SPS corals for begginners

[Marco.Polo]

Which sps are "easy" to keep?

If i just finished cycle and my nitrate and phosphate are 0
Can i add sps?

Thanks.

 

[Stlouphil]

I'm not giving an opinion, but be prepared for a flurry of "you need to wait at least a YEAR" answers. LOL

 

[stikhead]

I added sps mostly acropora right after my cycle almost 4 weeks and struggled every day for the next two months and I mean I had to spend at least an hour or four every day keeping it balanced between algae blooms and starving the corals, it's all come together now though this is by far the best looking tank I have had yet. Would I do it all over again probable so I'm just that stubborn but I did learn a lot this time around

 

[crissie]

Personally I'd probably wait a couple of months. SPS corals can be a bit tricky and your tank is probably going to go through a couple of algae blooms and maybe a bit of instability. IMO it'd be much less stressful if you waited say, 2 or 3 months so you can learn the dynamics of your tank first.

 

[Stlouphil]

I'll give my opinion now. Like they said! Lol But, the wait a year guys are coming. ; )

 

[ChadRaay86]

I'm not giving an opinion, but be prepared for a flurry of "you need to wait at least a YEAR" answers. LOL

Lol, I'm at a year and while I could keep them alive, now is when I'm "ready"

 

[SGT_York]

Define zero,

typically that means you are not using a test with an appropriate scale. What tests are you using. API is not a good enough test for SPS corals.

On that note, I like stylophora's they are hardy for an SPS and look nice.

 

[Marco.Polo]

I use JBL and right its not really zero but at the lowest part of the scale.

I though about montipora and seratipora for beggning

 

[brad65ford]

Unfortunately its true you really need a few months in to have full on success with sps. Don't get me wrong you can keep the easier ones alive but for thriving color and growth for some reason the tank needs time. When coraline algae starting to really spread is a good sign your on the right path.

 

[Stackemdeep]

For me, these sps were somewhat forgiving in my system: Blue Tenuis, Tri Color Valida, Stylophora , seriatopora, Montipora Undata, Montipora Digitata. Every system is different. Use that Log Sheet that is stickied on the "Reef Discussion" forum, make sure you can test daily at the same time, and keep Alk within 0.5 of DKH swing. That graph should be fairly flat testing every day at the same time. Flat Alk is so important. Best of luck.

 

[ptreef]

green slimmer, orange or green cap, green birdsnest, orange digi, true undata, are some good ones to start with and see if you can maintain

 

[maxb]

are your alk, ca and mg in check?

 

[ChadRaay86]

When I started caps were the hardest

 

[hoju74]

Pocillopora was one of my first SPS, and grew like a weed.

 

[markcerm]

+1 pocillopora was my first one also. I think if you want to try out sps start with that, wait a month if It does well move up from there.