Is it save for corals

[dkolp]

Hello,

am new to the saltwater hobby, my tank have been cycling for 12 days today, and my water parameters are ammonia: 0,2 ppm, NO2: 0,5 ppm and NO3: 10 ppm. Is it save to put in some soft corals?

sorry if it is a stupid question

 

[drewwCh]

Hello,

am new to the saltwater hobby, my tank have been cycling for 12 days today, and my water parameters are ammonia: 0,2 ppm, NO2: 0,5 ppm and NO3: 10 ppm. Is it save to put in some soft corals?

sorry if it is a stupid question

No it's not safe. Continue with the cycle until ammonia and nitrite reach 0, then do a water change to bring down nitrates to your desired levels. Then you can add fish first before coral

 

[DDenny]

First of all welcome to Reef2Reef! I would agree it’s not fully cycled yet. Give us some background. Did you use cured live rock and live sand? What all did you use to set up. Did you use bottle bacteria for notification etc.
I let my tank for two months before adding corals. Wish I would have gone fish first. When you start with fish depending on how big your tank is add one and wait for minimum two weeks (a month is better) for the bacteria to catch up to the added bioload of the fish. And test test test the parameters ammonia and nitrates to make sure that it is being converted properly before adding more fish.

 

[Jekyl]

Best case scenario is cycle tank, large water change, add fish. After that is up for debate. I would recommend waiting 2 months or more after fish are introduced to add one or 2 beginner coral.

 

[dkolp]

First of all welcome to Reef2Reef! I would agree it’s not fully cycled yet. Give us some background. Did you use cured live rock and live sand? What all did you use to set up. Did you use bottle bacteria for notification etc.
I let my tank for two months before adding corals. Wish I would have gone fish first. When you start with fish depending on how big your tank is add one and wait for minimum two weeks (a month is better) for the bacteria to catch up to the added bioload of the fish. And test test test the parameters ammonia and nitrates to make sure that it is being converted properly before adding more fish.

Thanks, i used sand that came from a tank that have been Runing for years, and i used “dead” aquaforest man-made rock. I did not use any bottled bacteria, but have been ghost feeding.

And i have a innovativ marine nuvo 8 gallon

 

[dkolp]

Thanks, i used sand that came from a tank that have been Runing for years, and i used “dead” aquaforest man-made rock. I did not use any bottled bacteria, but have been ghost feeding.

And i have a innovativ marine nuvo 8 gallon and okay i will put in fish first

First of all welcome to Reef2Reef! I would agree it’s not fully cycled yet. Give us some background. Did you use cured live rock and live sand? What all did you use to set up. Did you use bottle bacteria for notification etc.
I let my tank for two months before adding corals. Wish I would have gone fish first. When you start with fish depending on how big your tank is add one and wait for minimum two weeks (a month is better) for the bacteria to catch up to the added bioload of the fish. And test test test the parameters ammonia and nitrates to make sure that it is being converted properly before adding more fish

 

[fachatga]

Your tank seems cycled. You may never get a zero ammonia reading since test kits are just bad at cycle readings. I’d add a few fish first after water change. So there’s constant ammonia source to keep growing bacteria. I added a zoa after about 6 weeks and it’s doing fine. Just test a bit to make sure you’ve got relatively stable numbers and try out a hardy leather or softie. Cheap one. You never know til you try. I usually don’t wait as long as recommended. If it works great if it doesn’t I’m researching so much what to do and am learning more than if I was just broadly trying to pick up general knowledge. No better way to learn than trial and error. IMO it’s better to jump in even if a little early to get the experience of little things going wrong. That’s where the real knowledge comes from.

 

[canadianeh]

adding fish first before coral is now debatable. Jake Adams from reef builder has an article about it. Someone posted on R2R not too long ago

 

[dkolp]

Your tank seems cycled. You may never get a zero ammonia reading since test kits are just bad at cycle readings. I’d add a few fish first after water change. So there’s constant ammonia source to keep growing bacteria. I added a zoa after about 6 weeks and it’s doing fine. Just test a bit to make sure you’ve got relatively stable numbers and try out a hardy leather or softie. Cheap one. You never know til you try. I usually don’t wait as long as recommended. If it works great if it doesn’t I’m researching so much what to do and am learning more than if I was just broadly trying to pick up general knowledge. No better way to learn than trial and error. IMO it’s better to jump in even if a little early to get the experience of little things going wrong. That’s where the real knowledge comes from.

Okay, i make the tests with redsea test kit, but you mean that my tank i cycled?

But you will mean that i’m good too go with fish now?

 

[DDenny]

adding fish first before coral is now debatable. Jake Adams from reef builder has an article about it. Someone posted on R2R not too long ago

I didn’t add fish first. I wasn’t going to add fish to a 4g but I am having a hard time keeping nitrates and phosphates above 0. Personally if I would have to start over I would add the fish first to start building up the bacteria and nutrients for corals. I know we can feed corals and they have a mouth for a reason. That’s just my opinion and there is definitely more than one way to reef. I didn’t want to have to dose nutrients either and reef roids make my little tank go Ape Poo.