What is the next test to perform prior to corals?

[WienerDog]

I feel like I have to preface each thread with "excuse my ignorance". My basic numbers are good, No2, No3, ammonia, and pH. I am not going to add any corals for another month or so. But, is the next parameter I should be watching. Reason I ask, is I am going to buy some tests tommorow. What is the next test?

[Jeff]

If you have fish in there just keep an eye on nitrate. If it stays below 5 ppm you are ready. How long has the tank been set up?

[Sk8r]

First QUESTION is what kind of corals? You need particular lighting for particular kinds of corals. Being as it's a nano, I'm assuming softies. If you can get your water to hit the parameters in my sig, you're good for lps corals (medium light). The most important of these param with softies is stable salinity, (autotopoff system) stable temperature (heater), and stable alkalinity (test it, and use buffer). No-ammonia, as near 0 nitrate as you can get. You also need a decent salt: fish-only salts are cheaper because they won't have the high calcium balance of more expensive salts. At nano size this is a minor expense: get a nice reef salt like Oceanic or its like, and you'll fare better with all corals...not that most softies need the calcium that much, but that it means something to stable water balance.

[WienerDog]

I am going to keep only softies and LPS. I am far too new at this hobby to venture anywhere else. Zoa's, mushrooms, leathers they are my target for now until I learn more. So, I suppose now I need to check my alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Those are the test I will buy tommorow. Other than that, my basics and salinity are very good for now.

[Korrine]

Are you aware that mushrooms can reproduce and then relocate by floating around your tank? Do a search and you'll find a good amount of people trying to get rid of them!

[bertoni]

You should have calcium and alkalinity test kits for the LPS, and likely a magnesium kit, too, although that parameter needs testing only every 2-3 months. Getting a good device for SG might be appropriate, too, depending on what you're using.

[Kweli]

If you have cycled your tank and you have 0 Amm, Nitrites, and near zero Nitrates then you should be ready.

My best suggestion would be buying some smaller frags and see how they do.

I would suggest ricordeas, typically cheap mushrooms that do not reproduce as fast as typical mushrooms. Some LPS's like frogspawn (you can buy 1 head for now).