When to introduce SPS

[Sawen]

I am currently in the planning stage of having an SPS reef tank. One question. From the moment I have introduced water in the tank and that the tank has cycled, how long would you wait for the tank to mature before intoducing your first SPS coral?

 

[Alex T.]

When you can consistently keep nitrates under 5, phosphate as close to undetectable as possible, and magnesium, alkalinity and calcium at a set point for a few months with no swings.

other than that, wait until you can grow eyeball sized coralline algae too.

Good luck, open up your wallet and enjoy the ride.

 

[Merfin70]

I've kept them alive from month 3 however they looked like crap until month 9. A stable semi-mature tank is key to good looks. Coralline is a good guage as well in the case that you've used dry rock.

 

[amfynn]

I would also go for coralline, let it get a good foot hold in your tank. After that SPS should be fine.

 

[jonnybravo22]

not to sidetrack - but if you started with CLEAN dry rock, it's possible to have a mature tank w/ no coraline, correct? it would have to be introduced, right?

if you have a mature tank w/o coraline, is adding coraline beneficial for any reason?

 

[jonnybravo22]

sorry, double

 

[amfynn]

perhaps I should rephrase, if introduced to your tank...coralline becomes a good indicator. I doubt a year old tank would ever be coralline free. Unless you have the system isolated from any transfer of LS or LR from other tanks. The point is coralline thrives in environments akin to keeping SPS.

 

[kraziezx]

I have sps in my new 50g tank two weeks after I introduced water. All sps keep its color and started encrusting in a month. My monti caps are growing. My tank currently has no coralline. I guess I am lucky

 

[karsseboom]

I have sps in my new 50g tank two weeks after I introduced water. All sps keep its color and started encrusting in a month. My monti caps are growing. My tank currently has no coralline. I guess I am lucky

wow nice!

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

Keep in mind that all SPS corals vary in difficulty. Once everything is stable, then it is fine to add sps corals. Start with montipora caps and digitatas and see how they do. If they all hold their colors, then you can switch to acros after some experience with sps corals.

Out of the acros, start with milleporas and then try others.

 

[allsps40]

I would also go for coralline, let it get a good foot hold in your tank. After that SPS should be fine.

This is what I was always told and it worked out for me.

 

[Sawen]

Thank you for all your answers. I will take my time with SPS. Until I get stable readings and good coraline growth, combined with absence of all forms of algae's, I will not introduce them to my tank. I hope to be able to do this in a range of 3 to 6 months after putting water in my tank.

 

[Islander84]

Nice! Can you list some specs for us...did you use dry or live rock ,sand ',what kinda water you used , are you dosing calcium, equipment.....thanks

I have sps in my new 50g tank two weeks after I introduced water. All sps keep its color and started encrusting in a month. My monti caps are growing. My tank currently has no coralline. I guess I am lucky

 

[kraziezx]

- 50g Cadlight tank
- 40g sump with refugi
- Bubble magus 7 skimmer
- 2 tunze 6045 powerheads
- 60w Cree LED
- 45lb live rock
- 20lb live sand
- BRS 5 stage plus RO/DI
- Red Sea Pro Salt. Mix my own water
- alk 9-10
- cal is 460
- mag 1300
- 1.024-1.026
- temp is 77-78 degree
- two little fish phos reactor
- No dosing yet since the parameters for Red Sea Pro salt are pretty high. I just do water change every 2-3 weeks. I will do two-part dosing once the sps get bigger.

Live Stocks
- red planet
- sunset miller
- cali tort
- pink lemonade
- pink jade
- miami vice
- hot pink miller
- turaki
- pearlberry
- undata monti
- bird of paradise
- strawberry lemonade
- monti caps
- birdnests
- 3 fishes for now but will add more later.

All sps are healthy and colorful. Very simple setup and require less maintenance and use very less electricity. Go green!!

Nice! Can you list some specs for us...did you use dry or live rock ,sand ',what kinda water you used , are you dosing calcium, equipment.....thanks