How long before adding corals?

[Reef.Blue]

Hey guys! I was wondering how long it would be before adding corals to my tank. I am new to this hobby and currently am setting up my 40 breeder. I have 2 clownfish in a 10g quarantine tank for about a month now. Do I have to quarantine corals? If yes can I keep them in my quarantine tank until I cycle my 40 breeder? Thanks!

 

[WestonNanos]

Are you using dry or live rock?

 

[JaimeAdams]

I believe that most people don't quarantine coral, but its not a bad idea. There can be fish parasite "eggs" on frag plugs or rock. Then also the actual coral pests. You could do it in your 10 gallon of you have not used medications on those fish and have adequate light, flow etc. The problem is if you do need to treat the fish those medications most of the time are not safe for the coral

 

[Lineatus]

What’s the rush? Personally I’d wait until the cycle is complete and then add straight to the display if things are stable enough. That said, if the cycles complete and stable and the clowns are in the tank there’s no need to wait much longer to add corals. Just keep an eye on parameters for a while after the clowns have been added before adding anything else.
coral quarantine is really a matter of preference and isn’t essential IMO

 

[Timfish]

Corals are manipulating the bacteria in the water so I'd be adding the easy species of the types you want as soon as possible. How you set up your system is also a huge factor, read AquaBiomics article on establishing a healthy microbiome. You may find these links helpful too:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[fishface NJ]

If using dry rock you are looking close to a year for things to stabilize. If true live rock is used, then maybe 3 months.

 

[muzikalmatt]

Technically you can add corals as soon as your cycle is finished, but most people will advise you to wait a bit until your tank stabilizes. It's also a good idea to start with one or two hardy "tester" corals to see how they fair in your new tank.

I recently added a green hairy rhodactis mushroom to my new 10 gallon build after about 6 weeks of running. It's been doing well and I will slowly add more hardy soft corals over the course of several weeks and see how the tank does.

As far as coral quarantine, it's definitely a good idea. I would not recommend using your fish quarantine tank though unless you didn't use it for medicating the fish. You'll need a good light for the tank as well since that's corals main food source.

 

[SlugSnorter]

IMO its best to wait till you pass or make progress with the uglies

 

[Reef.Blue]

Are you using dry or live rock?

I am using Caribsea live rock.

 

[Reef.Blue]

I believe that most people don't quarantine coral, but its not a bad idea. There can be fish parasite "eggs" on frag plugs or rock. Then also the actual coral pests. You could do it in your 10 gallon of you have not used medications on those fish and have adequate light, flow etc. The problem is if you do need to treat the fish those medications most of the time are not safe for the coral

Thank you! Im about a month into my tank now, so would I be able to add coral until I put it in my 40 breeder? I am not medicating the fish.

 

[Reef.Blue]

What’s the rush? Personally I’d wait until the cycle is complete and then add straight to the display if things are stable enough. That said, if the cycles complete and stable and the clowns are in the tank there’s no need to wait much longer to add corals. Just keep an eye on parameters for a while after the clowns have been added before adding anything else.
coral quarantine is really a matter of preference and isn’t essential IMO

Thank you!

 

[SlugSnorter]

Thank you! Im about a month into my tank now, so would I be able to add coral until I put it in my 40 breeder? I am not medicating the fish.

Medicating fish in QT will not effect the DT

 

[Reef.Blue]

Technically you can add corals as soon as your cycle is finished, but most people will advise you to wait a bit until your tank stabilizes. It's also a good idea to start with one or two hardy "tester" corals to see how they fair in your new tank.

I recently added a green hairy rhodactis mushroom to my new 10 gallon build after about 6 weeks of running. It's been doing well and I will slowly add more hardy soft corals over the course of several weeks and see how the tank does.

As far as coral quarantine, it's definitely a good idea. I would not recommend using your fish quarantine tank though unless you didn't use it for medicating the fish. You'll need a good light for the tank as well since that's corals main food source.

Thank you! Do you have any suggestions for other hardy corals I could put in? Considering they are "tester" corals they will not be expensive right?

 

[Reef.Blue]

If using dry rock you are looking close to a year for things to stabilize. If true live rock is used, then maybe 3 months.

thank you!

 

[Reef.Blue]

Corals are manipulating the bacteria in the water so I'd be adding the easy species of the types you want as soon as possible. How you set up your system is also a huge factor, read AquaBiomics article on establishing a healthy microbiome. You may find these links helpful too:

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

BActeria and Sponges

Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)

Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

Thank you!!!!

 

[SlugSnorter]

I am using Caribsea live rock.

life or live? their "life" rock is dry rock btw

 

[\m/reefsnmetal\m/]

I would recommend testing your Ca, Alk, and Mag at a minimum before adding corals. Just to make sure that whatever setup you have is at least in the desired ranges. If one of those numbers is too far off, even the hardy corals won't make it.

 

[adittam]

Do you have a light on your QT tank that will be adequate for corals? If not, you’re going to have to add them to your DT right off the bat.

As far as timing goes, it’s not a bad idea to get through the uglies first, because they WILL happen. I started my 1st reef tank last March, was done with the uglies by August, but then got another round of them when I recently upgraded to a bigger tank with new sand and more rock. That said, you definitely don’t have to wait a year like some people throw out there. That’s just insane; just start out with some forgiving softies or zoas and they’ll be fine.

 

[14 foot reef]

I am using Caribsea live rock.

Do you mean Carribsea "Life Rock" or actual shipped in natural sea water "Live Rock" these 2 are completely different products that will have a completely different outcome on how your tank will cycle and get through the ugly stages and be ready for a successful early reef tank.

Carribsea - Life Rock

LifeRock Dry Live Rock

LifeRock is infused with spored bacteria to aid in biological performance, along with millions of micro and macro passage ways CaribSea's LifeRock Dry Rock is perfect for the environmentally friendly aquarist. Creates a mature looking reef instantly 100% safe for all marine animals Unique...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Live Rock - tbs

Live Rock – Tampa Bay Saltwater

 

[muzikalmatt]

Thank you! Do you have any suggestions for other hardy corals I could put in? Considering they are "tester" corals they will not be expensive right?

Most mushrooms, xenia, kenya tree, zoanthids, leather corals, etc are all pretty hardy and inexpensive. In my first tank I started with a mushroom and some xenia. For this new build I just took a mushroom frag from my old tank and added it to the new build.