Got my first fish and coral question about lighting.

[soviet union]

i got a black and white clownish and kryptonite candy Cain and a toadstool coral i just put them in the tank after acclimating them i was wondering when i should turn the lights on i know the fish will be fine but i'm worried about the coral.

 

[SteveEreef]

How long has your tank been up and running? The corals need light for photosynthesis. What lights do you have?

 

[soviet union]

my tank has been set up for 37 days and my light is KZKR from amazon

 

[brawthy]

I wouldn't be too worried when it comes to softies.

For SPS and LPS, start them low and then work up. You can do the same for leathers-but it should be fine. You should absolutely not not run your lights though.

 

[Snookin]

Um. Now. Turn the lights on now. Coral need light. What are your water parameters?

 

[soviet union]

my tank cycled 5 days ago so my paramiters are ammonia 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates 0

 

[soviet union]

I've also got brown algae everywhere

 

[Snookin]

my tank cycled 5 days ago so my paramiters are ammonia 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates 0

Good luck with your tank.

 

[soviet union]

thanks

 

[brawthy]

I think he was being faceitious.

How long has the tank been up? How long have you been cycling? What are the rest of your parameters salinity/ph/ca/alk/mag?

 

[soviet union]

my salinity is 1.025 and my ph is 8.2 and i currently do not have a reef testing kit

 

[soviet union]

and my tank has been set up for 37 days and it finished cycling 5 days ago

 

[Snookin]

You are obviously using API test kits which are known to be unreliable. Your tank is very new. Make sure you so have the lights on since you have coral now. You have a long way to go. Please read and research as much as you can. Look into the BRS 52 weeks of reefing videos. Some very good advice for beginners there to start and maintain a reef tank.

 

[brawthy]

first chance you get go and get some test kits. salifert is a good option for the price.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

First welcome to R2R and we are thrilled to have you. This is an amazing forum, and honestly pretty much everyone has some good advice and some may say this way or that etc.

For what it’s worth keep in mind every single reef tank is literally different. What may work for me, may not for others and you get the gist. When it comes to testing yes you can buy better test kits. Do you really need to them no. Yes api are cheaper test kits but still have to pass inspection and gives you a pretty close reading. Is it exact no but doesn’t need to be. I have a 240 gallon that is sps dominant and I have only used api. Have I had great success yes, have I lost some corals yes. 99% of the time it’s do to my error in everything else but testing.
The same goes with lighting tons of advice and never ending debate (although I actually have not ever heard of your lights ((doesn’t mean they are bad)) but so many new ones coming out it’s hard to keep up on them. With this said, you don’t need to spend tons and tons of money to have a nice reef. The only thing that matters is that you appreciate your reef tank.

There are some things you need to do right and others you need to Make sure you do not do. One is do not get into chasing numbers, won’t help and you will go insane. I have seen sps dominant tanks here locally that have 40ppm nitrate and over .50ppm phosphates and are amazing. My tank is use to lower nutrients so I have problems when they go up. Your coral and fish will adapt to your parameters, whatever you make them keep them the same that is important. Secondly (ammonia any trace will harm your fish FYI).

The ugly stages of a tank, again all different I cycled mine for 90 days. It worked well and not many issues, I have seen others half the time of yours and they did fine also. I have seen th flip side on both waited 90 days and nothing but issues and also went about two weeks and nothing but issues (which is why every tank is different).

The story of lights on or off. Generally with fish I have turned my lights off or just maybe one blue light on. Corals however from softies to sps, I just accilmate them and I reduce my lights. They are never off, but I have never lost a coral from never turning my lights off. Lost corals many other ways, lol that’s not one.

I will say every ones advice is good, but you have to pick and choose which one to use on your tank. We would love to see pics to help you further. I do wish you lots of success in this fabulous mysterious hobby.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

although you and your tank are new, you are here and asking for advice early, so already off to a great start! This is a very fun, and interesting hobby and can bring some very colorful art and beauty to your home as well. Wish I had joined and been active when I started my first tank. things could have been much easier. Glad to have you here, and welcome to R2R!

I would keep the lighting on as mentioned already as the coral need it for photosynthisis. No light = no food.

When you're new to the hobby, it's hard to imagine a tank that's been up for 37 days as new. I remember my first tank I bought on a whim and wanted it set up quickly because I had family comming from out of town. I didn't even know about the nitrogen cycle and had added a pair of clowns and a foxface to my tank, had freshwater gravel and plastic rocks. I've come a long way since them due largely to the supportive people on online reefing forums. Now after 6 years, I realize why tanks under a year are considered not yet mature.

With your tank being pretty new for coral, I'd just be sure to keep up with regular water changes, and watch that algae doesn't smother your coral. Algae is difficult or impossible to avoid in a newly set up tank, but as long as you manage it to the point that it's not hurting the coral than you'll get through it with time and patients. Would love to see a picture of your tank set up. Even if it does have algae