Suggestions to addition to the tank

[cy88]

Hi all,

I am looking for some suggestions here. I built my tank back in Jan this year, and seems like everything has been stablized. (My tank thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1289687)

It's a 75G /w a 29G sump, approximately 80-100lb of LR in display and 20lb of LR in sump. There's a clown pair, orange spotted goby, a firefish and a scooba tang along with some snails, a few hermits and 2 cleaners shrimp.

I am thinking to add in maybe a school (3-5) of blue chromis to complete the list, and also debating whether I should be going reef. Is it much more difficult to keep a reef tank than FOWLR tank?

Thanks for any suggestions.
Cheers,
Chris

[CoRPS]

Chromis are awesome, if you can swing it get the blue reef chromis! They are cool looking.

As for the coral, I'm in the process of starting my first reef tank. And thus, I have no first hand experience. However it doesn't sound all that difficult.

[ljosh]

If you want to go reef you will have to monitor and possibly maintain your Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium.

[cy88]

Are there types of corals that I should stick with that are more "hardy" than the others?

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by cy88
Are there types of corals that I should stick with that are more "hardy" than the others?

start with lps corals which are more hardy
for eg
colt coral
xenia
candy cane
mushrooms
zoas
torch coral
toadstool mushrooms
leathers

you have nothing in your list above that will interfere with the growth of these corals

[cy88]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
start with lps corals which are more hardy
for eg
colt coral
xenia
candy cane
mushrooms
zoas
torch coral
toadstool mushrooms
leathers

you have nothing in your list above that will interfere with the growth of these corals

Thanks for the suggestion. I will do some research on the above guys. Can i possibly overload with too many corals? Is there a limit I should watch for?

The only thing that could have interfere with the corals were a Aipstasia which I took it out few days ago with Joe's juice

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by cy88
Thanks for the suggestion. I will do some research on the above guys. Can i possibly overload with too many corals? Is there a limit I should watch for?

The only thing that could have interfere with the corals were a Aipstasia which I took it out few days ago with Joe's juice

in a sense you can overload corals----in that many can't come to near or in contact with other corals--they all have defense mechanisms for over crowding from stingers(torch coral) to secreting growth horme inhibitators in the water(toadstool mushroom)
You are also limited by their individual needs for lighting and flow.

[cy88]

Alright.

I just tested my water once again, here are the parameters:
Nitrate: 10-15
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Ph: 7.8
Calcium: ~300-340
Phosphate: 0


Am I ready for corals?

[otrlynn]

You will want to get the calcium above 400. I think most reefers aim for 420-430. Stony coral (large polyped stony LPS, and small polyped stony SPS), require calcium to build their skeleton. This can be done through converting to a salt that mixes up to a higher calcium level, or by using an additive. You should also be measuring alkalinity and if you use an additive to raise calcium, you may need to add an additive for alkalinity, accomplished by using a 2-part dosing system. Don't dose anything, however, unless you measure your present levels and determine a need. Nitrates are more critical in a reef tank and it would be good to get them down lower, with the target being zero. However, the coral suggested above are probably tolerant of those nitrate levels. One final thought--it is good to have an eye on what you eventually want your tank to be. Discosoma mushrooms and kenya tree coral are "easy" coral, but both spread rapidly and you many eventually have them growing where you don't want them. Here is a good article on water parameters in general.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

[crvz]

otrlynn has some good suggestions, but honestly that's geared more towards a stony dominated tank. In your case, you don't need calcium in the 400 if you're geared mostly towards soft corals, and your nitrate level is fine. Zoas, leathers, even a number of LPS would do fine in that tank assuming you have decent lighting.

[_E_]

Some great advice from all of the above posters. To sum up:

Softies like leathers, mushrooms, zoas, palys, toadstools, xenia, GSP, colts, etc are very easy corals to care for and would likely do well in your tank in its current state. These corals are more tolerant of nitrates and do not consume calcium in your tank. Some are rather invasive over time, so do some research and purchase wisely. Most any lighting will work for these and they do not require any target feeding.

LPS are slightly more difficult, but ones like frogspawn, torch, candycane, and hammer are still on the easier end of that scale. These corals require higher calcium levels and will consume calcium and alkalinity in order to grow...you will likely have to dose this in your tank. These are still relatively tolerant of parameters that are off, but not quite as much as many of the soft corals. Additionally, LPS are mostly aggressive corals that send out sweeper tentacles and will sting things within a few inches of it. These typically light more lighting, but you're fine with your T5's. Also even though they are photosynthetic (through their zoozanthellae), many will respond to meaty foods.

SPS are the hardest corals to keep. Montipora and pocillopora are usually on the easier end of the scale, but are still untolerant of most any parameter that is off. You will definately have to bump your calcium, as SPS will consume it and alk just like the LPS. I would likely get the Nitrates in line before attempting these too. Lots of flow and lighting are required for these corals. Many keepers shoot for 30-40 x turn over of their tank volume per hour and alot of watts per gallon (these can be kept with T5's, but I would say the majority switch to MH and suppliment with T5's if needed). Stabilty is the key with SPS.

Finally a few more comments: I would get an alk test and check that like another poster here said...very nice to know those numbers for a reef. Also the pH is towards the low end of the scale. This can be due to many factors which you can read about here if interested: Low pH - Causes and cures

[tmz]

Nice post above. A few clarifications:

Soft Corals(leather corals) do consume calcium carbonate and magnesium. While they do not have the rigid reef building structures exhibited by stony corals, they do need and produce sclerltes which are slivers of calcium carbonate .The sclerites are inside the coral tissue and enable them to remain upright.

Many leathers and zoanthids are highly tolerant of a range of lighting conditions. The most notable exceptions that come to mind are the Sacrophyton elgans(Fiji yellow toadstool) which requires high light and most of the Nepthea which also require high lighting. Zoanthus are also high reef animals and appreciate brighter lighting and flow.

Turnover flow and total flow are different. 30x or 50x total; flow is a good target for an sps tank. Turnover( moving water to and fro mthe sump) is usually targeted between 5x and 10x .

Leathers can be very noxious sending out allelopathic metabolites which can be harmful to stony corals. If leathers are mixed in it is a good idea to use carbon.

[_E_]

Thanks for the clarifications Tom. Had a short circuit between my brain and the keyboard (gosh...can't believe I typed turnover instead of flow ). At least I thought I knew, what I knew I thought about.

[cy88]

otrlynn, E - Thank you very much for the informative posts!

I will pick up a alk test kit over the weekend when I have the time. I will also look into bringing my pH up a notch. Although I don't think I'll be getting any SPS anytime soon, I will start bringing the calcium up with the kalkwasser that I already have.

[_E_]

cy88,
Kalk isn't really good at boosting calcuim and alkalinity levels in reef aquariums, it only really maintains it. Have to boost levels with a two part solution (my recommendation) or with a different salt.

[CoRPS]

cy88, I'm having the same problems with a 7.8pH. WaterKeeper himself told me it's better to leave it at 7.8 then to try and mess with the chemistry of the water. 7.8 is perfectly fine for fish and corals.

Here's the thread if you wanna read over it, it isn't long at all.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1498661

[_E_]

I agree. 7.8 is definitely nothing to get stirred up about. I only mentioned it because it is the low end of optimum. Many run a pH of 7.8 just fine (mine hits 7.8-7.9 at night). However, the poster didn't know their alk level, which can contribute to low pH, and calcium is pretty low for that pH if stony corals would be involved. Also, the poster didn't metion the time of day that the pH was taken (lights on or off). Anyhoo, many pH problems are attributed to simple household ventilation as referenced in the link I posted earlier.