How long do you wait before adding coral to a new tank?

Daniel@R2R · Dec 5, 2016

So once your cycle is done, how long do most of you wait before adding coral? (and why?) It also might be good to specify when you add different types of coral (SPS, LPS, and softies) since IME the latter 2 seem to do well in a younger tank than SPS. Give us your thoughts!

psirex · Dec 5, 2016

Anytime after the cycle is complete - i started with LPS and Softies..... Working up to SPS......

brandon429 · Dec 5, 2016

We can grow any coral in a nano that is normally grown in a nano on day one of setup, and commonly do. No maturation required, sps included. Today's additive options make maturation not required.

Same biology as setting up display tanks at MACNA temporary, but they'd live on just fine should they not be taken down.

The ability to skip cycle a brand new tank confers the ability consistently to all nanos and picos

We move live rocks from pet store to home easily, skipping the cycle in every tank I've ever put online

jenkinscrew2578 · Dec 5, 2016

I just wait till all parameters are stable after the cycle and have the ability to dose the necessities if needed just to be safe. I like to take it slow.

brandon429 · Dec 5, 2016

To me, the nanos that are really pushing things advanced (and still within accurate rules, this is not haphazard) aren't the skip cyclers we've been documenting those sixteen yrs now...it's the ones inputting high value frags on day one of white base rock

The type of cycle where the presence of frags, as the sole bio inclusion to the new tank, seed the cycling bacteria for the tank without overloading the system is possible to demonstrate consistently.

The frags natural metabolic ammonia complement to the system is trace ammonia feed for the cycle... The frags dont die because the ammonia never spikes-yet the filtration bacteria takeover just fine given a month in the presence of water, frags, flow and tiny bits of feed but not enough to ever register free ammonia which would kill the frags

It's possible and easy to cycle a system using corals ~

In no way whatsoever does cycling a reef tank require measurable ammonia, bacteria get in and get their feed even if we don't offer. All we have to do is not sterilize things.

A cycle is much -faster- with registered and sustained ammonia/bottle bac but not required.

brandon429 · Dec 5, 2016

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/376780-09g-aio/

Sabellafella · Dec 5, 2016

mdbannister said:
So once your cycle is done, how long do most of you wait before adding coral? (and why?) It also might be good to specify when you add different types of coral (SPS, LPS, and softies) since IME the latter 2 seem to do well in a younger tank than SPS. Give us your thoughts!

Well technically i have no patients =) but for sps usually ill wait till parameters like diurnal ph and alk swings to get inline. Coralline algae indicates calcification, usually around that time ill add sps

d2mini · Dec 5, 2016

I start "testing the waters" so to speak right away.
As long as water parameters are where they should be and you are able to keep them STABLE, go for it.
Some things may not do that well at first, but you'll just have to try various things and see.
Obviously SPS will probably be the most sensitive.
But i had things you would think that would be easier like encrusting monti not do well, and then acros that did do well.

ss95003 · Dec 5, 2016

If the cycle is complete and you are prepared to keep Ca, and KH stable there is no reason you can't add whatever you want right now.

A+Aquatics · Nov 21, 2017

brandon429 said:
We can grow any coral in a nano that is normally grown in a nano on day one of setup, and commonly do. No maturation required, sps included. Today's additive options make maturation not required.

Same biology as setting up display tanks at MACNA temporary, but they'd live on just fine should they not be taken down.

The ability to skip cycle a brand new tank confers the ability consistently for all nanos and picos

We move live rocks from pet store to home easily, skipping the cycle in every tank I've ever put online

We have been dreaming of and itching to set up several nano/vase displays and begin our high end coral vase keeping journey with the rest of the case keeping clan.
This information even though posted close to a year ago is still just as viable and relevant to this day. Facts are Facts! - Thank You for sharing and putting together a write up.

brandon429 · Nov 21, 2017

Thank you so much

I can tell as things progress its important to separate haphazard starts, the 'bad' rushing of things, from absolutely controlled skip cycling. To me, its a form of trust-training that starts with accepting what bacteria can do, and tolerate, and relying on that as the base measure for rules of engagement. If we are allowed to clean much deeper/harsher in small tanks vs what we were told 20 yrs ago, then we have less invaded tanks.

we're free to move them
we're free to de-dino them if needed, without wait and parameter chasing

we're free to weather power outages better if that stinky old sandbed habit is changed into super clean sand that doesn't command oxygen from the reef like nine fish would do

its not that we break rules haphazardly but to be able to reef small and show large tankers they too can opt out if current methods seem dated..after all we're running full ecosystem testing on systems that have the lowest dilution and room for error in reefing, large tankers benefit when they mine the pico forums for outcomes and sps plated onto glass so thick you have to dremel it off. Problems with coral growth too much, not coral disease, neat dichotomy imo.

there are times where nothing good happens fast, and in others, we're working within the boundaries of what the most important organisms in our tanks have adapted to so that we control the tanks and not the other way around. Pico reefers don't wait for compliance, they command it over and over its just one way among a few that have few outliers and strong coral growth among posters

XNavyDiver · Nov 21, 2017

Speaking for myself, my tank is still not ready for acropora. 7th month mark, and everything else coral wise thrives in this tank. Coraline algae exploding, zoas multiplying like rabbits, montiporas thickening and spreading, acans fat, hammer happy.... acro still not happy, but it's real close.
My guess is the 1 year mark and it might be ready for smooth skin acros.
Lps was good to go by month 3.

James_O · May 1, 2021

Old thread, but I want to bump it.

I am looking into corals, but I was told to wait at least 6 months! It seems that I was told very wrong?

(Setup is a 29g nano tank)

Pico bam · May 1, 2021

James_O said:
Old thread, but I want to bump it.

I am looking into corals, but I was told to wait at least 6 months! It seems that I was told very wrong?

(Setup is a 29g nano tank)

6 months is a general rule for nems not coral, heck i don't even cycle! Ive had a great deal of success without cycling. Ammonia and nitrite are what to look out for.

James_O · May 1, 2021

Pico bam said:
6 months is a general rule for nems not coral, heck i don't even cycle! Ive had a great deal of success without cycling. Ammonia and nitrite are what to look out for.

Ok, that’s good news!

Maybe the person was talking about nems, and not coral, lol.

—-

I’m just looking into the basic $10 frags at my LFS. So they should be good to add now? (Mostly polyps)

JCM · May 1, 2021

I started adding corals 2 days after I setup my aquascape. If you use real live rock there's no need to wait.

Pico bam · May 1, 2021

James_O said:
Ok, that’s good news!

Maybe the person was talking about nems, and not coral, lol.

—-

I’m just looking into the basic $10 frags at my LFS. So they should be good to add now? (Mostly polyps)

You can pm if you'd like. Alot of people cycle there tanks but I'm not going to get into that, if its already cycled great! If not just start with 1or 2 frags zoas are a good choice! Along with mushrooms and softies.

FortLivingRoom · May 1, 2021

James_O said:
Ok, that’s good news!

Maybe the person was talking about nems, and not coral, lol.

—-

I’m just looking into the basic $10 frags at my LFS. So they should be good to add now? (Mostly polyps)

I hear you seems like everyone on all the forums were saying you need to wait six months you basically have to have Coraline algae before you can add corals. But a video BRS just did they said the opposite that adding corals Burley helps increase the biodiversity of your biome in your tank. I have a 40 gallon tank and just started adding coral at the three month mark. Wish I would’ve done it sooner when I added the first fish.

James_O · May 1, 2021

FortLivingRoom said:
I hear you seems like everyone on all the forums were saying you need to wait six months you basically have to have Coraline algae before you can add corals. But a video BRS just did they said the opposite that adding corals Burley helps increase the biodiversity of your biome in your tank. I have a 40 gallon tank and just started adding coral at the three month mark. Wish I would’ve done it sooner when I added the first fish.

Not sure what “coralline” algae is, but I definitely do have algae. (Diatoms, brown, and green hair)

Pico bam said:
You can pm if you'd like. Alot of people cycle there tanks but I'm not going to get into that, if its already cycled great! If not just start with 1or 2 frags zoas are a good choice! Along with mushrooms and softies.

I will look into Zoas! And mushrooms.