What are the perfect parameters to start adding coral

[frankieg2293]

Just starting out my 220gal reefer. I am new to the salt community my question is What are the perfect numbers in chem parameters to start adding corals? I am most likely starting out with softiesPlease if there are anything else I need to know please comment.
Salinity:
PH:
Alk:
Magn:
Calcium:
NH2:
NH3:
Anything else I missed exe.

posting a pick of the tank as is.

 

[Lavey29]

Leave your lights off for the first 4 months and let your tank develop biodiversity. This also allows you to develop parameters stability. Add corals at 4 month when you turn the lights on.

 

[frankieg2293]

Leave your lights off for the first 4 months and let your tank develop biodiversity. This also allows you to develop parameters stability. Add corals at 4 month when you turn the lights on.

I currently have fish in the tank

 

[Lavey29]

I currently have fish in the tank

Fish don't need lights

 

[frankieg2293]

Leave your lights off for the first 4 months and let your tank develop biodiversity. This also allows you to develop parameters stability. Add corals at 4 month when you turn the lights on.

Fish don't need lights

Well ok than lights are going out.

 

[frankieg2293]

Fish don't need lights

I forgot to mention this tank was bought used from a friend and I took 75% of the water from original place. And refill the tank with it once I transported it to my place.

 

[SlugSnorter]

you didn't list the params, but you want stable water that doesn't have swings and is around your corals params.
Calcium between roughly 380-480ppm and should be stable with no shifts

Magnesium between 1250 and 1350 ppm also no shifts

PH between 8.0 and 8.4 and should be very stable

dKH around 10 and between 8-11 and should also be stable

N02/Nitrates (NH2 is Azanide) should hover around or a bit below 5-10

Phosphate should be kept well below 1ppm and 0.03ppm or so is ideal

keep in mind, while these should be around these ranges, the tank is new and will have some swings, a very stable tank takes time to cultivate and is an endgoal to work towards for the somewhat distant future

Ammonia, Ammonium and Nitrite should be 0.0 or below

 

[muzikalmatt]

Just starting out my 220gal reefer. I am new to the salt community my question is What are the perfect numbers in chem parameters to start adding corals? I am most likely starting out with softiesPlease if there are anything else I need to know please comment.
Salinity:
PH:
Alk:
Magn:
Calcium:
NH2:
NH3:
Anything else I missed exe.

posting a pick of the tank as is.

Salinity: 1.025-1.026 (This is mainly a preference thing but I like to run mine at 1.026)
PH: 8.0 minimum
Alk: 7-10 dKH (Just pick a number to target and try to keep it there. I run mine around 8.5 since it's right in the middle.)
Magnesium: 1400
Calcium: 400-450
Nitrates: 5-15 ppm (If you're doing softies/LPS you can be on the high side, SPS should be a bit lower)
Phosphates: 0.02-0.10 ppm (Again, higher if you're doing softies/LPS)

While I definitely agree with @Lavey29 about being patient and letting the biodiversity develop, some of that biodiversity is going to come from adding corals and the bacteria and microfauna that comes off the corals and frag plugs.

How long has the tank been running? I think waiting 2-3 months is a good idea and then would start with some easy, hardy starter corals like xenia, mushrooms, green star polyp, zoanthids, etc to see if if your tank can support them. I recently put a hairy rhodactis mushroom, GSP and a zoa frag in my new 10 gallon build at around the 2 month mark and they're doing well. Slow and steady in this hobby. Slow and steady.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Well ok than lights are going out.

the uglies will still show up, better to slug it out now and go through at least partially them without coral, especially if you do not have live rock, as diatoms will likely show up as soon as lights are on. Id recommend starting to get stable params, and getting some coraline growing before starting corals for the best start.

 

[SPR1968]

As a very rough guide, this is were I keep mine, or target. Stability is the key especially alkalinity

Salinity 35
Temperature 25
Alkalinity 8.5
Magnesium 1350-1400
Calcium 420-440
Nitrate 10-20
Phosphate <.03

You can add corals on day 1 provided the parameters are correct, and you know what your doing

 

[Lavey29]

Well ok than lights are going out.

I had some fish in my tank during the first few months of lights out and the ambient room lighting still allowed to enjoy them. Work on adding different types of good bacteria and pods to your system and getting your numbers as stable as possible. 10ppm nitrates and .07 to .1 phosphate is key when you get ready for corals. Allowing your tank to stabilize before you add corals and lights will help minimize your ugly stages. I still got the ugliest but they were quite manageable without the need of harsh chemicals. Check out PNS probio which is a natural bacteria supplement. This stuff has really benefitted my tank over the last month.

 

[muzikalmatt]

I had some fish in my tank during the first few months of lights out and the ambient room lighting still allowed to enjoy them. Work on adding different types of good bacteria and pods to your system and getting your numbers as stable as possible. 10ppm nitrates and .07 to .1 phosphate is key when you get ready for corals. Allowing your tank to stabilize before you add corals and lights will help minimize your ugly stages. I still got the ugliest but they were quite manageable without the need of harsh chemicals. Check out PNS probio which is a natural bacteria supplement. This stuff has really benefitted my tank over the last month.

I second the PNS Probio. I've been using it for my new 10 gallon build to try and establish biodiversity and even added some to my 3 year old tank and it's great stuff.

 

[SlugSnorter]

As a very rough guide, this is were I keep mine, or target. Stability is the key especially alkalinity

Salinity 35
Temperature 25
Alkalinity 8.5
Magnesium 1350-1400
Calcium 420-440
Nitrate 10-20
Phosphate <.03

You can add corals on day 1 provided the parameters are correct, and you know what your doing

thats bad advice for beginner, they should wait until their tanks are more stable before dealing with corals

 

[Lavey29]

I second the PNS Probio. I've been using it for my new 10 gallon build to try and establish biodiversity and even added some to my 3 year old tank and it's great stuff.

I like that it doesn't mess up the skimmer after you turn it back on. It has my sand pristine white now and my filter socks stay clean for a week or more too. I just started dosing PNS yellow snow to for coral food.

 

[Lavey29]

As a very rough guide, this is were I keep mine, or target. Stability is the key especially alkalinity

Salinity 35
Temperature 25
Alkalinity 8.5
Magnesium 1350-1400
Calcium 420-440
Nitrate 10-20
Phosphate <.03

You can add corals on day 1 provided the parameters are correct, and you know what your doing

I think adding corals on day 1 works for highly experienced reefers but for the majority of us novice reefers adding corals early will just lead to a bunch of dead frags.

 

[frankieg2293]

the uglies will still show up, better to slug it out now and go through at least partially them without coral, especially if you do not have live rock, as diatoms will likely show up as soon as lights are on. Id recommend starting to get stable params, and getting some coraline growing before starting corals for the best start.

Lights are staying on than

 

[Lavey29]

Lights are staying on than

Good luck with that, at least you will gain experience. We will see you on here in a month or two asking how to clear a 220g system of GHA, cyano and or dinos.

 

[SPR1968]

I think adding corals on day 1 works for highly experienced reefers but for the majority of us novice reefers adding corals early will just lead to a bunch of dead frags.

thats bad advice for beginner, they should wait until their tanks are more stable before dealing with corals

I did say ‘provided the parameters are correct, and you know what your doing’

 

[Lavey29]

I did say ‘provided the parameters are correct, and you know what your doing’

He described himself as a new salt water hobbyist so pretty safe to conclude that your suggestion is not applicable. We all know novice reefers myself included take many months for their tanks to mature and parameters stabilize to allow for good coral environment and growth. If you just start placing frags in a new tank and you are new to the hobby it never ends well.

 

[Jekyl]

In my own personal experience, with a new tank I wouldn't add coral until 6 months or later if using dry rock. Too many parameter swings and algae going on until around then. I also will never use dry rock again for the same reasons. I had an awful time (some as my own fault) during my first year with corals.