New tank and SPS

nova65ss · Oct 10, 2012

I am wondering about sps in a new tank. I never got into sps until my tank was pretty well established at almost two years old. I am setting up a new tank in my office and will be transferring some sps from my frag tank hopefully as soon as it finishes cycling. Is this usually OK or do acros do better in established systems? I don't think it should be a problem as long as the water is right but just wondering how important established tanks and nutrients are for keeping acros? Thank you

Pkunk35 · Oct 10, 2012

Curious too as to how long some sps experts would wait before adding sps to a tank...

for myself I think i would be testing some (generally) easier kept SPS in the tank such as montis first before i transferred the harder to keep species.

Reef Keeper 18 · Oct 10, 2012

My advice, having added sps only a month after my cycle is test with kits and test with a hardier species. Only reason my sps died is because I had an ammonia spike due to not having salt in a skimmer less tank

KoleTang · Oct 10, 2012

An established tank simply means the bacteria population is thriving and breaking down ammonia properly and your other levels aren't fluctuating all over the place. It does not directly have anything to due with the age of a tank. It has to do with your being stabilized.

So you should be fine to keep SPS if:

- All of the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate spikes are done

- The nitrates are at a desirable level

- pH, Alk, Calc, and Mag are at proper levels and stable

- Phosphates are in check and there is no risk of an algae bloom

- You have a proper cleanup crew for the diatom bloom from silicates in new sand/rock

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If you feel confidant these things are ok, then there is no reason why you cannot keep SPS. They cannot sense that it is a new tank if you have your tank properly stabilized.