Coral help

[EriksFish315]

Whats things doi have to pick up at the Lfs to get started with corals? Such as calcium and food?

[Zbatey]

Lights food but I don't feed very often and make sure your parameters are good and assuming that you already have everyrhing else like a good skimmer

[Zbatey]

And I would start with mushrooms and zoos because you can't kill them

[EriksFish315]

Those actually are my favorite lol but what name stuff like the calcium? Just so I'm sure on what to grab

[EriksFish315]

Mayb even a link to products to get when caring for corals?

[pokmijn]

If your parameter are good you can add corals, you don't need calcium or coral food unless you have a lot of skeleton corals and have corals that require feeding. Just keep up with your water change and your corals will be happy. Make sure your light will support the corals you plan to get.

[EriksFish315]

Yeah I have a 4 bulb t5 right now. Parameters have been good. So for the basic corals isn't need calcium or food or anything?

[pokmijn]

Just keep the water clean and they will be happy. What size tank is the light over, but with that light you can keep zoas and shroom.

[EriksFish315]

It's over a 55g I'm thinking it should be sufficient.

[pokmijn]

Yeah you'll be fine with that light until you get into higher light demanding corals.

[EriksFish315]

Alright but no supplements or me thing special?

[pokmijn]

Nope save that money for something else.

[EriksFish315]

Thanks a bunch you get a thumbs up for the day lol

[stevedpepper]

I completely disagree with the opinion that you don't need to supplement. While it is true that regular water changes with high quality salt will provide ample nutrients/supplementation, I always recommend to routinely dose Calcium, Phyto, Iodide, and Strontium & Molybdenum. This is because as you add more corals and as your corals grow over time, they will require more elements than what your water changes will provide. Also, you don't want to ever be deficient in any of the above. Better safe than sorry. If you want your corals to really grow, your levels of these elements need to be high. They will absorb them regularly, so make sure you always have the right amount for them to do so. I have 50+ corals in my 125g tank and they all are flourishing because I regularly dose the above supplements.

[EriksFish315]

Alright I understand that but I have a few friends that don't dose the low end corals and they do great

[EriksFish315]

How long before the corals I put in the tank be acclimated and open up. Grab a blue and red mushroom and 2 nice looking bunches of polyps.

[pokmijn]

I think it really depends on the coral, I had corals that opened up right after they went in and corals that took a little longer.

Post picture when you can.

[EriksFish315]

Alright give me 20 mins or so

[carey]

You do not need to feed almost all corals. They get the majority of nourishment from the light. I would also start small with like zooas, mushrooms, leathers maybe even an LPS like a frogspawn of a hammer coral.

[EriksFish315]

Alright Carey I picked up 4 small frags today a blue and red shroom and two zoas you would call them they were just labeled as polyps and paly. I'm just charging my camera battery up enough to take 5 pictures for you guys