Do fish help in new SPS tank

[robitreef]

I was curious how long one waited until they introduced fish into their SPS reef? Do you find it beneficial to wait or was it beneficial to the coral (ie additional waste products from fish that coral used)?

 

[college429]

IMO, it is beneficial to the coral. Fish food and waste provide a good source of nitrogen which corals need to maintain color. I've have kept tanks with and without fish. My corals are always better with fish.

 

[Sk8r]

I have what I think is a nice balance...the nanofish never disturb the corals, but there are pod-eaters and algae eaters and pellet-lovers, and lots of bristleworms, which reduce the poo to coral-bite-size. The very little fish make the corals look important.

 

[panic]

Stonies love that fish poo, it's a necessary part of the reef food chain

 

[robitreef]

thanks for the answers so far. I have my sps tank running for about 4 months now, and I just wanted to wait until some of my coral started getting settled in before I introduced fish. The tank is only a 30 gal with a 14 gal sump, so want to take it slow with new introductions. I have been feeding oyster eggs to the corals, but that is the only food addition.

 

[javajaws]

Up until a couple days ago I only had a couple small fish in my 110g tank. Over time, several of my SPS have declined in health (as the tank settled in and the rock got more mature). Lack of nitrogen and fish poo I'm sure has alot to do with my problem (which has now been corrected). Having a bare bottom tank didn't help either - everything was too clean...no nutrients, no algae, nada.

Adding fish will help...just don't go too far and add too many.

 

[LFS_worker]

I ran a 120 with no fish for 8 months with only peppermint shrimp and never fed the tank (no phyto, no fish food). All I ever did was water changes and kept DkH and CA and Mg high ...

I had the best growth out of any of my tanks ... Sorry to be devils advocate
I agree that SPS like feces and nitrogen but I think they hate PO4 more
B

 

[javajaws]

Did you have a DSB? How much rock? You might have had enough bio-load with those...

 

[twon8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7835853#post7835853 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LFS_worker
I ran a 120 with no fish for 8 months with only peppermint shrimp and never fed the tank (no phyto, no fish food). All I ever did was water changes and kept DkH and CA and Mg high ...

I had the best growth out of any of my tanks ... Sorry to be devils advocate
I agree that SPS like feces and nitrogen but I think they hate PO4 more
B

what was the color like?