So how do you know how many corals you can have? Is it possible to have too many, does the number of fish/inverts make a difference? Does it matter how large the coral can grow, or can you just keep dividing it if it gets too large?
Where to put them?
- Thread starter fishiefishie
- Start date
It's what I do with SPS,Lps, and softies. I realized after all my abusive way in putting them in. They don't "need" a acclimation like fish. I even simply just taken them out of the bag and put them on the bottom immediately. Just started to not care...lost nothing to this day.
As for the OP question: You should keep the name of the coral on paper when you purchase. And look up the info on them as you float that bag.
My advise is placing them on the bottom of the tank to acclimate them to the lighting. This is the safe route to go. Give it a day and then start to move it closer to the lighting if it is a high light loving coral.
It varies because if you buy from a store with very intense lighting....this wouldn't matter going from someone with 1k lights to your own tank with lesser lighting.
It would matter if you buy a frag from a store frag tank with a 400w lighting going into your tank of higher intensity.
Going UP in intensity from where you bought it is a possible way of shocking that coral.
So general rule is place on bottom first....and place coral in area you want a day or two later...see how it reacts... once you find a spot they like...lock them in.. I use putty or gel based glues...depending on coral.
Example: Ricordia I bought... I had to move him 2 times till he looked happy. Due to it liked mid water placement...and particular flow.....once it looked good and happy..I locked the plug he was on with the putty.
Well this is dependent on water volume you have and stuff. Mixed coral tanks that get crowded have to deal with chemical warfare. I learned that leathers let loose something that annoy SPS.
As for fragging corals. It is what I do with my SPS. I have one in particular that grows like a weed. I have to trim it now. Seems to be every 6+ months I have to prune it down and place them on rubble rock to trade,sell, or relocate.
The number of fish inverts play only one part. The bio load in the tank. Waste produced goes up with more fish you add. So if you have a good nutrients export like quality skimmer,filter socks 200micron, fuge, and or use of other media. You can get away with it...but consider bio load vs tank size.
you can have as many as you can supplement for. some corals like light, some corals want certain levels of magnesium or iodine, heck xenias like nitrates 
alot corals need spot feeding, some corals eat very small things and some eat larger stuff (even fish if your not lucky)
But other than space and food there isnt really any determining factor on how many you can keep.
Look around at some pics and you will see some that are so covered in corals you cant see any LR at all
alot corals need spot feeding, some corals eat very small things and some eat larger stuff (even fish if your not lucky)But other than space and food there isnt really any determining factor on how many you can keep.
Look around at some pics and you will see some that are so covered in corals you cant see any LR at all
One last question (I think! lol) -- I've read in a few areas that you should wait until your tank is mature enough..... so how do you know when it is??
Thanks for the help guys! Appreciate it greatly!!
Thanks for the help guys! Appreciate it greatly!!
You should wait until your tank is "mature" enough before you add any livestock. Mature means cycled and everyone has their own definition of what cycled is. That are some that will start loading their tank once the nitrogen cycle is complete while others will wait months before adding even a snail. Somewhere in between is about where I fall and highly recommend stocking slowly and seeing how your tank responds as you add new additions.
After reading my last post I would like to correct something. Mature and cycled are not the same IMO. Cycled is completion of the nitrogen cycle and the establishment of biological filtration. A mature tank is much more stable that a tank that just completed a cycle and contains a large and diverse population of bacteria. Whew, just had to get that off my chest
In any case, just take it slow and you stand a much better chance of success.
In any case, just take it slow and you stand a much better chance of success.
Alright, then, will do. I am thinking of picking up a frag from the lfs when I go in Thursday. They have a small tank of misc pieces, not sure what they are but they run from $7 - $12, so I figure if I kill it at least it won't be such an expensive one! Hopefully with everyone's advice I won't, obviously, but I don't know how easy I'll be able to identify it either. May have to post a pic or 2 of it and see what y'all think.
Thanks so much!! I'm so excited about trying some corals... my last SW tank I just didn't have the money for lighting and all to try them.
Thanks so much!! I'm so excited about trying some corals... my last SW tank I just didn't have the money for lighting and all to try them.
Zoanthinds (zoas), mushrooms, ricordea are all good starter corals and an easy short list to remember. You will likely see some of these in the "miscellaneous tank" at your LFS.
