Coral-Only tank--Do I need to cycle?

[Joshua Jordan]

I have three aquariums; all saltwater; One FOWLR and Two reef tanks. I would like to start a nano coral only tank (sps dominant). Do I need to cycle the tank before adding any coral? For my other tanks, I cycled using a piece of raw shrimp. But if I am not going to have any fish in this tank, do I still need to cycle the tank?

 

[Daddy-o]

Corals will need to eat something?

 

[James M]

Yes the tank needs to be cycled but I would avoid adding any coral for the first 4 months.

 

[Joshua Jordan]

Can I use some live rock from one of my reef tanks to start cycling my new tank?

 

[fishguy242]

hi use some of the water from both current reefs,couple pieces of rock from each and a bucket of new saltwater,throw a easy softie in just to watch for a week should not even see a cycle,already done ,done it,just my opinion

just try a stick at a time until comfortable we are talking sps

 

[Joshua Jordan]

Corals will need to eat something?

So that must be why at my LFS, they will have one or two small fish in their frag tanks? Coral need fish poo for food?

 

[fishguy242]

idea ,put a pair of pipefish in there go from live brine to frozen, acros will do backflips w nutrient ,just need that decent skimmer jmo

 

[living_tribunal]

Yes the tank needs to be cycled but I would avoid adding any coral for the first 4 months.

I’ve set up a few frag tanks adding corals to the tank after a week or so once cycling finishes. As long as nitrification is able to process the ammonia demands of the tank, there’s really no issue adding corals to it.

 

[living_tribunal]

So that must be why at my LFS, they will have one or two small fish in their frag tanks? Coral need fish poo for food?

A major reason for this is nutrient management is a pain in a fishless frag tank. It’s very difficult to keep nutrients detectable and you have to resort to dosing phosphorous and nitrogen. Systems with fish are a lot more stable, predictable, and nutritious for the fish. That and of course all of the other utility fish bring.

Fish poo is a corals favorite food and is better than amino acids you can doses, oyster feast you can broadcast, or pellets you can feed.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I have three aquariums; all saltwater; One FOWLR and Two reef tanks. I would like to start a nano coral only tank (sps dominant). Do I need to cycle the tank before adding any coral? For my other tanks, I cycled using a piece of raw shrimp. But if I am not going to have any fish in this tank, do I still need to cycle the tank?

Any chance you could plumb your frag tank into one of your tanks?

 

[fishguy242]

i'd keep em seperate ,agree more water more food ...but sps dom leave sep jmo

 

[living_tribunal]

i'd keep em seperate ,agree more water more food ...but sps dom leave sep jmo

He needs to ensure he keeps pop pop up in a nano though for the pipe. One pipe might even be too large for a 10g tank. I would feel bad putting one in there.

 

[fishguy242]

thought were talking 29 bio

 

[fishguy242]

hi josh what size tank ?

 

[living_tribunal]

thought were talking 29 bio

He said “nano” so I’m not sure. A pipe fish could work in a 29 but it’s still pretty dang small for it. External pod culture could help. Just need to ensure it has food at all times since they can’t really store food and rely on constant hunting to survive.

 

[fishguy242]

He said “nano” so I’m not sure. A pipe fish could work in a 29 but it’s still pretty dang small for it. External pod culture could help. Just need to ensure it has food at all times since they can’t really store food and rely on constant hunting to survive.

hi have a pic of your tank/tanks?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I would wait at least a few months to add some easy sps then if they are surviving and growing, then you can add some nice sps. Yes you do need to cycle it.

 

[living_tribunal]

hi have a pic of your tank/tanks?

My pipefish, he’s in my 65. I have an external tisbe culture for him although he’s a lazy sob . He was at my lfs for about a year and I finally picked him up to keep my amphipod pop in control. Dude only really likes frozen cyclops lol.

My frag tank is just a little 25g aio lagoon. I run it fishless as it mainly serves as a frag qt tank. Only a handful of corals in there at the moment as most everything has been moved to display recently.

 

[fishguy242]

agree to disagree not if he uses reef water from his other2 tanks established already +rock from them ,why the glass?

 

[living_tribunal]

agree to disagree not if he uses reef water from his other2 tanks established already +rock from them ,why the glass?

Best way to run a fishless frag system. Just do water changes with the water from your main system. That way you don’t have to dose to keep nutrients up. If you can plump it, and it’s not to qt frags, then plumbing it to the main display is even better.