What goes into the new tank first? Corals or Fish?

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I know there are several different theories on this, so I thought this might be an interesting discussion. What do you think should go into the new tank first? Corals or Fish? What's your reasoning for your position?

 

[slingfox]

Depends on what you mean by "new" tank. If the tank was started with live rock and sand from the ocean it probably does not matter whether you start with fish or coral. If the tank is started with dry rock and sterile sand then risk of a prolonged ugly stage is high so best to plan accordingly.

 

[DED65]

I would always go fish first, the corals need stability and don’t do well in too new of a tank. The corals also need the food the fish provide.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I like to go fish first.

It gives the tank time to stabilitize, and also gives time for nutrients in the water to raise, which in my experience my corals like.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

The size / volume of the tank determines best course IMO. Larger systems generally have more aggressive filtration, reef mats, skimmers, reactors etc. and will be more tolerant of a fish load first. Towards nano size systems I always go coral first. Plenty of ways to provide controlled food / nutrient input to coral these days rather than uneaten fish food or a fat clown laying cables.

 

[Nate Chalk]

I put water in and then the pasta, followed by milk and cheese and a knob of butter

 

[brandon429]

what the masses like to do regarding stocking order of ops keeps the fish disease forum very, very very very busy for nine years.

cycling has advanced to the point no testing and no action and no thought is required to be cycled. it's not hard to tip some fritz cycling bac into the tank, add fish and go. that's no cycle violation, that's a keep the disease forum running for nine years type of move. the impacts are delayed just enough the masses don't have to care much, yet. wait till prices keep heading up, preservation will slowly become paramount, and that will change the popular answer to the question posed here.

 

[brandon429]

starting with fish means every addition of coral and cuc shell and wet items thereafter from a pet store breaks the disease protocol unless the person is running a dual system with a dedicated fallow receiving tank, restarted with each new group added.


few do that. starting with fish first nearly guarantees the keeper isn't following a dedicated disease control plan, so within 8 mos...

the length of the cycle has nothing to do with disease expression. you can't get less disease expression by taking months to cycle, fast cycles are not the cause.

specific fallow and quarantine preps are needed, especially in today's dry-start + bottle bac setups. its the only way to quell the currently unacceptable disease loss rate by month 8 in no-prep setups

A thread on this order of ops:

Has anyone done coral/inverts only and no fish at first?

How do you guys that don't have fish provide organic carbon to the system? Would vodka dosing help with this, feed the bacteria with a carbon source? It’ll be a balance, but I’ve ran fishless I just broadcast fed the tank twice a week with the pumps off the same food I feed to fish.

www.reef2reef.com

fish and the food they command plus bone white rocks plus bright light = months of new tank uglies

delayed fish/lower light with easier corals eating coral food first makes uglies easier to manage for sure

 

[Uncle99]

Fish.
Fish feed corals.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Fish.
Fish feed corals.

I mean my clowns definitely feed my nems

But my tangs steal food from the corals

Soooooo

 

[Katrina71]

Well I guess I've been doing it wrong. I've been starting with rock and water.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Well I guess I've been doing it wrong. I've been starting with rock and water.

Hmmm...you may be on to something...

 

[Katrina71]

Hmmm...you may be on to something...

I actually started with coral. I just didn't know it was a coral. Nobody corrected me when I called gsp a plant. Sad, but true.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I actually started with coral. I just didn't know it was a coral. Nobody corrected me when I called gsp a plant. Sad, but true.

Hey some of the masters start with coral! @Roberto Denadai is one I know starts with coral in all of his amazing tanks! So you're in good company.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Fish duh! A “new tank” is never ready for coral first. And by new that does not mean you transferred anything from an old or established tank which has different chemistry and is able to sustain corals immediately.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Fish duh! A “new tank” is never ready for coral first. And by new that does not mean you transferred anything from an old or established tank which has different chemistry and is able to sustain corals immediately.

Hehe! That is the conventional wisdom, but see my previous post. At least some reef hobby experts do it the other way around. Just sayin'

Here's the ROTM article on his tank to show what I'm talking about: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...tiful-80-gallon-sps-reef.896226/#post-9965756

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Well I guess I've been doing it wrong. I've been starting with rock and water.

No definitely fish wait a week cuc then rocks them last but not least the water!!!!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I do fish first usually, but I have done both ways. To me, disease is a non-issue, as fish, corals, anything wet, goes through quarantine.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Hehe! That is the conventional wisdom, but see my previous post. At least some reef hobby experts do it the other way around. Just sayin'

Here's the ROTM article on his tank to show what I'm talking about: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...tiful-80-gallon-sps-reef.896226/#post-9965756

I definitely have a higher coral load than fish….i keep meaning to add more but the corals pretty gets me every time and I can’t help but buy buy buy and then no money for fish……5 fish that’s what I have after 4 years…


when I went from 16 to 75 I had 3 fish
And probably 10x that in corals

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I definitely have a higher coral load than fish….i keep meaning to add more but the corals pretty gets me every time and I can’t help but buy buy buy and then no money for fish……5 fish that’s what I have after 4 years…


when I went from 16 to 75 I had 3 fish
And probably 10x that in corals

I'm the exact opposite. Always been fish first and foremost. Hence my new tank being a butterfly dominated reef (at least hopefully). We'll see if any corals survive.