when to add corals?

[mastershake]

Hi, iwas just wondering , how long should a tank be run, with fish or without before its safe to add corals?, does it take a couple months ? or weeks, this is of course after cycle is all said and done,TIA

 

[Phyl]

My tank has been running since November. I've got a litney of frags in my tank that I've gotten for a couple bucks a piece from local reefers. I have yet to kill anything (though admittedly with my meager lighting some aren't as colorful as they could be). As a matter of fact, I've got stuff growing like mad! I'm surprised at how fast some of these things have grown. I think we put our first frags in there around January 6th. My water parameters stay pristine and my stocking is relatively light right now.

What are you looking to get and how long has your tank been running for?

 

[mastershake]

well i havent been looking at anything to specific, my lfs where i work has some polyps with green centers, im not even sure what they are, and i just put my 6 line in yesterday and hes doing great, ive had a cb shrimp for about 2 weeks, and i have like 25 pounds of LR, and more to come from LR.com sooon, I set the tank up in early november, it ran with nothing until like the 2nd week of jan when i put some rock and snails in.
All tests done with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Master
Liquid Test Kit, Tested at 4:10 2/16/05
Ammonia- 0.25 ppm

Nitrite- 0 ppm

Nitrate- 5.0ppm

PH- 8.2

SG-1.023 Instant Ocean Hydrometer


i wasnt sure if the tank needs to mature, or if itd be safe to add some things soon, What are considered "hardy" corals, im only looking for softies, leathers, polyps etc. nothing hard yet, i have lunar aqualights by coralife, 130 watts, 65 true 03 actinic and 65 10000k . TIA

 

[xahx]

get a colt coral!

Get some mushrooms!

Get the xenias!

Get some anenomes

Get some Starburst polyps!

 

[lando]

Get some anenomes

If you have a young tank, I would hold off on any of these. Most recommend waiting 8-12 months before attempting anemones. They require a mature tank with stable and pristene water conditions.

Otherwise, just wait until your tank seems to stabalize. A couple of months and you should be able to start with some hardy and easy soft corals.

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

Even after 8-12 months, I think anemones should be left to the expert reefer! I've read some amazing statistics: 46% of anemones kept by hobbyists with 2 or less years of experience will live an average of 3 1/2 months. 27% of anemones kept by hobbyists with 5 or more years of experience will live an average of 14 months.

And it is even more depressing if you consider the fact that scientists believe some anemones can live hundreds, possibly over a thousand years in the wild!

 

[lando]

that is great info, thanks! However, I can not help but wonder how many anemones meet premature ends because an inexperienced or uneducated keeper seems them deflate or expelling waste and decides to pitch them becuae they think they are dying. I think that could skew the results a bit. Do you have a link to the study? I would love to read it, or at least the abstract. thanks...Lando

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

Actually, Joyce Wilkerson in her book "Clownfishes" provides these statistics. She says that "during 1994 - 1996, about 100 hobbyists who had experience keeping clownfish-hosting sea anemones filled out survey forms posted on CompuServe FishNet and on the Internet."

I wonder if now days, the results would be better. She is just specifically considering clownfish-hosting anemones though.

 

[lando]

Interesting. Might be a bit outdated now, as you mentioned. thannks for sharing.

 

[jamal-188]

I work in a fish store and I think half the battle is getting a healthy anemone to begin with

 

[lando]

I think half the battle is getting a healthy anemone to begin with

You are correct there! I think collection and transport of these animals is very hard on them. Also, I have been at a lot of stores that just do not have the proper set ups to maintain these animals.