Can your system be to new for SPS?

[glb]

I have decided to get rid of my sps and just keep my LPS ... ill try SPS again next year, and keep track of my parameters over the next few months and test daily for alk/cal/mag

I hear you. I'm going to do only softies and lps for a long time before I try sps.

 

[CKI]

I hear you. I'm going to do only softies and lps for a long time before I try sps.

well i was hoping for a better outcome, such a shame to because i try to keep ontop of everything. But things happen, ill go this route until next year and try again and go from there.

 

[Razor]

Hello I dont know if this will be any help to you, but I am sharing my experience. My tank has been running for 9 months now and I am keeping SPS for the last 5 months, And also this was my first time with SPS corals. The primary thing with SPS is that you should have spot on parameters, 1.024-1.026 spgr, <.1 Po4 , Cal:Mag 1:3 , Alk stable as a rock. From what I have found is people dont dose their tanks when starting a new tank, but you will be amazed how fast Alk drops :) Considering you have enough PAR coming out of your lights and enough flow, buy a alkalinity test kit(Hanna/ Salifert or other high quality brand) and check the measurement at a certain time of the day. Then next day at the same time measure the alkalinity again. Now you have a fair idea how much alk is being utitlized in a day. Supplement it with a two part solution like Randy's, B-ionic etc. Use a calculator to measure the dose. Now suppose you dont have any corals, your alk consumption will be almost nil. Then measure it and dose accordingly to get the value under 7-9 dKh. Follow the previous procedure now. Once you have this going, get a small monti cap or any cheap montipora species. Keep it in a spot where flow is high and PAR medium, I am sure it will thrive. Best of Luck.

 

[Razor]

I also want to stress that it is true that certain corals will not grow untill the tank reaches stability (in most of the cases 1 year) however it is certainly not true that corals will die if your tank is new. Anothing thing too much/ too little light causes corals to bleach and high po4 values makes them brown.

 

[Russellaqua]

Some tanks can immediately support SPS, others can't. I had one, and only one, tank that supported SPS from day 1. I have no idea why. Every other tank I've had hasn't done that.

 

[FlyPenFly]

3 most important things for SPS, I was able to grow colonies after a month in a new tank:

1. Stable high alkalinity (9-10), you absolutely need a dosing method or some way to keep this steady. Nothing kills and browns SPS faster than low alk (>7) and alk swings.
2. Lots of intense indirect chaotic non linear flow
3. Po4 under .1, a bit of Nitrate is actually ok if it's 20ppm and under
4. Great lighting

 

[Razor]

3 most important things for SPS, I was able to grow colonies after a month in a new tank:

1. Stable high alkalinity (9-10), you absolutely need a dosing method or some way to keep this steady. Nothing kills and browns SPS faster than low alk (>7) and alk swings.
2. Lots of intense indirect chaotic non linear flow
3. Po4 under .1, a bit of Nitrate is actually ok if it's 20ppm and under
4. Great lighting

I couldn't agree more

Some tanks can immediately support SPS, others can't. I had one, and only one, tank that supported SPS from day 1. I have no idea why. Every other tank I've had hasn't done that.

I really dont have an answer to this but all I can say is I will never put an SPS before a month of starting the tank. The reason is a tank goes through lots of ups and downs in water chemistry during that period because of the cycle. Po4 leaching rocks and organic phosphates is another reason why some tanks cant support sps corals , it takes some months to minimize. Did you ever test your water with a La Motte po4 test kit during the first few months?
P.S. I am very inquisitive and doesn't mean to demean you by asking these question, so please dont get me wrong my friend. You have much more experience with SPS corals than me too.