Ricordea and purple mushroom acclimation and quarantine

[lightcs4]

:bounce:I finally made my first coral purchase, a blue ricordea (about 3/4 to an inch, with two mouths - don't know if that matters) and a purple mushroom rock (counted 10 shrooms, from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch) . I also purchased some food (phyto something) as I am putting them in quarantine that doesn't have any nutrients.

I did quite a bit of research before the purchase, however, does anyone have any "real world" advice on acclimating them to the quarantine tank? So far they are looking really good and I want to do my best to keep it that way.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bifferwine]

Acclimate corals the same way you would fish. Drip acclimation is the best way to do it, but if you start off floating the bag in the water to equalize the temp, then gradually add small amounts of tank water to the bag to equalize pH and other water parameters. You shouldn't have to add phyto to the tank. Mushrooms will be just fine with sufficient light.

 

[bobby]

I don't think there is any reason to QT your first corals. Rics are very pretty, but usually very slow growers. Mushrooms on the other hand usually spread pretty quickly. Yes they're both types of shrooms, but they are different.

Phytoplankton is probably what you bought. The phyto is not really needed unless you have alot of corals, and if it is added too much it can start to lower your water quality.

I did the same thing when I bought my first corals, and after adding the phyto it just help to feed algae. I quit using it and the water quality got better. I havn't used it in over a year and none of my corals mind at all. I keep shroom, zoa's, ric's, kenya and other softies, and all do well with no additives.

I'm not saying phyto is bad or anything. In fact on a big tank with many corals it can help speed up growth, but on a small tank with low amount of corals it is useless.

Not trying to sound rude or anything just trying to help. Got any pics of the corals?

 

[lightcs4]

Bobby,

You didn't sound rude at all. I appreciate straight forward advice. I appreciate both your and Biffer's input.

I am still treating the main tank with hyposalinity so I don't want to put them in there. Just two weeks left before I start moving the salt level back to normal. The LFS had a sale on the Ricordea mushroom and happened to have a really nice blue mushroom rock, which I have been wanting anyhow. I have been adding water from my small QT tank to acclimate them, so I guess I'm well on my way. I'll try to get a picture of them soon, but they are pretty small. Some of the blue mushrooms are less than an 1/8 inch, but hopefully they will survive.

Thanks again.

 

[Piggy]

Good first corals. Very easy. Don't need anything special. Filter feeders gets nutrients from water.

 

[yote]

Sponges and copepods generally feed on phyto more than corals.However the added phyto will keep the pods breeding more,and the corals will feed off the baby pods.

 

[lightcs4]

Thanks Piggy.

I took about four to five hours to acclimate the shrooms to the temp and water. I can't believe how cautious I am with these guys. I'm worse than I usually am with the fish, probably since it's my first experience with any corals (I've been waiting about nine months). The Ricordea looks really inflated, which I'm not sure is good or bad. The blue mushrooms look like they did when I took them from the store. I'll try to get pics this weekend, assuming i did alright and everything is alive. It is easier for me to know when fis are doing well :mrgreen:. Corals ... not so much.

 

[lightcs4]

Sponges and copepods generally feed on phyto more than corals.However the added phyto will keep the pods breeding more,and the corals will feed off the baby pods.

Thanks Yote, I'll remember that when I setup my sump / fuge. It's next on my list after the Koralia arrives. Although the sump plan also includes a skimmer and over-flow box. However, I won't tell the wife yet :mrgreen:.

 

[yote]

HAHA.She'll get used to it.Trust me.I'm waiting on my wife to notice the aqua controller I bought today.Just dont let her find your reciepts.

 

[lightcs4]

HAHA.She'll get used to it.Trust me.I'm waiting on my wife to notice the aqua controller I bought today.Just dont let her find your reciepts.

Funny! :lol:

Actually, she is pretty good about it. It's sure cheaper than that Italian shotgun I saw in Outdoor life :mrgreen:. Why do they review guns they have to *know* I could never afford to begin with???

Let me know how the controller works out.

 

[lightcs4]

Tried to get pics but the lighting wasn't very good :grumble:. I placed the Ricardea on a rock, but it has moved several times due to water flow. I stopped the water flow to allow it to settle and hopefully attach to a rock (it wasn't attached when I bought it, although the other mushrooms were attached - and I had to pick off a couple bubble algea and a bit of hair algea). I'll try for a pic again tomorrow. The QT is only two gallons with a 15 watt bulb that is a bit on the yellow side, although it is new. The Ricardea looks better now, more like it did at the store. I can move the DT back up to normal salinity if the shrooms don't do well in the QT.

 

[Piggy]

You can super glue it to a piece of LR.

 

[lightcs4]

I'm cautious with nailing it down to a rock if it's not happy there. I'm not sure if it is the lighting. I'm anxious to get it to the DT. Tomorrow morning will hopefully show some progress. Got to admit, I'm a *super newbie* when it comes to corals.

 

[Piggy]

They require low light so they should be ok. It'll take awhile for it to attach to a rock. Don't sweat they're easy corals. They should both look better tomarrow after the light been on for awhile.

 

[lightcs4]

Thanks again Piggy. It is very different with corals, I don't have any confidence in this area. I'm used to having a better understanding of things. Of course, this is keeping in mind that a year ago I thought corals were plants, not animals.

 

[Piggy]

We all were in your place at one time. I'm still learning. When I first started the only coral I knew was a mushroom. Now I can recognize quite a few thanks to Reef,Biff,Doc,and others. When they posted their pics they also posted what it was. Just stay with the easy corals at first. Just remember to wear gloves and don't touch the corals with your hands. Sometimes it'll take a few days for them to come around. I have some zoas that took two months to come around when I upgraded. You'll do great just go slow.

 

[lightcs4]

Thanks again, Piggy. There are a couple of corals I will eventually obtain ... birds nest - green or pink, a couple particular acros. Not a lot, but a few.

 

[Piggy]

Birdsnest is a harder coral. As for acros been thinking of getting one but haven't yet. Been sticking with the easier corals.

 

[lightcs4]

Birdsnest is a harder coral. As for acros been thinking of getting one but haven't yet. Been sticking with the easier corals.

Yeah, they will be well down the road.

 

[bobby]

The rics should take a couple days before it will stick to something. To help it's chances of sticking to a rock put both the rock and ric in a plastic or glass container and cover the top with bridal veil. The veil will allow fresh water into the container and also stop the ric from being blown around or sucked up a power head.

I know how you feel being scared, because I recently got my first SPS and was scared to death I was going to kill it, but shrooms are very hardy, and one of the best starter corals there are.

When you get alittle more used to it then you can start fragging them and you can grow tons more faster.