When can I get coral?

[cactusreef]

Hey. I have a new tank started. It’s been a couple weeks. I started cycle with tons of bacteria, ammonia dose, live rock and bio balls. Ammonia has been 0 since end of first week. Nitrite still reading around 1-2. I have two clowns and a peppermint shrimp (small aptasia popped up on live rock). I know it’s early for fish and a shrimp but ammonia has been 0 for a long time and I wanted to get on top of aptasia. They seem happy.

How early can I get coral? I was going to wait for nitrite to be 0 but do I also need to wait for nitrate to come down? I also have some AFR but I’m not dosing that yet.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mebbid]

I'd probably wait at least a couple more weeks for your cycle to finish and nitrites to hit 0. Start with a cheap zoanthid and then give it a week or so, if that does well add something else.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Everyone is different, some folks add corals right away and some wait. Did you do the research on corals, do you feel confident that your tank can provide the environment for corals to thrive? Do you know what other parameters to test to keep corals healthy? You don't need AFR right away, likely not for a long while. Do you understand why folks dose AFR? If you can answer these questions then I say go for it, but if you can't then I would wait. Good luck

 

[steveschuerger]

Until you do get corals you don’t have to dose anything. And quick aside on your levels Nitrite is less important in saltwater tanks than fresh and the other is you do want some nitrates as they are nutrients for coral . You should also have a small amount of potassium. To get more information I’d go to Bulk Reef Supply site they have a large number of informative videos meant for beginners. Plus there’s a lot of people here that can help.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

You should also have a small amount of potassium.

Did you mean phosphate? I agree some potassium is essential, but not usually a topic in this context.

 

[get-salty]

Everyone is different, some folks add corals right away and some wait. Did you do the research on corals, do you feel confident that your tank can provide the environment for corals to thrive? Do you know what other parameters to test to keep corals healthy? You don't need AFR right away, likely not for a long while. Do you understand why folks dose AFR? If you can answer these questions then I say go for it, but if you can't then I would wait. Good luck

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Hey. I have a new tank started. It’s been a couple weeks. I started cycle with tons of bacteria, ammonia dose, live rock and bio balls. Ammonia has been 0 since end of first week. Nitrite still reading around 1-2. I have two clowns and a peppermint shrimp (small aptasia popped up on live rock). I know it’s early for fish and a shrimp but ammonia has been 0 for a long time and I wanted to get on top of aptasia. They seem happy.

How early can I get coral? I was going to wait for nitrite to be 0 but do I also need to wait for nitrate to come down? I also have some AFR but I’m not dosing that yet.

Thanks in advance.

I personally would wait to add coral. You don't need to dose AFR until water changes can no longer keep up with the demands of your tank.
What corals are you wanting to add?

 

[ScottJ]

Listen to

Everyone is different, some folks add corals right away and some wait. Did you do the research on corals, do you feel confident that your tank can provide the environment for corals to thrive? Do you know what other parameters to test to keep corals healthy? You don't need AFR right away, likely not for a long while. Do you understand why folks dose AFR? If you can answer these questions then I say go for it, but if you can't then I would wait. Good luck

Best overall advice I've seen in a long time

 

[X-37B]

Hey. I have a new tank started. It’s been a couple weeks. I started cycle with tons of bacteria, ammonia dose, live rock and bio balls. Ammonia has been 0 since end of first week. Nitrite still reading around 1-2. I have two clowns and a peppermint shrimp (small aptasia popped up on live rock). I know it’s early for fish and a shrimp but ammonia has been 0 for a long time and I wanted to get on top of aptasia. They seem happy.

How early can I get coral? I was going to wait for nitrite to be 0 but do I also need to wait for nitrate to come down? I also have some AFR but I’m not dosing that yet.

Thanks in advance.

What LR did you use?
They may not be aptasia as GLR comes with glass anemones that look similar.
No need to add bacteria if you used real live rock to start. Bio balls are 90's tech and not recommended or needed.
Also depends on your experience.
I can setup a live rock system and have fish and coral in within a few weeks, but I have many years doing it.
Posting a FTS will give us a better understanding of the system.

 

[Rocks reef]

Everyone is different, some folks add corals right away and some wait. Did you do the research on corals, do you feel confident that your tank can provide the environment for corals to thrive? Do you know what other parameters to test to keep corals healthy? You don't need AFR right away, likely not for a long while. Do you understand why folks dose AFR? If you can answer these questions then I say go for it, but if you can't then I would wait. Good luck

Spot on!!
You most likely won't have to dose anything for probably a year, water changes will do the heavy lifting. Don't rush into this, it is a slow crawl and huge learning curve. Focus on good husbandry skills first. There is no need for fancy gadgets and all the "latest and greatest", keep it simple. Once you have the basics down, say... a year or so... then start looking at equipment that would assist in keeping your tank thriving.

 

[cactusreef]

Everyone is different, some folks add corals right away and some wait. Did you do the research on corals, do you feel confident that your tank can provide the environment for corals to thrive? Do you know what other parameters to test to keep corals healthy? You don't need AFR right away, likely not for a long while. Do you understand why folks dose AFR? If you can answer these questions then I say go for it, but if you can't then I would wait. Good luck

Makes sense, thanks!

 

[cactusreef]

Hey. I have a new tank started. It’s been a couple weeks. I started cycle with tons of bacteria, ammonia dose, live rock and bio balls. Ammonia has been 0 since end of first week. Nitrite still reading around 1-2. I have two clowns and a peppermint shrimp (small aptasia popped up on live rock). I know it’s early for fish and a shrimp but ammonia has been 0 for a long time and I wanted to get on top of aptasia. They seem happy.

How early can I get coral? I was going to wait for nitrite to be 0 but do I also need to wait for nitrate to come down? I also have some AFR but I’m not dosing that yet.

Thanks in advance.

What LR did you use?
They may not be aptasia as GLR comes with glass anemones that look similar.
No need to add bacteria if you used real live rock to start. Bio balls are 90's tech and not recommended or needed.
Also depends on your experience.
I can setup a live rock system and have fish and coral in within a few weeks, but I have many years doing it.
Posting a FTS will give us a better understanding of the system.

I got LR from my LFS. Why are bio balls not used anymore? It’s an AIO and I put bio balls in one of the chambers in the back filter. Mostly for more bacteria surface area.

 

[X-37B]

I got LR from my LFS. Why are bio balls not used anymore? It’s an AIO and I put bio balls in one of the chambers in the back filter. Mostly for more bacteria surface area.

Pic of your system helps.
Your live rock is your bio filter if its actualy live and not dead rock thrown into a tank and called live at the lfs, even though that can work.
How big is the system?
Where in Ca. I live in Sac and I dont know any stores that have actual real live rock for sale.
Bio balls? I know of no one who uses them. Maybe in a FOWLER but not needed in a coral system.
In my current 15g aio I uses 20lbs live rock. Small bag of carbon and floss. Nothing else needed. This sytem went from zero to 10 months. Fish and coral were added after 2 weeks.

 

[steveschuerger]

Did you mean phosphate? I agree some potassium is essential, but not usually a topic in this context.

Yeah I meant phosphate. Woops

 

[landlubber]

The standard benchmark to me was always the appearance of coraline.

 

[cactusreef]

I got LR from my LFS. Why are bio balls not used anymore? It’s an AIO and I put bio balls in one of the chambers in the back filter. Mostly for more bacteria surface area.

Pic of your system helps.
Your live rock is your bio filter if its actualy live and not dead rock thrown into a tank and called live at the lfs, even though that can work.
How big is the system?
Where in Ca. I live in Sac and I dont know any stores that have actual real live rock for sale.
Bio balls? I know of no one who uses them. Maybe in a FOWLER but not needed in a coral system.
In my current 15g aio I uses 20lbs live rock. Small bag of carbon and floss. Nothing else needed. This sytem went from zero to 10 months. Fish and coral were added after 2 weeks.

Sac as well. I got live rock from aquarium depot in Citrus Heights. I got the bio media for the back because I am doing a minimalist rock scape with only about 10-15lbs of rock.

I have a 24g AIO. I can post pics later. What LFS do you go to? If any.

 

[X-37B]

Sac as well. I got live rock from aquarium depot in Citrus Heights. I got the bio media for the back because I am doing a minimalist rock scape with only about 10-15lbs of rock.

I have a 24g AIO. I can post pics later. What LFS do you go to? If any.

Yea I live 2 miles from Aquarium depot. That is not real live rock. No one in Sac has it. You dont need anything else but 10-15lbs of real live rock.
Premium GLR to your door for $12lb.
I go to Aquarium depot. Jeff knows my systems. I make salsa for them.
Josh at YourReef is a good knowlegable reefer and friend. He got me into the local club.
Nolan at AquaLife is another cool person.
They all know my systems. I have been in Citrus Heights for 2.5 years.
Post some pics. You are welcome to come by anytime, im retired, i always have some frags that need to be trimmed and removed from my systems.
Dm me if interested.
This is my new 2 month old growout system with 35lbs of GLR.
A couple pics of my 150 from today.

 

[cactusreef]

Sac as well. I got live rock from aquarium depot in Citrus Heights. I got the bio media for the back because I am doing a minimalist rock scape with only about 10-15lbs of rock.

I have a 24g AIO. I can post pics later. What LFS do you go to? If any.

Yea I live 2 miles from Aquarium depot. That is not real live rock. No one in Sac has it. You dont need anything else but 10-15lbs of real live rock.
Premium GLR to your door for $12lb.
I go to Aquarium depot. Jeff knows my systems. I make salsa for them.
Josh at YourReef is a good knowlegable reefer and friend. He got me into the local club.
Nolan at AquaLife is another cool person.
They all know my systems. I have been in Citrus Heights for 2.5 years.
Post some pics. You are welcome to come by anytime, im retired, i always have some frags that need to be trimmed and removed from my systems.
Dm me if interested.
This is my new 2 month old growout system with 35lbs of GLR.
A couple pics of my 150 from today.

Message sent!

 

[BryanM]

Personally even if they claimed it was cured in their systems I wouldn't really trust it.

 

[X-37B]

Personally even if they claimed it was cured in their systems I wouldn't really trust it.

Yea I would not call it cured its cement rock with bottled bacteria added which is slightly better than dry.