New to SPS

exnisstech

Grumpy old man
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Hello all, First time posting in this section so I'll give a little background. I have a Redsea reefer 170 24"x 20" x 20" that I am converting to try my hand at SPS. The tank has been running for a little over 3 years. I run a fuge with Chaeto and redsea mesh filter socks. No skimmer or other filtration. Lighting is a radion xr15 pro gen 4 in an aquatic life hybrid fixture running 2 B+ and 2 C+ 24 watt tubes. I recently invested in a par meter so now I know why I have not had very good luck in the past keeping things requiring high light. Its amazing how poor my lighting was but looked bright to my eyes. The tanks has always had nitrates just barely detectable with no nuisance algae problems. SG is 1.025 alk 9.6 (working on bringing it down closer to 8) calcium 430. I haven't tested much else since it has been a very stable system for me. Its bare bottom and had some very nice to me LPS and a big red nem and fish. I moved the nem and all fish along with many of the LPS to a larger tank in another room. I brought in different rock with no corals so I can place frags on different levels depending on their lighting requirements. I want to focus on SPS and wonder what would be a good fish or 2 to place in a tank this size to help with nutrients? I have really nice large fish on the other tank (180 gal) so fish here are more for utilitarian purposes. I'm also open to any suggestions as to corals and placement as well. :winking-face: I've attached a pic of the tanks for reference and a pic of what it looked like before. I have a couple of small frags on racks but nothing mounted yet as I'm trying to get them colored up and looking healthy now that I have increased my lighting.

before.jpg after.jpg
 
The lights really do make a difference, and kudos to you for running a par reading.
With this age and maturity tank should be able to handle any number of Hardy SPS. One thing I would steer you away from is Pocilipora, as I took it on as an early Easy SPS and it has become more of a plague than xenia for me. Will see if I can find a picture to point that out. - 2-3 of these across the back of the tank
image.jpg

But any kind of good affordable montis stag horns or birds nest should help you get accustomed to SPS in your tank. Personal experience says acquire 20-30 $ frags till you see good growth/encrusting and color
Looks great and best of luck
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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