First corals

[mcguire6799]

I am going to get some coral from a guy tomorrow, he has a lot of corals he is ready to frag, what is good to start with? How do I get them to stay on my rock? Anything I need to know before I jump into it? Or any advice?

29g BioCube
25-30lbs live rock
1 strawberry crab
2 emerald crabs
6-8 blue legged hermits
2-3 red legged hermits
1 Yellow head sleeper goby

 

[Slimkasey]

Find easy care corals, Zoas are a good starter, get coral dip and dip them, and take your time acclimating them.

Do your research on what he is offering, find the right placement and lighting scenario, feed etc. Go well informed.

 

[mcguire6799]

What is coral dip? He has green poly, button polyps, finger leather, kenya trees, mushrooms, recardia,torch, SPS, LPS, gonapora, pocklopora, birds of paradise, birdsnest, frogspawn...ect

 

[kbuser92]

The first 6 would be great, but Kenya weeds...er, trees grow like crazy. LPS might also be okay depending on light.

 

[Northstar24]

The first several corals on that list sound good. I would also advise against a Kenya Tree. I made the mistake of buying one for my wife (she liked the way it looks) and that thing has spread EVERYWHERE in my 180. I've been a little lazy with the upkeep lately and between the Kenya Tree and Aipstaisa, it actually angers me to look at my tank

In a smaller tank, I think the Kenya Tree would take over even faster

 

[kbuser92]

+1 North.

 

[little_fish]

+1 North

I would stay away from SPS corals until the tank matures some

 

[Slimkasey]

A coral dip, is a treatment for a second pail of aquarium water, with this additive, it will drive of any pest that may come with your corals, you place your new coral is this for five minutes, then put in another pail of fresh RODI water for five, then start your acclimation. It will lose any hitchhikers and have the coral ready to introduce to your environment. If the guy is dependable, ask him to show you how to dip, before you buy.

This can be an expensive part, and watching them die off is truly disheartening.

Best of luck. And trust the members here they are great people to know.

 

[little_fish]

I wouldnt dip in RO/DI water, that is an easy way to kill your corals on accident. Just follow the direction on the coral dip and carefully inspect the coral before you put it in your tank.

 

[Slimkasey]

Hey Lil fish, could I have killed my Zoa Branch, because I did this dip with the fresh, in an effort to shock them awake after they got major staining by that snail I asked you about?

 

[little_fish]

yep, that could do it, but zoas are really hardy and would likely survive if they had been at full health. That might have just put them over the edge.

 

[Slimkasey]

Thanks, so for future reference for me, I would do the dip in one pail, then dip in frsh salt water, then acclimate to my tank?

 

[little_fish]

Yep, and shake the crap out the frag when you dip in the clean stuff, all sorts of things will come flying off. Also make sure you let the frag sit in the dip for at least 20 minutes.

And unless the frag looks like its needs some TLC, i dont acclimate my corals, I just dip, shake, inspect and place right in the tank.

 

[Slimkasey]

I guess if you know what you're doing, things work

Now I feel bad for the girl who was trying to help me out.

But from Now on I ask here first.

On my 30 gallon, would it be feesable to skip the HOB filter, and stick with the weekly, and maybe put Chaeto in it. I don't have a skimmer either, but if I can regulate the water changes, would that work?

 

[little_fish]

Yes, but you could put some cheato and rubble rock in the HOB filter and turn it into a little fuge.

And doing regular water changes is really all you need on smaller tanks.

 

[mcguire6799]

The guy said he has been doing reefs for years now, so I will go by his advice as well.

 

[mcguire6799]

Okay got me a leather finger and green star polyp. Question is how long until I should see the green star polyp open up?

 

[little_fish]

Today or tomorrow

 

[Bifferwine]

It could take a few days. New corals usually take some time to adjust to their surroundings.

 

[mcguire6799]

The leather finger is a nice size coral and seems to be adjusting good. It's probably 6 inches from base to tip and 1/2"-1" around at the base. 2 heads of green star polyp all for $20. I will take a pic of the leather in a little and post it.