When can i add SPS?

[djcool563]

Hello i am setting up a tank this weekend. Its a 55g with a 20g sump. I will have a single 250w MH in the middle of the tank and 2 VHO's. For return i will have a Mag 9.5. I also have a berlin protein skimmer. I was wondering if i set it up now would i be able to put in a few sps by the middle of march? I am asking because there is a huge frag swap then and i wanted to pick up a few sps not many tho. I was wondering if i can do this or not. I know i dont have much flow in the tank now but i will be adding a few more pumps by then.thanks

 

[cwegescheide]

Well i added them after my nitrites and ammonia where at zero but I know thats not reccomended AT ALL. I have lost a few frags, maybe 3 out of 25 frags/small colonies but I don't think it has to do with my water parameters.

I've heard you should wait up to 6 mos but i am totally impatient. I also have been doing this reef stuff for a couple years so i am not a total newby but by NO MEANS an expert .

Chris

 

[pennyguy23]

I have a few in my 65gl that has been set up about a month and half or so. They seem to be doing.

 

[djcool563]

anyone else?

 

[comatose]

when coraline starts to grow you can start adding SPS's, thats usually when i add them, you could add a few hardy SPS a little sooner.
Some reefers add them when their tank starts to slime up.
i've heard many stories, but i think any sooner than a couple months after your finished your cycle is a no-no......especially more expensive corals

 

[djcool563]

Well my tank will be set up for around 2 months when i go to the frag swap so i wont add too many just a few that stand out to me

 

[chummy]

When coraline algae is growing you can start adding SPS.

 

[jackson6745]

When your water parameters are where they should be

 

[Kinetic]

I'd recommend waiting until corraline shows up as well. I introduced my SPS when the coralline showed up, and only lost a digitata frag to a digitata eating flame angel...

 

[fritzdawg21]

i had to re-do my whole system, 100% water change and clean evrything. I added sps to 24 hour old saltwater. If you don't overfeed and have a HUGE skimmer l.ike me there is no difference between old water and new as long as the param's are the same, hell look at Bombers tank. I have had 0 algea and 0 losses out of 100 corals.

 

[deansreef]

wait for the system to mature..do yourself and the corals this favor

 

[orientalexpress]

i start my new tank 2 month ago.i add a few cheap frags to my tank,then add 1 fish 2 week later.now i just add more frag and fish a month later.as long as your water parameter is good after it's cycle,it's be fine.

 

[Floridiot]

My method is to add all fish first, and then wait until corallline is taking off. Fish add the largest bioload, so get the tank stable with them first.

 

[clkwrk]

When params are stable and in check .

If I had waited for corraline to grow on the tank I would still be waiting . Its been a year Corraline don't like my tank but my corals sure do .

 

[fritzdawg21]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6458979#post6458979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by deansreef
wait for the system to mature..do yourself and the corals this favor

What's the differance? I have had 0 loses, new water, old water. If the param's r the same and the temp, it is the same, your bacteria and such are in your rocks and on your glass. I had IMEDIATE polyp extention and the tank has never looked better.

I think there is alot of "reef myths" that need to be re-looked at. where people run into trouble is they overfeed a brand new tank. Bomber does a 100% water change 1-2 times a year. what's the difference between that and what we are talking about? Please don't take me wrong, as i am not trying to start a war on here. i have seen WAY to many threads on here with people saing my corals keep dieng in my "mature" tank. maybe they should do a favor and stop buying and killing corals.

 

[Weatherman]

When you can add delicate animals depends a lot on the type of setup you have.

If you have chosen a more ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œnatural methodââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ tank with a DSB, a macroalgae fuge, and relatively fresh live rock, it will take time for the environment to mature. You will go through bacteria cycles and algae cycles and sand bed stabilization and stuff like that, which may take six months to a year to complete.

If, however, you have chosen a more ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œmechanicalââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ method, with a bare bottom tank, fully cooked rock and a powerful skimmer, you can, essentially start adding delicate animals immediately after you get your photoperiod, temperature, calcium, alk and salinity stable. This takes, maybe, a couple of days.

So, how long should you wait before adding sps?

Anywhere from a couple of days to a year.

 

[fritzdawg21]

I should also add my system is BB with a VERY oversize skimmer, so thats where my point of view is coming from.

 

[Treg]

I chose the ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œmechanicalââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ method.
90g BB huge flow, Deltec skimmer, cooking the rocks right in the tank (most was precured).
Its been almost 6 weeks and I'm still waiting. I was hoping to have atleast fish in by now but my Nitrates are still a little too high for my liking for fish, way to high for SPS. As soon as my Nitrates come down and the skimming levels off, the lights will go on and the SPS will go in.

 

[Kinetic]

when you cycle, shouldn't you have some lights?

 

[Treg]

Not if your "cooking".

Or "extended curing in the dark" as I like to call it.