CORAL ONLY AQUARIUM QUESTION...

Ok I am getting ready to set up a 60g aquarium I dont want any fish in it, I want it to be a coral only tank. First off is that possible? Next question, how do I cycle the tank with out using fish? What do I need to do...

 

to my understanding you can start without fish , basically just need a lot of live rock a lot of time , put the live rock in cycle your lights, and weight , and from my understanding you don't need your lights tell u put coral in ,

 

Yes, you can do a coral only tank without fish /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif You can cycle a tank without fish several ways. To cycle, an ammonia source is need... You can put a piece or 2 of raw shrimp (the kind you eat) in a media bag, you can use ammonia : http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/how-to-start , etc... Keeping the lights off while the tank cycles will keep nuisance algae away... Happy reefing:=0)

 

First question, is why?

Remember that our reef tanks are ecosystems, each member of the ecosystem contributes to the whole.

Coral eat fish poop, so if you have no fish, you will have to feed the coral some how. Many fish also help keep the tank clean.

Cycling it is the easy part, keeping it healthy will be the challenge.

 

yeah i just cycled a tank with only coral in it and dry rock but i used alot of live sand, now i have crabs and shrimp in it when i added water i dumped in a lid full of skimmate from a differnt tank not sure if it did anything but seemed like a good idea

 

Yah but your going to want fish sooner or later to help facilitate feeding the coral, and eating nuisance planaria, bristle worms, little star fish that show up, even copepods are harmful to corals in high enough numbers. Is it technically possible? Yes. Is it practical? Hell no.

 

I may put a couple of snowflake clowns in there but I want it to be more coral. Ok so what about the filtration Im guessing that I will not need a refugium, do I need a skimmer ...what should I use??

 

@ Andy The Reef Guy- would a couple of snowflakes be enough??

 

no clowns aren't exactly "utility" fish. Some type of wrasse like a six line would be ideal. You will certainly need a good skimmer if you want to keep corals healthy and growing. Refugiums are nice, the added benefits of refugiums are kind of already happening if you keep the concentration of fish low in the display tank (constant supply of copepod/amphipod larvae, and low nitrate build up).