when can I start trying corals?

[malkore]

I'd like some opinions.

My 40gallon tank is a month old today (since I added the first fish that is).

I have no ammonia, no nitrite, my nitrates haven't exceeded 10ppm.
phosphate .5ppm
calcium 350ppm
Alk: 3.0 meq/l
pH: 8.2 when I'm measuring early in the evening.


I'd love to get some shrooms and see what happens. I realize my phosphate should be 0ppm...I think I'm simply over feeding a bit, so I've been tryign to watch that better.

What do you think? Is it a bad idea to try any coral until I get my phosphate to 0ppm, and up the alk and calcium a smidge?

 

[fishman]

I have read on here that the time frame should be about a year...however I dont know if this is for ALL corals or specifics...I would think 4-6 months for sure on the shrooms.

 

[malkore]

hmmm...I was only told to wait that long before adding an anenome. I got the impression that the soft 'easy' corals were considerably easier to keep and propagate.
guess I'll wait for others to chime in.

 

[CBRGuy]

I had coral in my tank after about 4 months. As soon as all of my levels stablized I started to adding easy corals. Sofites and some LPS(favia) and such. But I know people that add coral a lot sooner without any problems. The only this that I lost in my tank was a Digitata that I know over behind a rock. Now I have about 35 corals in my tank. But just chose your corals well. I went nuts and just bought corals eventhough they weren't the nicest. Now I have way too many big corals in my tank. and way too many LPS (LT plate,Frogspawn,hammer,candy cane,bubble) I am always move over corals out of the way so they don't get stung.


but you need to get that calcium up.

 

[quarryshark]

Don't know much about corals (FO guy). But that PO4 may give you some algae troubles. Need to get that down too.
oops sorry, reread the post. I see your addressing it.

 

[XXFirefighter]

Added a few months after cycle...

 

[malkore]

Yep I am having some mild algae issues, directly related to the PO4 levels. I may pickup some phos-absorbing media to get rid of the excess, and then see if I can maintain a near 0.0ppm reading between water changes.
but at least my turbo's have something to snack on.

 

[Atari]

I think it's probably a good idea to get those levels under control first, but after that I don't see why you couldn't have a go with a couple nice hardy starter corals.

 

[yaksplat]

I started putting coral in after 3 weeks

Everything is still doing great 6 months later

 

[got bait?]

I added a few mushroom rocks, Ricordias, and various other softcorals in a 12gal Nano over a two week period, immediately following the initial cycle and all are well 1 yr later. Just stay away from the anemones and a few of the hard corals and you should be fine.

 

[malkore]

yeah, i have no immediate plans for an anenome...maybe after 6 more months

 

[darb2]

I added shrooms after a month. And some soft polyps after 2 mos all are doing well.