Right, I think inverts is the way to go. But I am going to wait 6 months or so for corals. Only coral I might add before that is pulsing Xenia. I have a small island dedicated for it. But it might be too early even for that.
Oh!! So that needs QT too. I guess that won't work to maintain the cycle in the display tank then. But good to know. Back to ghost feeding I guess. Would you suggest starting the refugium with clean chaeto and ghost feeding?
I just moved from freshwater to saltwater and still figuring out everything. So my plan is to have a FOWLR for 6 months and then add corals slowly. When I said too early, I meant too early for me.
I agree with this...pick out some inexpensive soft corals to first start out and move up to LPS from there after you see them doing well. I don't blame you for wanting to let your tank mature before throwing too many hard corals in but it's a learning experience and waiting a full 6 months isn't really the greatest idea imo. Also sun corals should do fine if you don't mind spot feeding them regularly. Also i would personally try to be increasing bacterial biodiversity at this point as mentioned above by adding either some established rock or real ocean live rock if you can get some. It's truly a learning experience. I think you have the right idea by doing your research and being careful not to just throw random corals into a new tank but there's no reason to go a full 6 months empty. As for fallowing the CUC, i personally would just add them since the risk of introducing parasites on them is pretty minimal.
Six month wait is only to get into corals. I am getting fishes this weekend but it is going into quarantine tank for 44 days or so. I started the quarantine tank cycle and display tank cycling at the same time but since QT is bare bottom, my main display cycled weeks before QT. This was not the plan. So now I have to maintain an empty tank for 44 days. That is the reason for this thread.
Just keep in mind that plenty of people have fishless systems with inverts and corals (including me atm) and the tank is doing well...granted my tank is well established so some of the corals i have wouldn't thrive in a new setup most likely but if i were you I'd definitely add a few soft corals at least...it only gets more exciting as you learn and see your tank slowly start maturing and supporting life! I'd introduce the CUC, add some zoa's/other softies, and ghost feed while watching your nutrients. Just getting in the habit of keeping an eye on nutrients will help you greatly as well as just getting your tank started. At this point if they're soft corals, phosphates and nitrates from the ghost feeding would be the primary tests to run since soft corals don't require Alk, calcium, mag to grow and would be a great way to get you more involved in the upkeep that'll be required later...not to mention having something beautiful to look at and enjoy!
I'm not a big fan of adding supplements to a new tank but there is one product which is Aquaforest Life Source that may be able to naturally increase biodiversity in a new tank...it's mud harvested directly from Fiji near the reefs which is supposed to add biodiversity...I've used it and think it's a good product. It couldn't hurt and is worth a shot.
I do like this idea and this is probably what I will do. And maybe like @homer1475 mentioned, I might just fallow the CUC.
This is the full list. But not all will be added now.
Even if you exclude the tang and the mandarin, that's too much to add all at once, to your QT or DT.
This is really good advice. Live and learn.
