How many corals can you add at one time

[Kiboshed]

So been running my 32 gal Biocube for about a month now and in another month I would like to add some corals.

Thinking 3-5 specimens.

How many corals is safe to add at one time in a tank this big?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

So been running my 32 gal Biocube for about a month now and in another month I would like to add some corals.

Thinking 3-5 specimens.

How many corals is safe to add at one time in a tank this big?

I’m sure 3 to 5 would be fine assuming the tank is ready that’s a whole other story

 

[blaxsun]

One at a time is usually recommended at the outset, ie: 1 a week. Soft corals are the most forgiving, ie: leathers, polyps, zoas and mushrooms. If they're something like tiny frags 3-4 at a time is fine. You just want to give the system time to catch up after adding anything.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have added 35 corals at one time in a 200 gallon system with no problems then again my system was running for over five years

 

[Gatorpa]

I have added 35 corals at one time in a 200 gallon system with no problems then again my system was running for over five years

Size matters….

 

[Spare time]

It doesn't matter. The only concern would be if you added a ton of stony corals and were not yet testing alk (and calcium).


Ps make sure your are dipping and inspecting the corals.

 

[Kiboshed]

My thing is that I would like to purchase my corals online as the only lfs I have that does saltwater is a petco and I really don't want to put their corals in my aquarium.

If I am going to spend $50+ on shipping overnight I would like to get as many as is reasonable in one go.

I will only be buying tiny frags and only begginer corals.

First I want to add a Cespitularia, Fungia, and like one of the Mushrooms, maybe a Rhodactis.

My tank is going solid, parameters are stable, Diatoms are clearing up to non existent except on the sand now, life is thriving in it.

Still going to wait another month to make sure it stays that way, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

My thing is that I would like to purchase my corals online as the only lfs I have that does saltwater is a petco and I really don't want to put their corals in my aquarium.

If I am going to spend $50+ on shipping overnight I would like to get as many as is reasonable in one go.

I will only be buying tiny frags and only begginer corals.

First I want to add a Cespitularia, Fungia, and like one of the Mushrooms, maybe a Rhodactis.

My tank is going solid, parameters are stable, Diatoms are clearing up to non existent except on the sand now, life is thriving in it.

Sti going to wait another month to make sure it stays that way, but it doesn't hurt to plan ahead.

Don’t be scared to get them all I would

 

[Lavey29]

Fungia don't do well in new tanks

 

[Kiboshed]

Fungia don't do well in new tanks

Why is this and what can I do to change it?

Just to give you some context mine isn't a typical new tank.

I used Nutri sea live water, wet live rock, live sand, a bottle of Tims. My cycle lasted like two weeks before I was at 0 Ammonia and Nitrites.

I got Pods, bristleworms, fan worms, sponges, snails, hermit crab, all kinds of stuff just thriving in there. Diatom phase is already receding.

Know it's a new tank, but it's got lots for corals to filter feed on in there and I have a bottle of Algaebarn- Copepods/phytoplankton on the way too to add even more biodiversity, which should be well established in the water column by the time I add any coral.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Technically as many as the bioload can handle bit should you add a lot in a new tank no. In a new tank you want to start with easy and forgiving corals like a green star polyps or soft corals.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Why is this and what can I do to change it?

Wait a few months and/or until coralline algae starts taking over because it needs to become more stable.

 

[bnord]

Have

Why is this and what can I do to change it?

have an older tank


I would say how many SHOULD I add, not can

early entries for the tank you’re gonna wanna be able to spend the requisite amount of time focusing on how they’re doing and being able to respond to the challenges. Any tank just needs to have more stability which is usually gained by time before you can add several corals and assume they will all be ok

Understand your situation and appreciate the challenges of being dependent on Petco, just let these new frags take hold and pay close attention to chemistry and how they look.

 

[Kiboshed]

Wait a few months and/or until coralline algae starts taking over because it needs to become more stable.

Define "stable" in this context. Water parameters? Nutrients? Which ones should I be looking for?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

D

Define "stable" in this context. Water parameters? Nutrients? Which ones should I be looking for?

It’s always hard for new reefers to understand that it takes time months many many months to build an established tank for the bacteria to colonize to keep things stable what you think is stable is not actually stable when your tank is many months old you will have that much more experience and then start to understand this

 

[((FORDTECH))]

And then when you want to do SPS Coral’s and we are all telling you to wait at least a year you’re not gonna understand that either but take it from the experienced people here who have already been through this

 

[Kiboshed]

early entries for the tank you’re gonna wanna be able to spend the requisite amount of time focusing on how they’re doing and being able to respond to the challenges. Any tank just needs to have more stability which is usually gained by time before you can add several corals and assume they will all be ok

Again what does "stability" mean objectively? How do I measure it and how will I know when I have achieved it?

Cause currently my chemistry in terms of the Ammonia/Nitrate cycle is completely stable.

 

[Kiboshed]

It’s always hard for new reefers to understand that it takes time months many many months to build an established tank for the bacteria to colonize to keep things stable what you think is stable is not actually stable when your tank is many months old you will have that much more experience and then start to understand this

So I should not add any corals for like 6months? A year? Now I am more confused then when I started. Lol

I am just looking to add a few soft begginer corals in about a month because my cycle is finished.

Is that a bad idea? If I can how many?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Again what does "stability" mean objectively? How do I measure it and how will I know when I have achieved it?

Cause currently my chemistry in terms of the Ammonia/Nitrate cycle is completely stable.

As the system matures the bio organisms also mature when these organisms are immature or less or not their things like alkalinity tend to not be as stable and what I mean By stable is drift up and down too much when the tank is more mature these bio organisms (I think they are called )help things like alkalinity stay at an even level without this this so-called stability is not as stable

 

[((FORDTECH))]

So I should not add any corals for like 6months? A year? Now I am more confused then when I started. Lol

I am just looking to add a few soft begginer corals in about a month because my cycle is finished.

Is that a bad idea? If I can how many?

As I said in the first post yes 3 to 5 Corals will be fine you were not talking about high end SPS you were talking about soft coral or LPS. I will tell you right now odds are there going to die but I don’t want to tell you no because there is a slim possibility that they will live