I wouldn’t recommend starting out with coral with such a small tank size. There is a lot to understand and the fluctuations can be pretty rapid. Even going to a 10g will increase your odds immensely. I might even recommend a IM 15g or equivalent to start off with.
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#15
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I understand your concerns but ive had fresh water tanks and a macro algea tank before and if i dont take the tank anf coral it will die (backstory) im getting 80% of the supplies from a freind who is quiting the hobby.
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#15
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As for what i want to do to the tank i want to get a better light possible a better pump but that may not be important if i get a wave maker also going for a filter basket and thunking of manually glueing on another 2 glass compartments on to the aio filter to get more filtration
So you friend is giving you a 5g tank with coral? Or just the coral?
Can you tell us what kind of corals they are. Different corals have different needs.
It is good that you have some basic experience. But you are going to enter a whole new ball game.
roboshark
Active Member
It’s not impossible but there is little room for error. I started my first pico reef tank a month ago and had corals in it by week 2. I actually bought an sps and zoas as my first two, now I have 14 and counting of various types.
I recommend getting bottled bacteria of your choice and pouring a good amount in there. If you can, a piece of live rock would help start up the tank as well. Make sure there is some flow and the water isn’t stagnant. Test your parameters occasionally, I do twice a week. Get an ato or have distilled/rodi water ready to top off. Also make sure the light you have is decent to keep the corals alive (I have a Nicrew 30w set to timer). Feed them once a week or every 2 weeks (I use Reef Roids).
It’s a lot easier to start when you have a blueprint and knowledge from more experienced reefers. Check out some pico and nano reef care videos on YouTube as well.
I recommend getting bottled bacteria of your choice and pouring a good amount in there. If you can, a piece of live rock would help start up the tank as well. Make sure there is some flow and the water isn’t stagnant. Test your parameters occasionally, I do twice a week. Get an ato or have distilled/rodi water ready to top off. Also make sure the light you have is decent to keep the corals alive (I have a Nicrew 30w set to timer). Feed them once a week or every 2 weeks (I use Reef Roids).
It’s a lot easier to start when you have a blueprint and knowledge from more experienced reefers. Check out some pico and nano reef care videos on YouTube as well.
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OP
#15
Community Member
Thank you for the guidance so ive had this this 5 gal for about a year and a half was keeping macro in it but i gave it all to my locall shop since my freind is giving up (maybe just for now) and hes giveing me his coral thats still alive they are zoanthids , Pulsating xenid and green star polyps im only takeing smaller ones cause i know they all can grow pretty fast but they all will be on their own rocks i only have 1 well cultured rock with a good amount of red coraline algae.
WhatCouldGoWrong71
Well-Known Member
I’ve got a 6 gallon nano started about 3 months ago. It started out as a refuge for hitchhiking mantis’ from a recent KPA wet rock order, then we tossed in some rocks and rubble from KPA and then about 2 jars of pods, and then we wound up with coral and a pair of clowns that are trying to figure each other out. I have 3 other tanks from 130g to 75g. Nothing swings as radical as this thing. If your going with fish, pay close attention to the cycle, it’s spikes so quickly that it will catch you off guard. We picked up on these sudden spikes in the fishes behavior, it was interesting how aggressive they got and how the aggression went away after we addressed it. I will say the nice thing about this is a 50% water change twice a week and the tank is Uber stable now. 1ML of AFR daily (so I can at least tell the wife I used the stuff I bought, I just can’t make the switch from 2-part, lol). I almost tossed a Prime 16 on this but I went to Petco and naught one of those Fluval marine lights, it keeps the corals somewhat happy, but we don’t fight much algae, I’ll trade low maintenance on this thing for anything else. I put a glass top on it and have zero evap. One pic is with whites and one with out for par reference.
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#15
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Got the first coral in the tank i have just a few more days before i have to move the rest it seems to be going alright the coral is opening and swaying around also can any one twll me what this dry flakey stuff is
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This is another over all update of what the tank is looking like. My dry rocks are starting to grow some good coraline maybe some glory shots of that.
Any idea how to get rid of this stuff on my green star polyps and glass.
The 2 hermits are still best bros i also added another shell i doont know if they'll like it tho. The 2 snails are also fine n dandy.
The filter pump i have for added flow is annoying and falls off all the time but the nano wave makers are to expencive for me at the monment.
Ive upgraded the light to the aqua night and everything seems to be enjoying it. But the lighting timer is sooo bad well for me. Right now i just turn it on and set it every time i wake up (you aparently have to plug it in at 7 in the morning or something)
also my cultured purple rocks have some of those tube snails with the mucas strings ive also killed the pest anems but might have one tiny one showing up.
Any idea how to get rid of this stuff on my green star polyps and glass.
The 2 hermits are still best bros i also added another shell i doont know if they'll like it tho. The 2 snails are also fine n dandy.
The filter pump i have for added flow is annoying and falls off all the time but the nano wave makers are to expencive for me at the monment.
Ive upgraded the light to the aqua night and everything seems to be enjoying it. But the lighting timer is sooo bad well for me. Right now i just turn it on and set it every time i wake up (you aparently have to plug it in at 7 in the morning or something)
also my cultured purple rocks have some of those tube snails with the mucas strings ive also killed the pest anems but might have one tiny one showing up.
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