping corals

 

[Billldg]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[G Santana]

Welcome to R2R

 

[Fred2482]

Welcome!

 

[SPR1968]

Hi and welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[Clo]

I just bought a couple cheap frags when I felt comfortable, watched their progress.
And then, ordered a couple more nicer ones when I felt my tank was ok for it.
I'm sure there are people with a more scientific method though.

 

[Salty Rambler]

Welcome to R2R! Some great advice above regarding water parameters. Also suggest looking at your lighting to make sure it is strong enough to support coral growth.

 

[dwair]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[MaxTremors]

Depends on what type of corals. If your basic parameters, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are good, you should be ok for a few softies and beginner level lps. Stay away from sps, until you can definitively keep the nitrates, calcium, magnesium and alkalinity stable.

I think zoas and maybe a small frogspawn should be ok now.

Frogspawn are a stony coral that require stable nitrates, phosphates, cal, alk, and mag just the same as SPS. They’re a little more forgiving/less temperamental, but they’re still stony corals and require much more care than soft corals.

 

[Clo]

Frogspawn are a stony coral that require stable nitrates, phosphates, cal, alk, and mag just the same as SPS. They’re a little more forgiving/less temperamental, but they’re still stony corals and require much more care than soft corals.

Funny enough my frogspawn is more happy than my hammers right now o_O

 

[Fish Think Pink]

My tank has cycled. I’ve had fish doing well in it for two months. Haven’t lost a fish from the start. What parameters does my water have to be before I introduce some coral?

thanks

Welcome! Glad you joined. Don't chase numbers, but here are my targets:
phosphates .25 (under .5)
alk 8.5
calcium 420-450
magnisium 1300-1400
ph 8-8.4
salinity .025 - .026
temp 78-78

 

[Gqch]

start from hardy softys as gsp, shrooms or zoas, they are easier to keep. and welcome to r2r!

 

[Jeffcb]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!