Suggestions on frags for a 13.5 gallon Fluval

[SnookNGoby16]

Things are looking great…got 2 damsels 1 neurotic clownfish and a fantastic clean up crew. The tank has been cycling for over a month and a half. Suggestions?

 

[jbaur13]

Honestly, keep waiting. Look to grow coralline algae, keep your fish fed and not have phosphates or nitrates get out of whack. At that point you're ready for corals.

 

[SnookNGoby16]

Thank you!

 

[jbaur13]

What parameters are you testing?

 

[jbaur13]

Also, have you measured your lights with a par or a lux meter?

 

[Jposch]

Soft coral. Nor fleshy lps, but leathers, zoas etc. Of this is your first tank, trying to start with sps or even more difficult lps will make you regret getting into the hobby in a hurry. There is a large learning curve, and trying to manage the high demand of especially sps while you are learning the ropes is a sure fire fast track to "burnout."

 

[griss]

Agree with Jposch. Zoas, mushrooms, Xenia (although Xenia can take over a tank), etc.

 

[SnookNGoby16]

Thank you all for the advice! I previously owned the same tank living much further south and had 0 issues even with start up over the 5 years l had the tank. Sadly we moved, gave it to a friend, and everything died! Starting over, I’ve noticed a huge difference in the fact I got live “wet” Haitian rock, in Ft. Lauderdale, verses store bought here and a piece that was bleached and given to me from a friend.

 

[SnookNGoby16]

I believe that bacteria and all the good stuff helped with the first tank. This one seems more sterile, however, I noticed some copepods today and the fish and clean up crew seem happy. I actually like mushrooms. I don’t mind that they take over, however, I will NEVER EVER buy branching green star polys again! In the initial tank they took over everything! Not pretty, complete nightmare!

 

[griss]

Agree in the GSP.

I assume you used dry rock? If you’re looking for bacterial and micofauna diversity, you could always get some aquacultured live rock and cure it in a bucket or tub before adding to the tank.

Tampa Bay Saltwater, KP Aquatics, Gulf Live Rock and Salty Bottom Reef Company all sell aquacultured live rock.

I used KP myself as I wanted Caribbean (as opposed to Gulf) rock and it is fantastic rock. When I do my tank upgrade, I’m going to add some Gulf rock for more diversity.

 

[SnookNGoby16]

That’s a good idea. Unfortunately, for this tank all the rock is already in there. I’ll just keep monitoring water quality and progress. For the next one, I’ll take that advice.