B.LaCe's JBJ 30RL Build Thread *First Corals Added!*

[B.LaCe]

Update: First Corals added yesterday. So far so good I suppose. The Zoas are now all open again, like at the LFS. The Torch is as extended (or more than) as it was at the LFS. Both mushrooms actually look better than they did at the store. Going to start dosing B-Ionic 1&2 today. Added Kent Lugol's Solution and Strontium & Molybdenum yesterday and will continue once per week. Feeding will alternate between Reef Roids and Reef Chilli, plus going to try and feed mysis. Here are some pics:

 

Torch

 

Mushroom:

 

Zoas:

 

More Mushrooms:

 

FTS:

 

Any suggestions on feeding schedule for corals, proper names and/or dosing advice is more than welcomed. Thanks!

 

[B.LaCe]

Also, can anyone help me out and ID this hitchhiker?

[charnelhouse]

The green bubbly mushrooms are ricordea florida. Everything else you already know.

 

The hitchhiker is an asterina star. Harmless algae eater 95% of the time. Coral eater the other 5%. Just keep an eye on it.

[B.LaCe]

Thanks Charnelhouse... the Asternia has been removed from the aquarium.

[Marc.The.Shark]

Lookin good! You're probably not going to need to dose much, if any, for a while. Softies like the ZOAS & mushrooms won't use up Alk & Ca, the torch will use a little for skeleton growth, but if you're doing regular water changes you will keep up with that no problem. As your coral load gets larger, then dosing will become more of a need. Do you have a water change schedule? What salt mix are you using?

[B.LaCe]

Thanks, Marc! I'm doing 5 gal changes once a week (30g aquarium) with RO/DI water and IO salt. Im feeding the corals daily.. Trying to "direct feed" a bit then using the rest in the water column. I'll test tomorrow for Alk & Ca and see if i can back off the dosing like you said... my Ca was 500ppm, Mg-1250 and dkh was 11.2 just for reference.

[Marc.The.Shark]

Alk is gettin a little high, i find my LPS like the 8-9 range. Also be careful on feeding too much. Only what the fish can eat in a few minutes. I feed my coral only 2 mabye 3 times a week. Ive never target fed my mushrooms & they multiply like crazy. Same thing with my torch. Too much food & you end up with needing more nutrient export (skimmer, bigger or more frequent water changes, media reactors, etc)& if not, bang! Big ol algae outbreak.

[B.LaCe]

Great info! I'll scale back on the feeding and keep an eye on the Alk!