Question about becoming a mature tank

[Dave1993]

Do i need fish for a tank to become established ?

 

[Miami Reef]

Do you want fish?

 

[StatelineReefer]

Do i need fish for a tank to become established ?

No, but it helps. The byproducts of fish respiration and digestion feed your bacterial cycle, which in turn increases the bioavailable nutrients in the tank for coral uptake.

You'll find it easier to grow and maintain corals with a healthy and sane fish bioload, but this doesn't mean that it's impossible for a tank to mature in their absence.

 

[Dave1993]

Do you want fish?

i do not want fish in this tank

 

[Dave1993]

No, but it helps. The byproducts of fish respiration and digestion feed your bacterial cycle, which in turn increases the bioavailable nutrients in the tank for coral uptake.

You'll find it easier to grow and maintain corals with a healthy and sane fish bioload, but this doesn't mean that it's impossible for a tank to mature in their absence.

i will look into getting 1 fish then

 

[Dave1993]

Well i'm not getting the court jester needs sand to graze upon

 

[muzikalmatt]

No you don't, but it may take longer to mature. I left my 10 gallon bedroom budget build fishless for about 8 months after the first fish passed and it has still matured nicely. I did use some water/media from my older, mature main display tank though which I'm sure helped.

 

[Miami Reef]

i do not want fish in this tank

I don’t believe you need fish in the tank if maturity is your goal.

I do believe that “maturity” is an overrated term with no real consensus as to what defines it.

As long as you are feeding something to your tank (amino acids, nitrogen, phosphate) and your nutrients don’t completely bottom out, then I’m not sure how one little fish can make a tank “mature.”

If only “maturity” was that easy.

 

[Dave1993]

No you don't, but it may take longer to mature. I left my 10 gallon bedroom budget build fishless for about 8 months after the first fish passed and it has still matured nicely. I did use some water/media from my older, mature main display tank though which I'm sure helped.

I don’t believe you need fish in the tank if maturity is your goal.

I do believe that “maturity” is an overrated term with no real consensus as to what defines it.

As long as you are feeding something to your tank (amino acids, nitrogen, phosphate) and your nutrients don’t completely bottom out, then I’m not sure how one little fish can make a tank “mature.”

If only “maturity” was that easy.

well phosphates are 0.1-0.2 i have 1 coral in the tank going to get some red sea reef energy or whatever its called i have reefroids but i don't want my phosphates getting higher nitrates are like 42ppm but not sure how true that is as it could be nitrite

 

[sixty_reefer]

A few pellets every day could replace a fish fairly easily.

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

Nope, but like what people have said it sure helps.

 

[gbroadbridge]

well phosphates are 0.1-0.2 i have 1 coral in the tank going to get some red sea reef energy or whatever its called i have reefroids but i don't want my phosphates getting higher nitrates are like 42ppm but not sure how true that is as it could be nitrite

You only need reef energy in ULNS tanks.

With your params you just need light to provide energy for coral.