Frogspawn, I think im ready.

So I think im ready to add my first coral. I know im pushing it seeing how I have only had the tank set up and cycling for about 3 weeks. But my nitrate has been 5 for the past two weeks, ammonia 0.0 and my nitrite has been at less then .1.
I have a yellow tail, two perc clowns and a total clean up crew.
I guess I just want to know if I might be ready? What things should I test to be know?
Thank you, and yes I do know how stupid I sound I am just impatient.

 

LoL good luck to ya, buddy! 3 weeks is nowhere near enough time for your current bioload, let alone a coral. I don't care what your tests say. Not trying to be rude, just honest. If you can't be patient enough to let the system cycle you will suffer financially and go nuts mentally. Not to mention all the livestock you will kill :-/

 

I would wait for corals, specially till the nitrites hit 0. Honestly, I wouldnt even have what you have in it now. Wait till the tank is done cycling. Nitrites are pretty toxic and plenty enough to kill stuff on their own.
And also as mission suggested, CA, MG, dKH, and PO4 should be tested with reefs. I am assuming your are testing PH, SG, and temp, right?

 

Also, I should add, that frogspawn, as with any LPS, shouldnt be your first coral, IMO. And if your at 1ppm nitrite, it would most likely die. When your tank is ready, try some simple polyps or mushrooms to start.
What is your lighting set-up?

 

i agree let it be you second or third coral, just because its very hardy i don't think i would add it to the tank.
im willing to bet it would live if you get rid of the nitrite,
but when you buy a coral you don't want it to live, you want it to thrive.:thumb_up:

 

great advise! your going to need patience if you want to build a thriving reef, i would try a mushroom just to see how it does if you want to add something.

 

as far as suppliments, you dont really have any corals in there that are stripping the tank, so u dont have to really worry about that as long as you do consistent water changes...

but if u have the itch to get a coral, def get a mushroom instead

 

I waited for about 4-5 weeks before I added my first coral. Now, I had bought pre-cured lr, which I later regretted but that's a different story. I never showed any ammonia and my nitrites had been at 0 for about 3 weeks. My first coral was a zoa, very easy and hardy. I also added a clam after 6 weeks which your "not supposed" to do for about 6 months. But it's doing great. As mission said, i would test for Mg. Ca and Alk also. You really have to wait until your nitrites are 0, then wait a week or two to make sure it's 0, then start with an easy, hardy coral. One problem you already created for yourself is that you have added several fish already. Because you did that, you should probably wait a month roughly to allow your biological filter to catch up.

 

Patience young Jedi. Listen to the Masters. Wait, wait, wait (Oh and I am not a Master). You need to stabilize your ecosystem and let it mature a bit. I would say start adding corals at the 3 month mark. No I did not do this and I killed my first coral dead. My second coral barely made it. My mushrooms and Zoas are just now looking great (six months into it).

So I know you want to start doing this, and you can....but in maintenance mode. Start testing for that which you need (mentioned before).....your dKH, Ca and Mg. Add what you need to bring the levels up to par. Practice maintaining your essential elements (anions, cations and bicarbonate). By the time it's OK to put in your first coral you will be sooooooo far ahead of the game it's scary. I want you to read this article. The vast majority of us have had it thrown at us, so I am paying it forward.

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Peace.......John.