Corals for a begginer?

[blazesnake]

hi

i bought a rio 180 and have most of the equipment sorted out and was wondering i have 30kg of live rock in there. but i was wondering can i put coral in straight away after the tank has settled or is a more intermediate-expert thing. if i can put it in, how many different types, what quantities and could you please recommend some begginer corals.

Thx.

[blazesnake]

oh i forgot to ask does it matter on what is inside the tank becasue it will be fish and inverts.

[mikeadams1985]

id go about picking a list of things you want to keep. Then asking for compatability issues.

Some fish nibble at corals some dont.
id ask around based on what you want to keep.

easy to keep corals are soft corals - mushrooms, zoo's (zoanthids), leathers.

But id wait for more advice,i myself am a beginner :)

[vikz]

hi mate

1st of all

are u running a skimmer?

live rock? (if both then its a berlin system) if no skimmer u need to think of another way for 'nutriet export' many ppl use a miracle mud for this case, althoug imo skimmer is alot easier and more efficent

u need to use R/o water if it is to be a reef tank (can eithe rbuy the unit or the water from ur lfs)

r/o water is pure so it stops u putting any pollutants in the water, chlorine, nitrate, phosphates etc...

u also need to think about ur lighting, as ur tank is small u could probably get away with 2xt8 tubes (the normal sized ones, 1 blue and 1 white) if ur keeping easy SOFT CORALS (mushrooms, leather, zoo's etc) anything else will need extra light

if going down the reef route u need to be very careful about the fish becasue many do eat corals and shrimps etc.... although reefs look stunning they drastically reduce the variety of fish u can keep

quantity wise i woudl say satrt with a couple, if they do well u can always add more....

alot of ppl on her sell soft coral frags, so that mite be worthwhile for u....

[cajen]

Have you read the thread in the Advice Library http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=190120
;)

[blazesnake]

thx, i will be using lr and skimmer and the fish i am planning to keep are
2xPercula clown
1xflame angelfish
1xpurple firefish
1xredlip blenny
1xregal tang
1xfalse gamma
although it will be stocked slowly.
plus blood shrimp and boxing shrimp
?xhemrmit crabs.
i have 2x30w tube lights
and a ruwel 205 filter

[jacksprat]

I would be more inclined to upgrade the lighting. there are lots of kits for the Rio 180 so you wont have trouble upgrading that. Also what flow do you have in the tank? You will probably need to add a pump or 2. I think that sounds like alot of stock if you are to keep corals too. definately stay away form the Tang as your tank is too small. There are plenty of other nice fish!

As for corals, leather toadstools, rhodactic, riccordia, mushrooms, zoanthids, kenya tree corals, leather fingers etc etc etc.

dont get a boxing shrimp it will eat your blood shrimp and can also eat small fish. And you probably wont see it that much anyway. get some blood, cleaners and maybe peppermints if you fancy thats what i have.

[stevewickens]

pulse xenia is a very easy coral to keep and will grow and spread quickly

[blazesnake]

o.k would a flow of around 5400lph be o.k for the tank.

[blazesnake]

oh, what wattage should i use for the lighting?

[jacksprat]

5400 is plenty if not too much maybe but i am sure that will be fine.

I would go for a metal halide for your tank just a double 150 or 250w arcadia or something. If not you can get T5 kits for it for about £70 IIRC which will double what you have currently. Otherwise its going to be a little dim.

If you can afford look in the equipment for sale section and buy second hand from there mate.

[blazesnake]

o.k ill have a look, how much do you think it would cost second hand from here?

Thx

[blazesnake]

what about this, im not to sure about the recommended height though


250w Sodium IP20 Lowbay Light Unit c/w Branded Lamp

A high quality industrial luminaire produced for internal use mounted at heights of between 3.5 and 7 metres. This fitting is efficient in installation due to a fully detachable gear tray and fixings for chain and rod suspension or direct to a ceiling or conduit.

Manufactured from white powder coated epoxy polyester steel with a power rating of 250w and supplied with a quality branded HPS Sodium single ended E40 lamp.

Designed and manufactured to comply with BSEN 2.1, CE and IP20.

Dimensions 602mm Long x 328mm Wide x 183mm High.

[blazesnake]

i got it off marine lighting and aqua shop. the ebay shop.

[PeterC]

The unit itself should be fine (the reflector might want adjusting/replacing) these are the types of lights installed in Warehouses - hence the mounting height.

You will need to replace the sodium bulb (very yellow light) with a single ended E40 and if I remember right these only come in 6.5K or 10K and are about £50 each

HTH

Pete

[blazesnake]

Thx

[jacksprat]

i wouldnt go for that personally.

go here http://www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/

and look on there for "MH" or "Metal Halide"

You will find something within a week at a good price. Check the measurement on the manufacturers website and you will find something that will fit your tank.

It will be your best option mate and your tank will get the best start that way

[blazesnake]

o.k ill have alook now

thx

[blazesnake]

ive found this:

One 250 w maxigrow magnetic ballast 18 months old, plus 10K coralue lamp £35

if i buy it i get a free spider light reflector but i dont know what that is?

[jacksprat]

ok that doesnt sound too bad but you should go for electronic ballast and try go for a light make such as "aqua medic" Geisermann. Not that you have to i think you will just find quality better.

If you spend around £50-£100 it would get you something alot better.

Also if you have to wait an extra month to spend that money it will be worth it and this hobby is expensive anyway so getting into it with the interntion of scrimping is not the right way. (that wasnt pointed at you just an pbservation) ;)

[blazesnake]

o.k, ive also been offered an arcadia luminare for £100, is that a good deal?

Thx

[maestro]

if the bulbs dotn need immediate replacement then yes thats a good deal

[blazesnake]

nope, they're about three months old.

[jacksprat]

who offered you that!

i need a single acadia 150w if anyone is selling one lol

sounds like a good buy to me matey

[blazesnake]

It was alanm, yeh im definatly going to buy it.

[treeboa]

grossly too small for the total fish you want