Do we all wait for 12 months before having success with SPS?

[X-37B]

Actually it depends on experience, imo.
Thread '18" AIO Nano Cube Stag System' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/18-aio-nano-cube-stag-system.883090/
My 20g nano cube day one and now 8 months later.
It can be done with a minimal system like this.

 

[rtparty]

Beautiful System, What roller mat are you running?

Trigger platinum sump. It’s been good but not sure I love it to be honest

 

[I.AM.MR.MIKE]

No... this tank is only 9 months old in these pics...

Live rock... stability... proper maintenance... I dont think there is a secret recipe...

Definitely wasn't started 9 months ago with Frags.

 

[F i s h y]

Definitely wasn't started 9 months ago with Frags.

Was... have pics to prove

 

[LRT]

Was... have pics to prove

Prove it!

 

[jimmypencil]

Day 1 (95% dry rock)

Week 1 SPS went in (only blue XHO on tank)

Between weeks 2-3 halides go up

Weeks 4-6

About a month ago (need to get a new FTS)

My alkalinity has been around 6.5 to 7dkh the whole time. It's spiked as high as 9dkh at least once. Not a single issue from that spike. If water, flow, and light are good then SPS will do fine from very early on (assuming no pests or fish bothering them.)

How did you cycle? did you ever get algae outbreak in early stages?

 

[jimmypencil]

I have 15 sps frags, tank is 2 months old and using dead rock, have coralline growing already, biggest issue was getting everything stable as quickly as possible. I use dosing pumps for everything and it also helps having a calcium reactor. My only issue is the snails looking for snack in the frag rack.

so how did you cycle? how long did you wait to add sps?

 

[w8lifts]

so how did you cycle? how long did you wait to add sps?

Two week cycle with dr. Tim’s. Then mB7 dosed daily for a few months until nitrates started climbing high again (mB7 can do this) and then stopped. Added sps around 8 week mark. Looking back I wish I waited, my ugly staged peaked at 12 week mark. Ugly stage now done (tank 8 months old now) but now have bubble algae instead, take that algae over the other algae lol. Some sps died during my battle of the uglies….Now a lot of stability early on (why I had coralline so early) came from having dosing pumps and calcium reactor set up and dialed in while the tank was cycling to get use to the equipment and finding pitfalls early on.

 

[EugeneVan]

I don't think it is necessary however if you want I great success and less headache. I suggest you take it slowly. Doesn't matter you dose 2 parts or 3 parts solution, it take couple months to dial in. Same with lighting, water flow (power heads placement), NO3 and phosphate level, carbon dosing...........they all take a few months to dial in to the right level. By the time you have everything nail down, it will be close to a year mark.