Is it time for corals?

[Reef.Blue]

Hey guys I have had my 40 breeder for about 2 months now and I think it has finished cycling. The ammonia is under 5 ppm, ph is fine, nitrate is at about 10 ppm and nitrite at 0. I was just looking to get some Zoas and a few mushroom. I was wondering if it was the right time to add these corals yet. If so, any recommendations for how many frags for my tank? Thanks!

 

[KrisReef]

Technically you don’t want to have detectable ammonia in your tank with fish or corals. Those API tests are useless imo, but that aside if you started the tank with bottled bacteria or live rock/sand then your tank should be cycled and able to support corals you mentioned.
Throw put the ammonia tester ( unless it’s a badge?) and add something!
If it’s a badge then wait until ammonia is not detected.
Hth!

 

[Reef.Blue]

Technically you don’t want to have detectable ammonia in your tank with fish or corals. Those API tests are useless imo, but that aside if you started the tank with bottled bacteria or live rock/sand then your tank should be cycled and able to support corals you mentioned.
Throw put the ammonia tester ( unless it’s a badge?) and add something!
If it’s a badge then wait until ammonia is not detected.
Hth!

Thank you. And yes I did start the tank with bottled bacteria and I have live sand and a few pieces of live rock

 

[Spare time]

I see you are in NJ, so typically 8:40pm EST is the right time to add corals. That or 5:20pm


I am not sure what "under 5ppm" ammonia is because that is a big range for something very deadly to fish. I recommend your first coral at least a week or so after the first fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey guys I have had my 40 breeder for about 2 months now and I think it has finished cycling. The ammonia is under 5 ppm, ph is fine, nitrate is at about 10 ppm and nitrite at 0. I was just looking to get some Zoas and a few mushroom. I was wondering if it was the right time to add these corals yet. If so, any recommendations for how many frags for my tank? Thanks!

You can start with a couple hardy species as a test such as:
Candy Cane
xenia
toadstool
devil hand leather
Frogspawn
palythoa

 

[doubleshot00]

Unless you like the ugly stage I would wait. Keep the lights off or at a minimum. Your ammonia is way high for a 2 month ild tank. Did you add any bacteria or anything to cy?

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above. Leave lights off and no coral till the 4 month mark so your tank builds biodiversity then your ugly stages will be much more manageable so your corals thrive as the lights come on.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Depends. I think I added my first coral, a leather, around the 2 month mark. The hardier the species, the better. In my experience, mushrooms need a mature reef to thrive, as they rely on high nutrient intake. I tried mushrooms early and they all bleached and eventually died. Over a year later, I tried again, with much more success.

 

[Reef.Blue]

I see you are in NJ, so typically 8:40pm EST is the right time to add corals. That or 5:20pm


I am not sure what "under 5ppm" ammonia is because that is a big range for something very deadly to fish. I recommend your first coral at least a week or so after the first fish.

Fish have been in the tank for more than a month now

 

[Reef.Blue]

And for everyone here I did not mean 5ppm for ammonia i ment 0.5 ppm

 

[Reef.Blue]

Unless you like the ugly stage I would wait. Keep the lights off or at a minimum. Your ammonia is way high for a 2 month ild tank. Did you add any bacteria or anything to cy?

I added a lot of live bacteria. And I meant 0.5 ppm not 5 ppm my bad

 

[Reef.Blue]

I see you are in NJ, so typically 8:40pm EST is the right time to add corals. That or 5:20pm


I am not sure what "under 5ppm" ammonia is because that is a big range for something very deadly to fish. I recommend your first coral at least a week or so after the first fish.

and I meant 0.5 ppm not 5 ppm my bad

 

[mehaffydr]

There should be Zero ammonia. What test kit are you using?

 

[Reef.Blue]

You can start with a couple hardy species as a test such as:
Candy Cane
xenia
toadstool
devil hand leather
Frogspawn
palythoa

Zoas?

 

[Reef.Blue]

There should be Zero ammonia. What test kit are you using?

API, as yes and I know they are far from the most accurate

 

[mehaffydr]

OK that makes sense I bet your ammonia is really Zero.

 

[Reef.Blue]

Depends. I think I added my first coral, a leather, around the 2 month mark. The hardier the species, the better. In my experience, mushrooms need a mature reef to thrive, as they rely on high nutrient intake. I tried mushrooms early and they all bleached and eventually died. Over a year later, I tried again, with much more success.

Is there anyway I can supplement the nutrients?

 

[bstodds15]

Send some pics of how your tank looks now

 

[ZombieEngineer]

You can start with a couple hardy species as a test such as:
Candy Cane
xenia
toadstool
devil hand leather
Frogspawn
palythoa

This is a halfway decent list, but

Don't get xenia, it grows like a weed and will get out of control.

Get a cheap zoa colony, not palythoa. Palys also grow like weeds and are extremely toxic.

Don't get leather. They release a toxin that will stunt the growth of nearby corals.

Candy cane
Zoas
Frogspawn

Are a good start.

 

[Reef.Blue]

OK that makes sense I bet your ammonia is really Zero.

So you would say the tank is done cycling right