Right time to add more fish and beginner corals?

[alll1124]

Hello everyone! I'm new to the saltwater reef tank world and have a few questions. I'll start by giving my tank specs.

20 gallon nuvo fusion with stock 211gph return pump
(1) Hydor Koralia 425
Current USA Orbit Marine IC LED light
Tunze osmolator nano ATO

Part 1.
I believe my tank has been cycled for about 3-4 weeks now considering ammonia has been close to 0 and after an about 50% water change the nitrates are consistent at 0-5.0ppm.

As of now I have (1) Clown (1) Turbo Snail and (1) Trochus Snail.
So my questions are, at what point should I feel comfortable adding another fish? Should I add more snails, crabs, or shrimp first? I would like to have a shrimp/goby pair preferably.

Part 2.
As for corals I would like to start off towards the beginner spectrum with some Zoas and Toadstools. I have had a hard time finding consistent info on ideal flow rate for these guys is 636 to much?

Part 3.
FILTER MEDIA! My LFS has been very little help when it comes to this. When is the right time to add? What kind?

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

 

[Oscaror]

Hello everyone! I'm new to the saltwater reef tank world and have a few questions. I'll start by giving my tank specs.

20 gallon nuvo fusion with stock 211gph return pump
(1) Hydor Koralia 425
Current USA Orbit Marine IC LED light
Tunze osmolator nano ATO

Part 1.
I believe my tank has been cycled for about 3-4 weeks now considering ammonia has been close to 0 and after an about 50% water change the nitrates are consistent at 0-5.0ppm.

As of now I have (1) Clown (1) Turbo Snail and (1) Trochus Snail.
So my questions are, at what point should I feel comfortable adding another fish? Should I add more snails, crabs, or shrimp first? I would like to have a shrimp/goby pair preferably.

Part 2.
As for corals I would like to start off towards the beginner spectrum with some Zoas and Toadstools. I have had a hard time finding consistent info on ideal flow rate for these guys is 636 to much?

Part 3.
FILTER MEDIA! My LFS has been very little help when it comes to this. When is the right time to add? What kind?

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Welcome to R2R!
1. At the start I'd recommend waiting a few weeks between fish additions just to let the nitrifying bacteria populations grow
2. Zoas prefer medium flow that isn't blasting them but also won't let sediments settle on them (I can't visualize 636 gph sorry)
3. I don't know much about filter media sorry

 

[Billldg]

Hello everyone! I'm new to the saltwater reef tank world and have a few questions. I'll start by giving my tank specs.

20 gallon nuvo fusion with stock 211gph return pump
(1) Hydor Koralia 425
Current USA Orbit Marine IC LED light
Tunze osmolator nano ATO

Part 1.
I believe my tank has been cycled for about 3-4 weeks now considering ammonia has been close to 0 and after an about 50% water change the nitrates are consistent at 0-5.0ppm.

As of now I have (1) Clown (1) Turbo Snail and (1) Trochus Snail.
So my questions are, at what point should I feel comfortable adding another fish? Should I add more snails, crabs, or shrimp first? I would like to have a shrimp/goby pair preferably.

Part 2.
As for corals I would like to start off towards the beginner spectrum with some Zoas and Toadstools. I have had a hard time finding consistent info on ideal flow rate for these guys is 636 to much?

Part 3.
FILTER MEDIA! My LFS has been very little help when it comes to this. When is the right time to add? What kind?

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Welcome to R2R!!! If you already added 1 fish then the rule of thumb is you can double the amount of fish every month to give your bacteria time to catch up and not cause an ammonia spike. So if you at 1 then go to 2 in 30 days and 4 30 days after that. 636 is over 30 x water turn over for a 20 gal tank, that's a lot of turnover for softies and lps, they like roughly around a 20 x turnover. When we r talking filter media what r you referring to, carbon, gfo, ?

 

[alll1124]

Welcome to R2R!!! If you already added 1 fish then the rule of thumb is you can double the amount of fish every month to give your bacteria time to catch up and not cause an ammonia spike. So if you at 1 then go to 2 in 30 days and 4 30 days after that. 636 is over 30 x water turn over for a 20 gal tank, that's a lot of turnover for softies and lps, they like roughly around a 20 x turnover. When we r talking filter media what r you referring to, carbon, gfo, ?

Thanks for the info! So I'm assuming if I stepped down to a Koralia nano 240gph that would be more practical? I haven't found one that goes below that yet but still looking. As far as filter media goes I know very little. Any suggestions? I like the advantages of carbon and gfo but Im not sure how to figure out what is right for me. My local fish store tried to sell me on Seachem denitrate but after a little research on my end I found that the flow rate for denitrate should not exceed 50gph

 

[Billldg]

Thanks for the info! So I'm assuming if I stepped down to a Koralia nano 240gph that would be more practical? I haven't found one that goes below that yet but still looking. As far as filter media goes I know very little. Any suggestions? I like the advantages of carbon and gfo but Im not sure how to figure out what is right for me. My local fish store tried to sell me on Seachem denitrate but after a little research on my end I found that the flow rate for denitrate should not exceed 50gph

I would actually go up to the Koralia 480 model, same price, I use them in my QT tanks, that way you will have 20 x turnover. Its doubtful you will need GFO, I have a 120 gal tank and I used GFO for a month and it stripped out the phosphates, over a month later and I'm still trying to raise it back up. If you don't have a heavy bio load then it isn't needed. I run a carbon reactor and change out the media every 2 weeks to keep the water clear. Again, if the load isn't heavy or if you aren't trying to reduce water changes then it isn't necessary, you can put carbon filters in your filter box depending on what you have. I'm guessing a HOB filter maybe? If so then just put in carbon filters.

Just thought of something, test for phosphates first, if they are below.10ppm then using GFO is a waste of money. Plus it could be corrected with water changes.

 

[alll1124]

I would actually go up to the Koralia 480 model, same price, I use them in my QT tanks, that way you will have 20 x turnover. Its doubtful you will need GFO, I have a 120 gal tank and I used GFO for a month and it stripped out the phosphates, over a month later and I'm still trying to raise it back up. If you don't have a heavy bio load then it isn't needed. I run a carbon reactor and change out the media every 2 weeks to keep the water clear. Again, if the load isn't heavy or if you aren't trying to reduce water changes then it isn't necessary, you can put carbon filters in your filter box depending on what you have. I'm guessing a HOB filter maybe? If so then just put in carbon filters.

Just thought of something, test for phosphates first, if they are below.10ppm then using GFO is a waste of money. Plus it could be corrected with water changes.

I know this is a lot to ask but is there any way you could point me in the right direction finding the 480 model or possibly a link? Ive searched a few sites but haven't found anything under 480 model. Although I will say there is always a possibility I overlooked it.

As far as a filter box I have the Nuvo Fusion AIO. The water goes directly into the back with a filter sock on each side.

I have attached a picture of the tank

 

[Billldg]

Sorry, it's not a 480 model, it's the 425 model

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/koralia-nano-425.html

You could buy a nano carbon reactor

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-5-single.html

I would recommend buying the reactor with the pump

I posted brs only because that is were I personally buy everything, if you can find it u could buy it somewhere else.

 

[cracker]

Welcome, AL I suggest you st bck & wait for a while. Flow is a very subjective topic. some like more some less. I think I would go with the larger If it seems too much You ca direct it against a wall or such to deflect the flow.

 

[alll1124]

Sorry, it's not a 480 model, it's the 425 model

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/koralia-nano-425.html

You could buy a nano carbon reactor

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-5-single.html

I would recommend buying the reactor with the pump

I posted brs only because that is were I personally buy everything, if you can find it u could buy it somewhere else.

Thanks for the help!! I have the koralia 425 and Ill definitely look in to getting the carbon reactor

 

[Teri NewbieReefer]

Hi and Welcome to R2R! There are plenty of helpful people on here that will help you out every step of the way.

 

[ReeferJen]

Ha! Your build is very similar to mine, stock pump, current lights, and a Tunze ATO. The ATO us worth every penny. I just just moved my tank two days ago and haven't set my ATO back up yet and I miss it. Initial setup was 8/28/18, and it's recovering well from the move.

I used the center chamber in my IM Fusion 14 as a fuge, and that's worked great for me.

My first additions were the Clownfish, 3 hermits, and a turbo snail. A week later I got a cabbage leather, a Ricordia mushroom and Xenia. A week later I got the blenny. Now I have two zoa colonies, a hammer, Elegance, Duncan, porcelain crab, nasarius snails, and a rock flower anemone.

The Duncan is doing the best out of everything, followed by the cabbage leather, Ricordia, the zoas, and the Elegance. The xenia and the hammer seem to struggle the most, but they haven't died, but they aren't exactly thriving either.

I did a fuge in back. I decided the space would be best used as a fuge instead of a skimmer, and I don't regret it. I watched the BRS TV videos with the 4 fuges and difficult lights, and I wanted a more natural ecosystem. It's working great I think due to my Chaetomax light.

I still just have the stock pump and an additional pump for more flow.