10 Gal Coral Only Build

[User]

Wow are those test kits expensive?

Ca- $26.49
Mg- $26.49
Phosphate- $27.99
Alk- $16.99

 

[carey]

Yep, I bought one at a time as I went along here and there. You can get them much cheaper if you really look too.

 

[User]

So which should I buy first? Is there a most important to least important order?

 

[carey]

If you end up with algae then phosphate first i;d say, then calcium. Then probably alk. Magnesium can wait to last in my opinion, even thoguh all three cal, mag nd alk are all tied together.

 

[User]

If you end up with algae then phosphate first i;d say, then calcium. Then probably alk. Magnesium can wait to last in my opinion, even thoguh all three cal, mag nd alk are all tied together.

So I can hold off on these for now? Just something to aquire in the future?

Thanks for dealing with me again carey. I probably cause you such a headache

 

[carey]

No problem, I enjoy helping. I;m doing a primarily coral only tank myself so it's interesting to go through yours with you.

Yep, unless you have any major algae issues then phosphates if not I'd go straight to calcium. Just my opinion though.

If you take pristine care of your tank you shouldnt have phosphate issues anyway as long as you use ro/di water.

 

[User]

I am glad! lol

I have no access to ro/di but I do to distilled. i read that would be fine?

Wait I read you were parting out a 55gal, Salt? Want to sell me some lr lol

 

[carey]

All my rock is going into my new 90g build. sorry....

 

[User]

Awwww darn! haha its fine. So distilled is good?

 

[carey]

To be honest, I don't know. I would figure its better than tap water. I used bottled spring water once in a bind. ThenI used to go and filla jug at the supermarket water machines. Did that until I got my ro/di machine.

 

[User]

I read they both dionize the water but just through different ways. I definately will not have access to an ro/di unit at school.

Heres where I read it:

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/?article=7

Second paragraph at the end of that paragraph

 

[carey]

maybe someone can jump in to clarify.


Distilled water a good or bad thing folks?
lol

 

[User]

Ha no one is interested in my thread it seems. Coral only must be boring lol

Here is the other place i got it:

"I think it's just a matter of schematics here -- distilled (or double distilled) water is deionized water -- water that has been deionized by distillation. The generic term "deionized water" just doesn't specify the method by which ions were removed.

It's like saying all lacerations are wounds, but not all wounds are lacerations..."
-HomeBrew-

That quote is at the bottom.

difference between distilled water and deionized water - General Lab Techniques

 

[User]

Carey, how many corals would I be able to keep in the ten comfortably?

I have been doing research (chemical warfare? Omg what did I get myself into lol), and trying to look for a base to start from. I have ideas of what I want but i dont know yet how many could make it in the tank.

 

[carey]

All depends on the type and size of the corals. If you wanted a brain coral it owuld go n the sandbed, same with most mushrooms, lps like torches and hammers I have do best on the sandbed. I had about 12 in my 4g pico but it was relly crowded and I had 3 different zooas and 3 different mushrooms. I had candycanes, an acan frag, a duncan, a montipora plate, xenia, kenya tree and a few others...and that was in 4g. lol

 

[User]

So I could have a good amount then? Do they kill each other? Do hard soft sps lps polyps and mushrooms have varying compatibility?

 

[Greenturtle]

My bottled water is RO + Distilled. So I assume it is ok.

I would get small pieces of corals. Stay away from medium and larges LOL. \

I would not recommend getting multiple pieces of the same species of corals that are the same color and everything.

 

[User]

I would get small pieces of corals. Stay away from medium and larges LOL. \

I would not recommend getting multiple pieces of the same species of corals that are the same color and everything.

Yea cant touch many of the larger ones anyway (price). So how do your go so far as compatibility?

Here is some of what I want:

-Assorted Polyp (polyp)
-Ricordea Florida Multiple Polyp (listed under mushroom)
-Discosoma Neglecta "Carribean Umbrella Mushroom" (Mushroom)
-Oulophyllia "Deep Walled Maze Brain Coral" (LPS)
-Candy Cane Coral

Hows that Look?

 

[carey]

Looks like a great start! Theres just so many to choose from for me, how I ended up with so many. lol

You can defintiely add some more, maybe something flowy...

 

[User]

Flowy?

Like:

-Frogspawn
-Torch
-hammer
-Trumpet