Hi All--

My new tank has been set up for two months, and is doing great. I'm going to add some zoas soonish, but the eventual plan for this tank is that it will be SPS dominated, and with one LPS coral, a plate.

So with that in mind, how long should I wait before adding any SPS frags, or the plate? When is the tank mature enough? My water tests are showing fairly ideal results (testing for calcium, alkalinity, and the usual basic suspects... not testing for Mg at this point). I'm happy to wait, though, if need be... my original plan was to start adding non-soft corals around Father's Day.

(this is for the 12 loooong tank in my sig)

You should be good to add the plate, once you are confident you can maintain your parameters pretty rock solid add some birdsnest to pop your SPS cherry.

+1 to the plate first and the SPS later (wait a few more months). Besides birdsnest (seriatopora), montiporas and pocilloporas are other hardy (for SPS) choices.

I hate to add montis earlier, because if you dont have everything in check they bleach. Normally they will color back up, but still discouraging.

edit: If you have the light they need, I have always had success with common milles. Mine have always been bulletproof(survived 96 deg water) and done well even when I had birdsnest colonies die.

Please state your tank parameters numbers(SG, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, dKH, ph, temp, Cal, & mag)? Its hard to say for sure how long to wait until this is known. Also you should be testing for Mg, it plays a role in your calcium and alk.

Thanks for the replies, all... from my last several tests:

SG: 1.025
pH: 8.0-8.4 depending on time of day
Temp: 80
Nitrite: 0
Amm: 0
Nitrate: in the 0-5 range
Cal: 420-440
Alk: forget the precise reading off the top of my head... 8-point-something

I'm going to take the simple advice to add the plate soon, and wait for the SPS until June as originally planned. That'll give me time to start testing for Mg.

I would bring the SG up to 1.026/35 PPT. I try to keep my alk between 9-10, and the Mg isnt going to play such a vital role in respect to its consumption until you start tearing through some Ca. What salt are you using, that is more important. As long as you use a salt with a high Mg it will be replenished weekly.

I'm using IO Reef Crystals, doing a 10% weekly water change.

Yeah, that should be fine.