Trying to make a long story short. I have a 65 gal tank that I owned in 2004 and got rid of it as a package. I just got the tank back as a package. It has approx 35 lbs of liverock that I bought in 04 and 35 lbs of new base rock. I also put new sand in when I moved it 3 months ago.
Question I have is what kind of SPS is good for a beginner. I have never kept them before because I did not have the lights. I now have a reef breeders led on the way.
FYI I will have to order any SPS. No one close sells any.
As long as the following are inline/stable:
Ca: 400-420ppm
Alk: 7.5-9dKH
Mg: ~1300ppm
Temp: 75-80'F
NO3: under 10ppm
PO4: under 0.05ppm (higher and it may cause nuisance algae)
Then start with the following:
1. Montipora Caps, Montipora Digitata's Seriatopora's (many kinds of birdnests etc), Stylophora. Order around 5-7 of a selection these. ORA has some very hardy selection of these corals, so if you can get them for a decent price then order some.
See how they do over 6 weeks or so. Use this time to really hone your dosing skills; paying particular attention to Alk (but also keep an eye on Ca and Mg).
If they start to encrust and grow and you have no STN/RTN issues, then start to order some of the more difficult to keep SPS from of the Acropora corals.
Try and get some well known pieces like those from ORA which are hardy and very used to captivity. Stuff like Red Planet etc.
Read lots of SPS build thread; there is a wealth of info in those thread and much to be learnt.
Good luck and ask questions about if you are unsure about anything.
