Considering SPS, Need-Advice

[Nathancquinton]

Hi all,

So I'm feeling like I'm ready to try out SPS coral. I know it's notoriously harder to keep so before I drop 50 bucks I wanted to ask you guys if you think there's something I need to consider/do before I can be ready. Here are my parameters that I keep stable:

pH: 8.1
Salt: 1.0260 (Kept stable with ATO water)
NO3: <5ppm (Shows up as zero)
dKH: 12 (I know it's high but this has worked the best for me)
Ca: 450ppm
Mg: 1400ppm
Temp: 80F
Photoperiod: 12hrs on a ramp and 28day lunar cycle
Lighting: one Red Sea ReefLED 50 18,000K but it can be adjusted up to 24,000K
Flow: Random mode with a Jebao RW-4

Other notes:
- I run a skimmer 24/7 and use a canister filter for my filtration
- I do 25% Water Changes every other thursday
- I clean my canister filter regularly
- I dose Strontium/Molybdenum, Calcium, Alkalinity regularly, and Magnesium if needed.

So I'm pretty sure I'm good to go. I have great flow, stable parameters and sufficient lighting IMO. Here's my plan. I want to get either a stylophora or a birdnest and put it at the top of my rockwork (mid depth) keeping it on the plug at first. Anything you guys think I need to be aware of or fix before I do this? Also, I've seen some things online that say to keep it out of direct light at first. What do you think? Also, I have an acclimation setting on my Reef LED. Should I use that? Or no? Also, I'm worried about my dKH being significantly higher than at my LFS. Should I try to lower it to the LFS levels?
Thanks!

 

[AutumnReefs]

If you have near 0 nitrate (same goes for phosphate), you NEED to feed the corals (preferably daily) if you keep the SPS at 12KH. You can drip acclimate them, to 12. 12 is not an issue, but does require you to have a steady supply of nitrogen and phosphorus.



The best advice I can give for birdsnest or stylo is that once you put them somewhere, keep it there.