fish and coral

[warlord239]

Can i add my first fish and coral after cycle at the same time or just a fish and wait a few weeks or months and add a coral

[Ron Reefman]

Add fish slowly at first. It depends on how much LR you have and therefore, how much good bacteria you have. And cycling the tank is only the start of the process. I'd hold back on the coral for awhile. You are likely to get an algae bloom or 2 over the next 2-3 months and that can be hard on corals. If you doing cheap corals (cheap as far as your budget is concerned) then give it a try if you want. But don't get mad when some algae shows up and starts growing on the coral. After a month or two, if you don't have an algae bloom, you are probably doing things right and you can start out slow with the corals. After 9-12 months your tank should be stable and mature enough for most anything.

[sponger0]

I agree with waiting on corals and dealing with algae blooms and allowing the tank to mature.

[Dubya_R_X]

Don't push the bioload too fast. Try one piece and if everything looks good in a few weeks add another piece. Just make sure the system doesn't get overloaded

[sponger0]

Don't push the bioload too fast. Try one piece and if everything looks good in a few weeks add another piece. Just make sure the system doesn't get overloaded

Coral dont make a substantial effect on the bioload. Fish do. Its the stability that matters for corals more than anything.

You are new so youre water husbandry skills are limited and thats what is important.

[warlord239]

The only thing im new at is maintaining salt levels ive been keeping freshwater for a few years so hopefully its not 2 different

[sponger0]

The only thing im new at is maintaining salt levels ive been keeping freshwater for a few years so hopefully its not 2 different

HUGE DIFFERENCE!!! Consider yourself a newbie. Freshwater doesnt have the need for accuracy and others things such as saltwater tanks.

A full reef tests for pH(maybe), Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, Phosphates, Alkalinity, Magnesium, Calcium, Salinity, SG, and there are more that more hardcore testers do. All these work together and effect each and every inhabitant differently.

You cannot relate freshwater tanks to saltwater.