Coral frags
- Thread starter reefer82
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
It depends on what's important. Personally, I would love to buy full-size colonies. But I can't afford it. If you are on a budget and you want a variety of corals, you can get ten different small frags for the price of one large colony. Frags are often in the $10 to $20 range, so that's much more affordable for most people than colonies in the $50 to $200 range.
Different types of corals take different lengths of time to grow. Zoas tend to grow and spread quickly. Some frags (like SPS) can take years to grow into what would be considered a colony.
I think it mostly boils down to money, though.
Different types of corals take different lengths of time to grow. Zoas tend to grow and spread quickly. Some frags (like SPS) can take years to grow into what would be considered a colony.
I think it mostly boils down to money, though.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
As long as you have sufficient lighting, you can add corals now. Corals do not count towards the bioload, so you can add a lot at once.
Since these will be your first corals, I'd say start with a small number -- like two or three, and make sure those guys do well before you spend a lot of money on more of them. You could add ten at once, but if something is not right, you will be out a lot more money than if you had just bought a couple and made sure they were doing well for a few weeks before you added more.
Since these will be your first corals, I'd say start with a small number -- like two or three, and make sure those guys do well before you spend a lot of money on more of them. You could add ten at once, but if something is not right, you will be out a lot more money than if you had just bought a couple and made sure they were doing well for a few weeks before you added more.
Yeah my parameters seem fine. I test it almost every day. The only concern I have is oxygenation in my tank. Recently my clownfish has been hanging out more towards the surface and is alot less active then when I first got him. Alot of my snails tend to want to hang out at the top of the tank also.
I feel like my 2 425gph korolias are not cutting it in my tank. I don't really see alot of water movement just a little but not as much as I though I would see.
do you think I should upgrade my flow pumps before I get any coral?
30 gal breeder
ammonia 0
Nitrates 0
nitrites 0
ph 8.0
temp 81 degrees (was at 90 just a few days ago because we had a heat wave)
I feel like my 2 425gph korolias are not cutting it in my tank. I don't really see alot of water movement just a little but not as much as I though I would see.
do you think I should upgrade my flow pumps before I get any coral?
30 gal breeder
ammonia 0
Nitrates 0
nitrites 0
ph 8.0
temp 81 degrees (was at 90 just a few days ago because we had a heat wave)
Bifferwine
I am a girl
That's funny, in a 30 gallon tank, I think the two powerheads you have are sufficient. However, warm water holds less oxygen. I'm actually surprised your fish and snails survived tank water of 90 degrees -- that would kill most livestock. When water gets really hot, snails actually tend to crawl out of the tank and die in the air. I think if you cool down your tank, the oxygen situation would improve.
I think you should get the temp situation under control before you get corals. Corals will be even more sensitive to big temp swings than fish. You really don't want your tank fluctuating more than a degree or two over a 24 hour period.
I think you should get the temp situation under control before you get corals. Corals will be even more sensitive to big temp swings than fish. You really don't want your tank fluctuating more than a degree or two over a 24 hour period.
hoopsdaddy
This is my reef club....
Just make sure one of the Korolias is causing ripples on the surface. This will help with oxygenation. Also, keep those K's clean. They work great if they are, but poorly if they aren't.
If you have a glass cover on this tank that may also cause an oxygen problem. Most in the SW hobby use a screen over the tank if they use anything at all.
Also, I would advise you to not get any corals if your tank temps may swing that much. two-four degrees, no big deal, but that is an 8 degree swing. That is really hard on coral.
Finally, coral won't survive most of the time when the tank gets that hot. I know it doesn't happen much in your area, so you will just need to plan ahead to make sure that doesn't happen again. Try not to get over 82-83. Your normal swing if you are not running some type of heater/chiller combo should be in the 76-82 degree range with your tank staying close to those parameters all the time.
Why am I being so picky about the temps you might be saying. If you would have had 10-20 sps corals in that tank when it hit 90 degrees odds are that all would be dead.
Hope this helps.
If you have a glass cover on this tank that may also cause an oxygen problem. Most in the SW hobby use a screen over the tank if they use anything at all.
Also, I would advise you to not get any corals if your tank temps may swing that much. two-four degrees, no big deal, but that is an 8 degree swing. That is really hard on coral.
Finally, coral won't survive most of the time when the tank gets that hot. I know it doesn't happen much in your area, so you will just need to plan ahead to make sure that doesn't happen again. Try not to get over 82-83. Your normal swing if you are not running some type of heater/chiller combo should be in the 76-82 degree range with your tank staying close to those parameters all the time.
Why am I being so picky about the temps you might be saying. If you would have had 10-20 sps corals in that tank when it hit 90 degrees odds are that all would be dead.
Hope this helps.
hoopsdaddy
This is my reef club....
dang, shortcut by the biff......
Thank you. Usually the tank stays at around 81 degrees but on this day it was super hot and humid and I fogot to open my glass top and I had my lights running plus the heater lol
Kelz88
Got Reef?
Trust me your gonna want to ditch that top. It will become a pain in the butt very fast. Salt creep alone will be a nightmare lol. Also it hinders the exchange of gasses, which can cause tank crashing problems.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Yep, take off the glass top. That way you don't risk another overheating episode and all the other stuff Kelz said.
charlieB
Reefing newb
Also maybe you could post a pic of your tank setup if you don't think those powerheads are doing the job, because placement of the powerheads has alot to do with how well they circulate your tank. I have a 29g cube and only use 1 koralia 425 along with a return pump rated at only 180 gph, and I have very strong noticeable currents throughout the tank so I really can't imagine 2 425's in a 30 gal aren't enough.
*edit* Also if you are planning to get corals you should probably get calcium and alkalinity tests, I noticed when you posted your water params those 2 things weren't included.
*edit* Also if you are planning to get corals you should probably get calcium and alkalinity tests, I noticed when you posted your water params those 2 things weren't included.
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I was looking at my Koralia's this morning and the inside looks like it has accumulated alot of sand how do I open the cover to clean out the impellers. I don't think placement is bad I have one on the left side wall near the surface and one on the right side wall closer to the bottom.
My temp has been at 80 degree since that day. I plan to make a mesh top probrably this weekend and buy a small clip on fan to cool the water and help with gas exchange. I can't afford a chiller right now.
charlieB
Reefing newb
the API phosphate test kit is ~$10, though I'm sure you will hear mixed opinions on phosphate test kits in general
Kelz88
Got Reef?
if you have algae you have phosphates ;) those kits are... unreliable at best
That made me laugh! Unreliable.......yeah! Don't even bother getting one. At BEST it might be able to give you a positive or negative result. No way can it tell you, even remotely, the levels in your tank. If you think you might have an issue, then run GFO somehow. In a reactor or just bag it and set it in the flow.
As for the Koralia's, first make sure they are blowing and not sucking. They tend to reverse after they are shut down for any reason. The dirtier they get, the more they do that. Easy fix, just power it down then back up until its blowing correctly or unplug it and flip the plug. They also have a significant loss in performance the dirtier they get. They really should be cleaned every three months.
To pull the cage off, squeeze the sides and pull apart. If you look, you will see where to squeeze. Then pull the impeller out. Make sure you clean the magnetized surface really well. On the shaft and in the body. A 15 minute soak in vinegar will clean them up nicely. Some folks even take a tooth brush and clean off any coraline growth. I don't, but I do make sure its not blocking and of the grates. Rinse well in RODI while its apart. Then reassemble, install and power up. Remember to make sure its pushing water not pulling.
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