CONFUSED...fowlr...need criticism

Hi im new here.

Right now i have 30gal FOWLR, established 5 years or so...~40lbs.LR, HOB Aquaclear 30-60, and 2 Koralia 1's, odyssea 130watt pc

i want coral.

Can you keep corals without a wet/dry filter? i plan to build a sump later but i want to keep a couple corals now if possible. hardy/tough/easy ones. what can i try out or start with? anyone else run a reef system without a sump?

i water change 10% 2x a month w/reef crystals

ammonia+nitrites+nitrates=0

alkalinty and calcium = perfect

salinity = 1.023

temp 78-80 always (no heat or chill, i live in san diego)

thanx guys! tryin to get started in the reef biz...

 

welcome to 3 reef Gran Legacy

I keep corals without a sump, without a fuge, without a wet dry filter

I have never kept corals under PC lighting so Im not qualified to offer advice on that aspect

your water parameters sound ideal - but numbers would be good just to ensure the definition of perfect is perfect for corals Calc, Alk,Mag, PH, P04 numbers are the most important ones (Someone I hope will pick it up if I missed one)

some good starter corals (that might be OK under your present lighting Im not sure?) are

Green Star polyps
Zoanthids
Mushroom colonies
Yellow polyps
Colt corals
Leather finger corals
Toadstool corals

flow may also need boosting for some of these species to be happier

just my 2 cents worth

Steve

 

thanx dude for quik reply ... ill add a few more quick specs just in case

pH stable @ 8.3
ca 550 mg/L

alk 2.5ish meq/L

ca is a bit high and alk a bit low i know...but it works for me so far...

the other test kits i guess i need to get especially p04 mag and maybe...strongtium?

i do still get a bit of hair algea and brown but not too bad . maybe p04 high ill have to see...

cool corals list, yeah i was thinkin GSP first and them maybe some zoas...i think i can keep them with just a PC light...

i might need MH soon tho hehe

 

Welcome to 3reef GL.
I have xenias,anthelias,ricodias and candy canes under 365 watt pcs and all are growing like crazy.The xenias,ricordias and anthelias are at the bottom and the ccs are about midway in a 55gal(18" deep) tank,so these would be o.k. also.

 

your lights should have no problem growing some corals. Just start with some of the basics listed by steve. Shouldn't need a sump but they are very beneficial. Skimmers are also a MAJOR plus to a reef tank. I would recommend taking some Chaeto and stuffing it behind a rock where it will get some light. It will help with phosphates and nitrates.

I would suggest.....
Green Star polyps
Zoanthids
Mushroom colonies
Yellow polyps
Colt corals
Leather finger corals
cabbage leather corals
Toadstool corals
frogspawns
torches
kenya trees
xenia
palys

stick to softies (and easy/low light LPS) for now till you get the reefing down. If placed high, you should be able to grow some monti caps.