How many frags?

disc1 · 10/19/2010, 03:44 PM

My 75ga has been up for a little more than six weeks. My cycle has been over, my clean up crew is in, and I'm fighting back a GSP onslaught. Water is testing pH=8.1 - 8.3, alk is 3.5meq/L (not sure what that is in dKH), calcium is 380, mag is 1300, nitrates less than 1. I think I'm ready to add a little. I have a chance to get a bunch of free and/or dirt cheap frags next week, way more than I could handle. I want to take advantage, but I also don't want to overload my tank right now. I'm also planning on putting in a lawnmower blenny next week. I'm open for any suggestions as to how many or what type of stuff to get. I'm thinking I should stick to softies and zoas and mushrooms and such. Could I get a LPS type coral? A frogspawn or something? I really really don't trust my LFS and that's where I'm coming upon this deal, so any help you guys could offer would be highly appreciated. They would tell me to take the whole store home and put it in a nano if I had cash in hand.

isildursbane · 10/19/2010, 04:02 PM

I'd say if it's a great deal (especially free or nearly free), get as many as you possibly can handle placing around your rock structures (within reason). And then, as they grow, you can sell the ones (you have decided you no longer want) to other reefers. Basically, you will only regret the coral you did not get, not the ones you do.

And if in a week or two, if you decide you have too many to care for, put up a post on RC that you need to offload those frags at cost, JMO.

Neogenocide · 10/19/2010, 04:08 PM

You should be ok as long as you don't kill a lot of them. They will introduce very little bio load to your tank with the frags.

Scott

aleonn · 10/19/2010, 04:10 PM

As long as you have enough lighting, space for the corals, and keep up the calcium levels, you'll be fine. If you run out of space for frags, you can always purchase a frag rack. Depending on what you get, your calcium levels may plunge, so stay on top of that (calcium reactor or two-part dose). HTH.

jorgeldelapaz · 10/19/2010, 07:43 PM

i would stick to softies and zoas and mushroom and see how it goes also don't forget to dip before putting in or you may get other things with it.

Steve Wright2 · 10/19/2010, 07:46 PM

disc1

at 6 weeks and if your CUC are doing OK, I would be tempted to go with Zoanthids and shrooms and see how they do for a couple of weeks, before adding any further corals

they wont add much bioload, but its always good to add things slowly when you start, because there may be some water quality issues due to it being a relatively new set up
and it would be a shame to lose to much in the early stages IMO

Steve

Canadian Reefer · 10/19/2010, 09:12 PM

How are you having to fight a GSP onslaught after only 6 weeks? You do mean green star polyps right. Im just wondering how they are taking over already just after the cycle completed?

Did you have a diatom bloom yet?
What about any cyano outbreaks?

I am only asking this because your tank is so new, I dont want you to go out and buy a bunch of frags and lose them. Try the easier softies first and wait for the lps for a few months IMHO
Good luck and happy reefeing

ahenson · 10/19/2010, 10:59 PM

I think your lighting would be important to know to answer your question. Lps don't need a lot of light but they do need a good bit.

disc1 · 10/20/2010, 08:59 AM

Thanks for the suggestions.

As far as lighting I have 4 54W T5's. A 10,000K a daylight and two actinic blue.

The GSP onslaught is real. I used really good rock from an established system so my cycle went kinda fast. There were maybe four or five polyps on this piece of rock when I started. Within two weeks there were hundreds, now the rock is covered and I am trying to keep it from getting on the other rocks. I have another thread about the GSP and have been getting some good advise how to stop this stuff.

The real problem is that I have to spend a bunch of store credit all in one visit. Any I don't spend I lose. Won a contest. So while I don't want to overload things, I would like to get the most bang for someone else's buck.

As an aside. When I bring these corals home, what do I expect. Can anyone recommend a good article I can read about how to dip and how to handle them. Like I said before, I really really don't trust the folks at my LFS.

lordofthereef · 10/20/2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isildursbane

Basically, you will only regret the coral you did not get, not the ones you do.

I know I have regretted various corals. Here are a few: GSP, various shrooms, xenia...

sn4265 · 10/20/2010, 09:04 AM

Does the store credit have to be spent on livestock? I would suggest using it for hardware, chems, lights, etc. This is stuff that your LFS doesn't really have the ability to screw up. I wish I could help with your other questions, but I don't even have my tank up and going yet so I'm pretty clueless at this point.

disc1 · 10/20/2010, 09:09 AM

To finish answering Cnadian Reefer's questions. I have had diatoms, since about week 2. I haven't had any major cyano outbreaks yet. I am getting a good bit of green hair algae on the rocks and some on the glass. The snails are taking care of most of it.

10/19/2010, 03:44 PM	#1
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	How many frags? My 75ga has been up for a little more than six weeks. My cycle has been over, my clean up crew is in, and I'm fighting back a GSP onslaught. Water is testing pH=8.1 - 8.3, alk is 3.5meq/L (not sure what that is in dKH), calcium is 380, mag is 1300, nitrates less than 1. I think I'm ready to add a little. I have a chance to get a bunch of free and/or dirt cheap frags next week, way more than I could handle. I want to take advantage, but I also don't want to overload my tank right now. I'm also planning on putting in a lawnmower blenny next week. I'm open for any suggestions as to how many or what type of stuff to get. I'm thinking I should stick to softies and zoas and mushrooms and such. Could I get a LPS type coral? A frogspawn or something? I really really don't trust my LFS and that's where I'm coming upon this deal, so any help you guys could offer would be highly appreciated. They would tell me to take the whole store home and put it in a nano if I had cash in hand.

10/19/2010, 09:12 PM	#7
Canadian Reefer Reefer Madness Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 261	How are you having to fight a GSP onslaught after only 6 weeks? You do mean green star polyps right. Im just wondering how they are taking over already just after the cycle completed? Did you have a diatom bloom yet? What about any cyano outbreaks? I am only asking this because your tank is so new, I dont want you to go out and buy a bunch of frags and lose them. Try the easier softies first and wait for the lps for a few months IMHO Good luck and happy reefeing __________________ Reefing can't be an addiction, I don't smoke it or drink it. I just need it to be happy!

10/19/2010, 04:02 PM	#2
isildursbane Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 219	I'd say if it's a great deal (especially free or nearly free), get as many as you possibly can handle placing around your rock structures (within reason). And then, as they grow, you can sell the ones (you have decided you no longer want) to other reefers. Basically, you will only regret the coral you did not get, not the ones you do. And if in a week or two, if you decide you have too many to care for, put up a post on RC that you need to offload those frags at cost, JMO.

10/19/2010, 04:08 PM	#3
Neogenocide Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Findlay, OH Posts: 851	You should be ok as long as you don't kill a lot of them. They will introduce very little bio load to your tank with the frags. Scott

10/19/2010, 04:10 PM	#4
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	As long as you have enough lighting, space for the corals, and keep up the calcium levels, you'll be fine. If you run out of space for frags, you can always purchase a frag rack. Depending on what you get, your calcium levels may plunge, so stay on top of that (calcium reactor or two-part dose). HTH.

10/19/2010, 07:43 PM	#5
jorgeldelapaz Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 216	i would stick to softies and zoas and mushroom and see how it goes also don't forget to dip before putting in or you may get other things with it.

10/19/2010, 07:46 PM	#6
Steve Wright2 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shenzhen PRC Posts: 454	disc1 at 6 weeks and if your CUC are doing OK, I would be tempted to go with Zoanthids and shrooms and see how they do for a couple of weeks, before adding any further corals they wont add much bioload, but its always good to add things slowly when you start, because there may be some water quality issues due to it being a relatively new set up and it would be a shame to lose to much in the early stages IMO Steve

10/19/2010, 10:59 PM	#8
ahenson Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Rantoul Il Posts: 1,140	I think your lighting would be important to know to answer your question. Lps don't need a lot of light but they do need a good bit.

10/20/2010, 08:59 AM	#9
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	Thanks for the suggestions. As far as lighting I have 4 54W T5's. A 10,000K a daylight and two actinic blue. The GSP onslaught is real. I used really good rock from an established system so my cycle went kinda fast. There were maybe four or five polyps on this piece of rock when I started. Within two weeks there were hundreds, now the rock is covered and I am trying to keep it from getting on the other rocks. I have another thread about the GSP and have been getting some good advise how to stop this stuff. The real problem is that I have to spend a bunch of store credit all in one visit. Any I don't spend I lose. Won a contest. So while I don't want to overload things, I would like to get the most bang for someone else's buck. As an aside. When I bring these corals home, what do I expect. Can anyone recommend a good article I can read about how to dip and how to handle them. Like I said before, I really really don't trust the folks at my LFS.

10/20/2010, 09:04 AM	#11
sn4265 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 570	Does the store credit have to be spent on livestock? I would suggest using it for hardware, chems, lights, etc. This is stuff that your LFS doesn't really have the ability to screw up. I wish I could help with your other questions, but I don't even have my tank up and going yet so I'm pretty clueless at this point.

10/20/2010, 09:09 AM	#12
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	To finish answering Cnadian Reefer's questions. I have had diatoms, since about week 2. I haven't had any major cyano outbreaks yet. I am getting a good bit of green hair algae on the rocks and some on the glass. The snails are taking care of most of it.