What to dose/Coral ID

[olaywolay]

Hi all, my coral stock consists of:

GSP

3 types of zoas

2 types of clove polyps

1 john deere leptastrea

candy cane coral

torch

1 big mushroom

rock with 6 small mushrooms

gorgonian (photosynthetic type)

and one of which needs to be ID’d if possible!

Wanted to know what to start dosing, i ordered some mystery boxes and half of this is what ive recieved now to my understanding i need to start dosing but was only prepared for soft corals so please dont get at me!! what could i dose, thanks!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Testing is the only way to know. If you test regularly, you will see elements gradually decrease as they as are consumed by corals. How much they consume and how fast they consume requires testing to know. Dosing might not even be needed for a while, the corals will take time to acclimate to your tank before they start growing and consuming elements, testing till tell.

What kind of test kits do you have? Salifert and hanna are my preferred brands. Coral testing includes nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity and calcium. Some people also test for ph and magnesium.

 

[GHOSTLY]

That coral looks similar to most encrusting montis. As what to dose id say nothing. You have a lot of corals who won't use enough of the available stuff so water changes should be good. You'll know when to dose because your calcium uptake and alk will not be able to keep up with water changes. For context I just started dosing my 20g with 15+ acros and a bunch of lps since water changes were enough

 

[olaywolay]

Testing is the only way to know. If you test regularly, you will see elements gradually decrease as they as are consumed by corals. How much they consume and how fast they consume requires testing to know. Dosing might not even be needed for a while, the corals will take time to acclimate to your tank before they start growing and consuming elements, testing till tell.

What kind of test kits do you have? Salifert and hanna are my preferred brands. Coral testing includes nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity and calcium. Some people also test for ph and magnesium.

thankyou so much, only have the bog standard API for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate right now, please reccomend an affordable test kit and ill purchase right away

 

[GHOSTLY]

thankyou so much, only have the bog standard API for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate right now, please reccomend an affordable test kit and ill purchase right away

Id say save your money for the next 6 months or until you venture more into sps and lps. Saliferts is a lot of people's go to

 

[olaywolay]

That coral looks similar to most encrusting montis. As what to dose id say nothing. You have a lot of corals who won't use enough of the available stuff so water changes should be good. You'll know when to dose because your calcium uptake and alk will not be able to keep up with water changes. For context I just started dosing my 20g with 15+ acros and a bunch of lps since water changes were enough

thanks a lot, guess ill just start testing and eventually dosing when the times right!

 

[olaywolay]

thankyou so much, only have the bog standard API for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate right now, please reccomend an affordable test kit and ill purchase right away

Id say save your money for the next 6 months or until you venture more into sps and lps. Saliferts is a lot of people's go to

so i dont need to test for all those right now just keep on top of water changes?

 

[GHOSTLY]

so i dont need to test for all those right now just keep on top of water changes?

Id say stay on top of your water changes and you'll be okay. Also coral growth is proportional to how big the colony is. 1 hammer head may split to 2 but 10 will split to 20. Once your coral get bigger their consumption will be too. You'll know when the times right :)

 

[olaywolay]

so i dont need to test for all those right now just keep on top of water changes?

Id say stay on top of your water changes and you'll be okay. Also coral growth is proportional to how big the colony is. 1 hammer head may split to 2 but 10 will split to 20. Once your coral get bigger their consumption will be too. You'll know when the times right :)

lovely thankyou, think im gonna buy a light and a test kit and just dose when i need to, is all for reef any good?

 

[GHOSTLY]

lovely thankyou, think im gonna buy a light and a test kit and just dose when i need to, is all for reef any good?

All for reef is much more dependant on your tank. Its more meant to maintain rather than raise. At the point my sps dominated reef is at, all for reef is able to maintain their demand. Im sure in 6 months ill need to supplement my afr with something like 2 part or kalk.

Whats your plans down the road for your tank and stocking?

 

[olaywolay]

lovely thankyou, think im gonna buy a light and a test kit and just dose when i need to, is all for reef any good?

All for reef is much more dependant on your tank. Its more meant to maintain rather than raise. At the point my sps dominated reef is at, all for reef is able to maintain their demand. Im sure in 6 months ill need to supplement my afr with something like 2 part or kalk.

Whats your plans down the road for your tank and stocking?

most likely a mixed reef so quite the variety, i would say soft coral dominant tank but im really unsure, gonna work with what ive got snd eventually get to it later on

 

[GHOSTLY]

most likely a mixed reef so quite the variety, i would say soft coral dominant tank but im really unsure, gonna work with what ive got snd eventually get to it later on

I think if you plan to have a mixed reef something like afr is easy and enough for you down the line. Ofc things may change. What are you lighting the tank with right now?

 

[olaywolay]

most likely a mixed reef so quite the variety, i would say soft coral dominant tank but im really unsure, gonna work with what ive got snd eventually get to it later on

I think if you plan to have a mixed reef something like afr is easy and enough for you down the line. Ofc things may change. What are you lighting the tank with right now?

only lighting it with the hygger 30W right now as i only planned to have softies but recieved otherwise in the order, currently online looking for a light that will work well, any suggestions?

 

[GHOSTLY]

only lighting it with the hygger 30W right now as i only planned to have softies but recieved otherwise in the order, currently online looking for a light that will work well, any suggestions?

You can get ai primes for around 200 and they're pretty solid. Coverage wise nothing wrong with 2 hyggers. I'd suggest run the ai prime since it should cover enough and give you chances for sps