Suggested corals for my NO3 and PO4 levels…

[peterhos]

Good morning everyone. Still trying to improve my tank here ..l have attached last week’s picture.

Rather than being disappointed by corals that I seem to kill off, how about trying some corals that might actually LIKE my newish tank. … 8 months old now …

My nitrates are 12.3 and stable and my PO4 hovers around 0.08, oh, and my Alk is settling around 8.4-8.5.

So, what do think has a good chance with those numbers?

Thanks for any suggestions. I will rush straight to the LFS when I see what you recommend!

 

[Shibaken3]

softies and LPS

 

[peterhos]

softies and LPS

Thank you very much. What do you think is a foolproof lps for a newish tank, and would you buy a very small frag or something bigger to give it more of a chance?

 

[Shibaken3]

I always go small so I can buy another frag if they die. Not all coral can make it through.

Can I ask what coral that u try that worked and didn't?
I recommend Zoa, mushroom, blasto, candy cane & hammer for beginners.

Out of the 30 coral frags I bought, I killed 3. The one that died was red dragon acro, Favia, and a Torch. I liked the look of Favia so I bought a different color and now it is living happily in my tank.

 

[dwest]

I think you have some good recommendations above.

I also believe the numbers that you shared are fine for any corals. However, I would wait until coralline algae has taken off before adding sps. And that you have good lighting and flow.

 

[Boehmtown]

Parameters seem fine. I've found blastos very easy, toadstool mushrooms , regular mushrooms, zoa's, pavona, . A lot of corals are easy, what's hard is getting your light and flow dialed in and knowing what goes where. Some advice. It can take weeks or months to kill something from low flow and light and about a day to kill it with high light or flow

 

[peterhos]

I always go small so I can buy another frag if they die. Not all coral can make it through.

Can I ask what coral that u try that worked and didn't?
I recommend Zoa, mushroom, blasto, candy cane & hammer for beginners.

Out of the 30 coral frags I bought, I killed 3. The one that died was red dragon acro, Favia, and a Torch. I liked the look of Favia so I bought a different color and now it is living happily in my tank.

Thank you. I did have a very small candy cane that shrank away. I think a skimmer and roller mat are too much … so maybe I will need to target feed or feed more of a soup to any coral. My ‘foolproof’ Bali green slimer still has flesh and shape, but is (???) not showing good colour due to brown algae (again, ???0. I bought a dozen zoas … too colourful to resist, even though they were not in my original plan. The Zia’s are all increasing in number of polyps, look good under blue light, but some are still small.

 

[peterhos]

I think you have some good recommendations above.

I also believe the numbers that you shared are fine for any corals. However, I would wait until coralline algae has taken off before adding sps. And that you have good lighting and flow.

Thank you .. an interesting reply. Maybe, if I am lucky, a few lol corals will start to grow and help with nitrate/phosphate levels??

 

[peterhos]

Thank you. I did have a very small candy cane that shrank away. I think a skimmer and roller mat are too much … so maybe I will need to target feed or feed more of a soup to any coral. My ‘foolproof’ Bali green slimer still has flesh and shape, but is (???) not showing good colour due to brown algae (again, ???0. I bought a dozen zoas … too colourful to resist, even though they were not in my original plan. The Zia’s are all increasing in number of polyps, look good under blue light, but some are still small.

… zoas …

 

[peterhos]

Parameters seem fine. I've found blastos very easy, toadstool mushrooms , regular mushrooms, zoa's, pavona, . A lot of corals are easy, what's hard is getting your light and flow dialed in and knowing what goes where. Some advice. It can take weeks or months to kill something from low flow and light and about a day to kill it with high light or flow

Very interesting!! I do not have a parmeter and am unlikely to get hold of one any time soon. I have a green pavona that is mostly white … hanging on in there… possibly regaining a few polyps. TMC ilumenaire+ running at 65%. No green algae on glass. Maybe I should raise the lights?

 

[peterhos]

Thank you .. an interesting reply. Maybe, if I am lucky, a few lol corals will start to grow and help with nitrate/phosphate levels??

…LPs…

 

[dwest]

Thank you .. an interesting reply. Maybe, if I am lucky, a few lol corals will start to grow and help with nitrate/phosphate levels??

Do you think your nitrate and phosphate levels are too high or too low?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think the parameters are fine for any coral. Next to parameters, lighting and flow will determine what you can keep,

 

[peterhos]

Do you think your nitrate and phosphate levels are too high or too low?

??? Am starting to doubt my sanity! So much contradictory advice. I have a gut feeling that a few LPS corals might help to ‘balance’ the tank. Am more confused I think by the lighting levels. I have been playing around a little lately…

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

??? Am starting to doubt my sanity! So much contradictory advice. I have a gut feeling that a few LPS corals might help to ‘balance’ the tank. Am more confused I think by the lighting levels. I have been playing around a little lately…

I wouldn't try to balance nutrients by adding corals personally...I'm not sure about the precise rate at which different corals take up nitrates and phosphates but every time you add any sort of food to the tank you're contributing to nutrient levels so I'd expect that any nutrients taken up by the corals you add will be replaced at the very least when you feed your fish. (I'm assuming you're not giving the corals supplemental feedings if you're already worried about your levels and are counting on the corals' uptake to lower them).

 

[Shibaken3]

Can also try duncans.

 

[Boehmtown]

I

Very interesting!! I do not have a parmeter and am unlikely to get hold of one any time soon. I have a green pavona that is mostly white … hanging on in there… possibly regaining a few polyps. TMC ilumenaire+ running at 65%. No green algae on glass. Maybe I should raise the lights?

I think your lights might be too intense. Maybe try moving something thats pale or retracted to the sides and back away from the light and see if it improves. What size is the tank and how high off the water line is the light?

 

[billyocean]

The numbers provided will accommodate any corals...including acros. Experience and learning from mistakes will help guide you to what you can handle.

 

[peterhos]

I

I think your lights might be too intense. Maybe try moving something thats pale or retracted to the sides and back away from the light and see if it improves. What size is the tank and how high off the water line is the light?

Mmmm. Too intense?? The lights sit about 10 inches above the water. Zoas at the bottom very colourful under heavy blue light with 65% white and violet. My Bali green slimer is towards the bottom … looking fleshy with polyps still … but browny green. I am thinking of increasing light by 1 or 2% a day for a week. The manufacturers say the light is suited to the three foot tank and should run at 100% on all three channels for SPS. Paid a lot of money for TMC lights. Surely they know what they are talking about?? Why do you think the lights are too intense?

 

[Boehmtown]

Just the description of your corals you struggled with, could be a thousand things but it sounds like to harsh of light or low nutrients, instead of changing your lights. Move your coral. Move the slimer up and see if it improves. Move some of the shrinking sickly looking corals down and to the edges. Without a par meter to get an idea, it's like following the directions of the salt mix and never actually checking the salinity. (As far as programmable LEDs are concerned)