When to start getting corals?

[AVVITT]

Hi people. So I upgraded my 350L to 1000+L at the weekend and wanted to start getting corals next week. Some nice beginners ones to start off with but the water has started clouding so I'm guessing a bacterial bloom and because I have much better lights than my starter tank I'm already seeing some rapid algae takeover!

Should I ride out this new storm until things have settled again or am I ok getting some hardy softies?

 

[Timfish]

Corals are essential components of a reef ssytem. Beside competing with algae for nitrogen and phosphorus the DOC they release influences the microbial processes in the surounding water. I start adding easy and hardy corals within 24 hours of adding water to a system. So yes, start adding corals. I would encourage you to get FOrest ROhwer's "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" (kindle is ~$10). Here's 4 videos you might find informative:

Forest Rohwer "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas"

Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes

Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont

Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[AVVITT]

Ok, cool! Thanks for the info

 

[R-balljunkie]

dial the lights waaay back....this will help with nuisance algae....let the tank ride a few more weeks....dont worry, your LFS will still have corals next month. test a couple of parameters then ease your way into new corals.

 

[AVVITT]

The funny thing is, my blues are on 50% and whites on 40% so not even that bright!
My phosphates were a little high which I've managed to bring down. I took the plunge yesterday and got some softies. I put them at the bottom once I'd dipped and acclimated them so they are in minimum light and they all opened within an hour so I'm guessing they're happy.
Hope long should I leave it before putting them up on their final resting place?

 

[mtraylor]

Corals like a stable environment. Dont get in a rush. Its hard. I would resolve the issue first before i would get corals. Save yourself headache of scrubbing algae from corals to try and save them etc. Once you get tank stable for a couple weeks with no issues. Get your corals

 

[Deep]

The funny thing is, my blues are on 50% and whites on 40% so not even that bright!
My phosphates were a little high which I've managed to bring down. I took the plunge yesterday and got some softies. I put them at the bottom once I'd dipped and acclimated them so they are in minimum light and they all opened within an hour so I'm guessing they're happy.
Hope long should I leave it before putting them up on their final resting place?

what did you get?

 

[ying yang]

Ttt