To Add Just Fish or Fish and Corals

scriptmonkey · Jun 10, 2017

So long story short on Memorial Day I started my cycle when my TBS package part 1 arrived. Through the week it was a struggle, was having to do water changes 2 times a day and my ammonia levels were still over 2.0. So I found some dead sponges that I removed, threw in a bottle of Instant Ocean Bio-Spira and a Brightwell Bio-Xport brick and within 2 days my ammonia level went from 2.0 to 0.0 within 2 days and ever since it has been staying stead at zero. My levels have been the following all week:
Tank: 75Gal Marineland Cornerflo
Sump: ~20 gallon water volume in sump
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 7.9
Temp: 76*
Ammonia: 0.0
Nitrite: 0.2
Nitrate: 10-20 ppm (brought my Algae Reactor online today with a tennis ball size clump of Chaeto to try to work it down)

This week I am going to call for the second part of my "Package" and will let it ride and stabilize. Figure it will be fine due to I am starting to see some sponge grow back and the Feather dusters are out. I am heading on our Honeymoon early July so figure will run just the rock and CUC till we are back.

My question is once we are back (and if I am not completely broke

) should I just add fish and let it level out then add corals or would it be OK to add a little of both at the same time? The end goal is to have a mixed tank.

Tahoe61 · Jun 10, 2017

Either or, I do not think one is preferential over the other, as long as you do not go crazy and add a bunch of fish initially.
Personally I think many corals are easier then fish., because fishes get sick and then spread it around. If you do not have QT maybe consider one.

scriptmonkey · Jun 10, 2017

Tahoe61 said:
Either or, I do not think one is preferential over the other, as long as you do not go crazy and add a bunch of fish initially.
Personally I think many corals are easier then fish., because fishes get sick and then spread it around. If you do not have QT maybe consider one.

I do... it is a 30 gallon tank and I have the ceramic media for the filter cycling right in the sump of my DT until it is ready to call it to duty.

Thank you Tahoe for responding, I really appreciate it.

Gweeds1980 · Jun 10, 2017

I'd add fish first... simple reason, if there's going to be an ammonia spike it'll be when you add fish as they produce more waste... if you already have coral in then you risk losing that AND the fish if the ammonia goes haywire... no corals in, you can't lose them

I wouldn't add anything until nitrite reads zero tho. Should all be done by the time you return.

Congrats on your marriage