I want to go with an SPS dominant tank...

[pdiehm]

Lotta good guys in here with tons of knowledge that can help ya out. I did want to add though, dont worry trying to get ULNS. I had the same idea when i first started and i had coral starve out and end up dying. The best thing i ever did was stop trying to chase No3 and P04 numbers and go with how my coral looked in my tank.

Yep. I think my parameters are in good shape, Alk may be a smidge high given the po4 and no3 levels, but I just tested the alkalinity now and it was 8.4...so who knows.

Will try to pick up an SPS frag or 2 if the store has one that's not $100. I am pretty sure they have a birdsnest. If they do where does that get placed?

 

[Lenny_S]

I've noticed much better color in all my corals when there is a very small amount of NO3 and PO4, like NO3 between 0.1-0.25 and PO4 around 0.01-0.02
I'm going with the general consensus that the nutrients help with the health of the symbiotic zooxanthellae in the coral which in turn helps the coral. Although all I know for sure is that it just helps.
As far as easy SPS go, the ones I have that seem the easiest and hardiest are Acropora valida, and Pocillopora damicornis (cauliflower coral). Those seem to just do really well and aren't too particular about lighting and flow.

 

[cjrudy]

What would I dose? I am pretty regimented about doing water changes weekly.

With low nutrients should I also look into a salt with lower parameters such as Red Sea blue bucket?

If you don't know what to dose or why then don't. You should only start dosing if the corals in your tank are going through more Alk and CA than weekly water changes can replenish.

Stability is key, don't change salt mixes just to chase certain parameters