How long did you wait before stocking your SPS tank

[clamm]

Just curious how long did you wait before stocking your SPS tank.

Did you start with dry rock? Dead rock? What size tank? How many corals did you add? What did you start with(digi, monti, caps, acro, etc...)

 

[Greg Hiller]

I started my 400 gallon system with dead rock and sand, then added a few lb of live rock and sand from other tanks. A few of the things I added early on (1st month) (small test frags) were VERY unhappy, and melted down. Initially, even Montipora and Pocillipora damicornis were melting down.

After about another 3 weeks or so the above corals were okay. I recently moved in some very large M. cap colonies and they are okay. All the LPS, soft corals, and clams I have added recently are okay, some look really happy. Some of the Acropora frags I've added recently are okay, but I did loose one small frag of a table-top Acro, which surprised me. There was no reason other than something funky with the water (the frag did not fall into the sand or get burned, or anything like that). All the fish have been quite happy. I'm still holding off on moving any of my large Acro colonies over. Thus far frags of L. Jax is okay, Green slimer seems fine, Aqua with blue tips okay, but still early, blue highlighted small colony looking not too happy...concerns me.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

I hand-picked most of my live rock at Inland Reef in Nashua (now closed). Never could measure ammonia, N03 or N04 from day one. I still waited 2 weeks to add snails, crabs, etc. I added my first few fish a week later (in early 2000)....Yellow Tang, Dottyback. The Yellow Tang is still in the tank. The Dottyback died a few weeks ago, I believe from natural causes....had him since early 2000, over 5.5 years.

The first corals were soft corals and the two anemones. The soft corals were sold a while back. The two anemones are still thriving: a Haddoni and a Magnifica.

SPS corals were added at around the 3 month mark and most did really well until the infamous worm attack of 2005.

To add stuff early you need to use cured live rock...not trans-shipped, but from a LFS that has cured the rock in their sumps. Otherwise, I would not go so fast with adding things.

 

[dz6t]

going SPS? Casey?

 

[RichConley]

thats really wierd...before I voted, I could see who had voted as what choice, now I can't.

 

[clamm]

I have been converting a 92 to mixed, and am pondering the idea of another tank...Just a thought at this point though.

 

[dz6t]

am pondering the idea of another tank....

Oh... the dark side...is good..

 

[jovreef]

Just a quick fyi... digi and cap are both montipora. I'd definatly start with either of those montipora's, they are very hardy. I added my first one about 6 weeks after the tank was set up. It was a green that someone had tossed in their sump thinking it was all dead...the tip was still green so I broke it off and put it in a hole. a few weeks later I had a nice size piece growing out of the hole.