Growing corals fore the first time

[maff2026]

pre filter

 

[maff2026]

The reason I won't operate without a mechanical filter:
Back in 1989 when I first ventured into marine fish, things were very different in this country to what they are now. My water company for example dosed the water with PH stabilizer so that shampoo frothed when you washed your hair, influenced by a company called Gibbs who insisted the water should be at a PH of 7.2.
RO systems didn't exist back then and the fish shops didn't supply it either and there was no way you could get tap water above 7.4 no matter what you did. My first tank had sea water in it which I filtered myself.
The filtration system consisted of an undergravel tray covered in coral sand with two tubes, one at either end with a power head on each causing a downdraft into the water pulling all unspent food and detritis into the coral sand. This coral sand became a nitrate factory and although I never lost a fish-ever, I lost a nem through a combination of poor lighting and poor water quality. This was upsetting to me and I swore I'd never turn a tank into a living toilet ever again. That's how it has to be.

 

[Fish Fan]

The reason I won't operate without a mechanical filter:
Back in 1989 when I first ventured into marine fish, things were very different in this country to what they are now. My water company for example dosed the water with PH stabilizer so that shampoo frothed when you washed your hair, influenced by a company called Gibbs who insisted the water should be at a PH of 7.2.
RO systems didn't exist back then and the fish shops didn't supply it either and there was no way you could get tap water above 7.4 no matter what you did. My first tank had sea water in it which I filtered myself.
The filtration system consisted of an undergravel tray covered in coral sand with two tubes, one at either end with a power head on each causing a downdraft into the water pulling all unspent food and detritis into the coral sand. This coral sand became a nitrate factory and although I never lost a fish-ever, I lost a nem through a combination of poor lighting and poor water quality. This was upsetting to me and a swore I'd never turn a tank into a living toilet ever again. That's how it has to be.

My first marine tank was around 1984 or so, and like yours was driven by an under gravel filter with powerheads. Those were the good days

Nitrate has to get really, really high to harm fish, but my tanks back then were algae factories for sure, so I'm familiar with dirty sand beds, and I agree it's like a cat litter box for fish

 

[maff2026]

My first marine tank was around 1984 or so, and like yours was driven by an under gravel filter with powerheads. Those were the good days

Nitrate has to get really, really high to harm fish, but my tanks back then were algae factories for sure, so I'm familiar with dirty sand beds, and I agree it's like a cat litter box for fish

Back then, if you disturbed the sewage works in the sand bed with any cleaning device - get ready for a cloudy day in the tank because those powerheads were slow man.
These days you could clear such a cloud in 15 minutes with the power we have which is great for the fish.
Little was known about lighting requirements either, I had a CC white light and a CC ultra violet which the shops said was the best combination. In reality it was bad, not only for nems but for humans watching the tank. UV blinds people in such an intensity.
I'm glad things have moved on, everyone's a winner but most importantly the fish.

 

[Fish Fan]

We just didn't have the light technology back then, short of halides, which I got into sometime later. But back then I just had as many of the old like T12 florescent bulbs as I could across the tank

 

[maff2026]

We just didn't have the light technology back then, short of halides, which I got into sometime later. But back then I just had as many of the old like T12 florescent bulbs as I could across the tank

Yup, no technology to produce the correct spectrum. A reef bed at 30 feet is mostly blues, indigo with a small amount of UV. Back then the fish were subjected to more UV than a sunbed machine at 20 inches, it was cooking em. My nem lived a year but once it had to deal with sewage too, it lost the will to live.
I said back then I'd ever have another marine because we weren't in the ball park with anything. After reading for weeks how it is now, It gave me more confidence in technology.

 

[Fish Fan]

Yup, no technology to produce the correct spectrum. A reef bed at 30 feet is mostly blues, indigo with a small amount of UV. Back then the fish were subjected to more UV than a sunbed machine at 20 inches, it was cooking em. My nem lived a year but once it had to deal with sewage too, it lost the will to live.
I said back then I'd ever have another marine because we weren't in the ball park with anything. After reading for weeks how it is now, It gave me more confidence in technology.

The tech has come a long way, especially with lighting. Newer LED lights can grow just about anything these days, it's quite a bit different than all those years ago

 

[maff2026]

The tech has come a long way, especially with lighting. Newer LED lights can grow just about anything these days, it's quite a bit different than all those years ago

Well I've been reading and watching video's for 5 weeks solid while building the tank system step by step. So far I've spent £600 to upgrade from fresh water to marine which is about $800 and that's just moderate equipment.
I bought the Kessils second hand but they are better than cheap $100 lights. Everything else was new.
It's only 35 gallon so I'm confident I haven't overstepped my mark. Five small fish, a blood shrimp is all the livestock I'll be stocking. The rest is softies and easy LPS and that's why I'm here. I know nothing about corals or nems for that matter and I shouldn't have had a nem in 89 if the truth be known but when you're young you make silly mistakes without thinking.
If after a year I'm still confident I'll add a nem.

 

[maff2026]

So a few questions I can't seem to find answers for.
If I cycle my tank successfully and have a matched pair of oscillaris clowns in, would you start adding corals then one at a time or fully stock the tank with fish first at the correct rate of about six months then add corals?
What corals do members suggest I start with? 100 par at bottom of tank, 250 par mid tank I have.