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how long after cycle before coral

Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
I think that depends on what kind of corals you're planning on introducing and how regimented you are with your testing and maintenance. If you're planning on easy zoas, mushrooms, leathers, and forgiving corals then you can go shortly after your cycle is done. Acros you need to wait longer for because perfecting your water quality to stabalize and make sure you have control of it will take longer. The fussier the coral the longer it will take before you should introduce it to your system.
 
Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
The mushrooms are good starter coral. They are hardy and forgiving. If your tank is cycled and the parameters are OK, you can try the shrooms. I would wait a month or two though after the tank is cycled. Add a few fish first and then get the corals.

Good luck.
 
Y

youpey

ok cool thanks. i have only had the fish in the tank for a week now.

i will definitely wait but i was curious on how long most people wait
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
No anemonies for at least 6 months. I know it sounds cliche', but REALLY. You need to know what you're doing before you jump into anemones. They can be tough to keep and if you're smart you'll opt not to get one at all. It will just save you a lot of pain in the long run. Anemones are a PAIN.

And in spite of feeling like you know what you're doing, the typical person has quite a few mistakes to make before they're ready for anemonies. If you haven't made a few it isn't that you're infallable, it is that you just haven't gotten there yet.

Did you cycle with fish? Or is the tank cycled and your first fish now in? A month or so after cycle and fish (so if you added fish right away wait a month after you cycle and if you added fish when the cycle was done wait another month before you make any more changes).

Good luck!
 
M

Mbodell

I would hold off on the BTA for a while. They aren't as forgiving to water quality. Some people say to wait a year, I would wait at least 4 or so months until you get into the swing of things.

Ok well when I hit post someone beat me to it... ;D
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

I waited about 10 months before I added a RBTA. Should wait longer for that because you want a very stable environment. That being said they roam around and you have to be ready for it. They are cool...of course mine is in the back of the tank now, but so long as it is happy fine with me.

The mushrooms are a good first choice.

Also note a lot of my tank was transfered over from other tanks so in the end was longer then 10 months really.
 
Y

youpey

i cured my tank with Live Rock and it is fully cured now and i have 2 tiny clown fish in it for about 1 week now.

about 3 years ago i had a really nice 29 gallon with 2 very small bta's that were very successful. i had that tank for years, and i only got rid of it because i got married and moved, so this isnt my first tank. i just have have never had corals before so i know nothing about them.

i know you guys are right though on the anemone. on my last tank i waited over a year before getting my bta's, and they didnt do well until i upgraded my lights. the lights i had on my 29 were worse then what is on my 14 gallon now.

so i have some anemone experience, and i am not too worried about them, i am more worried about not knowing anything about corals yet, and i know how my bta's would react with them in the tank. i might skip the corals all together.

i am trying not to make any mistakes on the tank because a small mistake on a 14 gallon can be a very big mistake. this is the reason i ask so many questions
 
JRWOHLER

JRWOHLER

No problem, it is good that you know them to a degree. I would still suggest letting your tank stabilize and at the same time get to know it.
Mushrooms are very closely related to anemones for what it is worth.
 
M

Mbodell

I wouldn't skip corals altogether, no reason to get nervous about it. If you want mushrooms and other softies they will be fine with an anemone. Buble tips don't have as strong of a sting as condys and some of the others. I have see many tanks with plenty of softies and lps mixed in with anemones. It would be fine.
 
Y

youpey

Mbodell said:
I wouldn't skip corals altogether, no reason to get nervous about it. If you want mushrooms and other softies they will be fine with an anemone. Buble tips don't have as strong of a sting as condys and some of the others. I have see many tanks with plenty of softies and lps mixed in with anemones. It would be fine.
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ok cool. i am going to wait a couple of months and order the mushroom pack. i called liveaquaria to see which mushrooms it would come with, but they only knew what was posted on the site...which i had read already. ::)

i figure i will start out with some small mushrooms and see how it goes

thanks for all your help, i have learned so much already. any other insites would be great ;D
 
M

Mbodell

Well if you come to the meetings you can try your newbie luck toward some corals in the raffle. New people always seem to make out pretty well.
 
magic

magic

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
youpey said:
where and when are the meetings. i would love to go
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Let me know if you are going to the meeting I have some mushrooms/zoas I can give you.

Bob
 
Y

youpey

magic said:
youpey said:
where and when are the meetings. i would love to go
Click to expand...

Let me know if you are going to the meeting I have some mushrooms/zoas I can give you.

Bob
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i appreciate it, but i am not sure i would be able to go this coming weekend
thank you though
 
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