Were my corals put in too early?

[GarrekS]

Hey everyone I’ve been starting my first saltwater tank recently and have run into an issue. My tank has only been set up and running for a little over a month and just now completed its cycle. I was planning on just adding two clownfish and waiting longer for coral but a friend from far away decided to gift me a few starter corals by surprise. It’s a firework clove polyp, GSP and a colony of zoas. The GSP has not opened at all, my zoas seem fine, and the clove polyp has one polyp halfway open within the 3 days they’ve been in there. I was wondering if there is a possibility I could just continue to hold onto them or if I should look for someone that’s able to hold on to them until my tank is ready. I understand my tank shouldn’t be prepared and this is not an ideal situation but any help or advice on what to do is appreciated.
A. is there anything i could do to make sure the corals can open up and survive or B. give them to someone else to hold on to until my tank is matured
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 40ppm
Salinity 127 ppt
Phosphate 0.01 ppm
Magnesium 1100ppm
Calcium 350ppm
Alk 10 dkH

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What kind of test kit are you using? The calcium and mag are low, but may be test error.

What kind of light and flow do you have in the tank?

Others might have more questions or suggestions...

 

[FUNGI]

IMO....
I Know the latest rage is having Nitrates.....but I would look at doing small, frequent water changes to bring Nitrate down to 5~10

 

[paragrouper]

I assume these were shipped?

can you tell us more about your tank and the lights you have and how much do you have your lights turned up to?

Theres a fair chance they are still acclimating to your tank. There is also a fair chance you don’t have your light/flow correct. I would continue to observe at this juncture.

I have all three corals in my tank. many of my zoas, my cloves and my GSP act like this early in the morning when my lights are ramping up And they open up as the day progresses.

 

[Tired]

The nitrates are probably a bit high, yeah.

Ideally those corals should go into a more established tank, if a water change doesn't perk them up. They might be able to do alright in this tank, though, if you can keep nutrients available, and then of course they should thrive once the tank is slightly more established.

I would suggest not putting the GSP on your rocks, unless you want your rocks to have nothing but GSP.

 

[GarrekS]

I’m using the salifert test kits but it is my first time so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were a little off.

i’m using the current usa orbit marine light and I have it set on halfway and then the innovative marine power head which is also set on halfway. I’m not 100% sure on how i should have the light and flow set up so I have been adjusting it a good amount.

The nitrates being high were my main concern so I’ve been doing small water changes each day and it is definitely possible they are still acclimating I just wasn’t able to really tell since the tank is much newer then when corals would traditionally be put in.

 

[Uncle99]

Not overly demanding starter corals, let them stay.
Phosphate I’d bump from 0.01ppm to .1ppm so that all are being fed.
As long as the nitrate trend is downward, I’d just let it move itself over the next month, but don’t let either bottom.
Salinity 127ppt must be a mis type??
34-35ppt right?

 

[paragrouper]

I’m using the salifert test kits but it is my first time so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were a little off.

i’m using the current usa orbit marine light and I have it set on halfway and then the innovative marine power head which is also set on halfway. I’m not 100% sure on how i should have the light and flow set up so I have been adjusting it a good amount.

The nitrates being high were my main concern so I’ve been doing small water changes each day and it is definitely possible they are still acclimating I just wasn’t able to really tell since the tank is much newer then when corals would traditionally be put in.

What size tank?

 

[GarrekS]

It’s a 20 gallon innovative marine pro

What would be the best method of increasing phosphates without increasing nitrates?

 

[paragrouper]

I’ve never dose phosphates myself, so I’ll leave that one to others. Once you add those two clownfish it will get easier—between fish food and fish poop—to get nutrients into the tank.

as to your lighting: you can try bumping up your light a bit (slowly) to see if you get a positive response. I’m currently acclimating my tank to new lights and I’ll bump them up a few percent, then watch for a few days, then bump them up again. Just take your time with it.

 

[GarrekS]

Not overly demanding starter corals, let them stay.
Phosphate I’d bump from 0.01ppm to .1ppm so that all are being fed.
As long as the nitrate trend is downward, I’d just let it move itself over the next month, but don’t let either bottom.
Salinity 127ppt must be a mis type??
34-35ppt right?

and yes i meant 35ppt

 

[Icryhard]

Bring phosphate up to 0.05 at least. Ideally 0.07 or so. 0.01 is starving them. Nitrates can be reduced to about 15 I’d say and magnesium upped to at least 1350-1400. Calcium 450 and no lower than 400. What kind of light and flow do you have?

 

[GarrekS]

I’ve never dose phosphates myself, so I’ll leave that one to others. Once you add those two clownfish it will get easier—between fish food and fish poop—to get nutrients into the tank.

as to your lighting: you can try bumping up your light a bit (slowly) to see if you get a positive response. I’m currently acclimating my tank to new lights and I’ll bump them up a few percent, then watch for a few days, then bump them up again. Just take your time with it.

okay I will do that thank you for the help

 

[GarrekS]

Bring phosphate up to 0.05 at least. Ideally 0.07 or so. 0.01 is starving them. Nitrates can be reduced to about 15 I’d say and magnesium upped to at least 1350-1400. Calcium 450 and no lower than 400. What kind of light and flow do you have?

both moderate flow and light but I showed which powerhead and light I’m using earlier in the thread

 

[Freenow54]

I tend to be cautious That said I have an Apogee meter and know what my Par readings are through the tank. I have yet to see published work on proper par for all corals. To me the less questionable the situation the easier it is to correct. That is why I first have a quarantine tank. Latley it has been proven at least for fish how important it is. 1 fish was added to a very well establised tank at a local restaurant. Now ther are none left. One was in the tank for at least 10 years. I ask Whats the rush? one other thing I know. Coral will be effected way faster than fish if the conditions are wrong

 

[GarrekS]

I tend to be cautious That said I have an Apogee meter and know what my Par readings are through the tank. I have yet to see published work on proper par for all corals. To me the less questionable the situation the easier it is to correct. That is why I first have a quarantine tank. Latley it has been proven at least for fish how important it is. 1 fish was added to a very well establised tank at a local restaurant. Now ther are none left. One was in the tank for at least 10 years. I ask Whats the rush? one other thing I know. Coral will be effected way faster than fish if the conditions are wrong

yeah I definitely wasn’t planning on adding coral so soon as my friend had shipped them to me without my knowledge

I definitely plan on trying to get a quarantine tank in the future

 

[Cichlid Dad]

It’s a 20 gallon innovative marine pro

What would be the best method of increasing phosphates without increasing nitrates?

To early to worry about bringing anything up and dosing. Your tank Is an infant and nothing is going to act as it should for awhile. It takes time to begin maturing and getting balanced. Water changes and feeding fish along with light is all your tank needs for now imho

 

[Freenow54]

yeah I definitely wasn’t planning on adding coral so soon as my friend had shipped them to me without my knowledge

I definitely plan on trying to get a quarantine tank in the future

Live and learn. We all do

 

[GarrekS]

Yeah and one last thing, for water changes, if I were to use the saltwater from one fish store to fill up the tank would it be harmful to then use saltwater from another lfs during the water changes

the store i originally got the water from is about 2 hours away as there aren’t really any good lfs near me.

It’s definitely not the worst thing for me to get the water there and just try to get high amounts I was just wondering if there was an easier alternative

 

[soreefed]

40ppm nitrate on a month old tank with no livestock? What have you been adding into it?