Thinking of taking the plunge:SPS

[cgthebeast]

My 75g has been set up for 2 years, and I've kept softy and lps with success. I've been thinking about taking the plunge and investing in a small frag of bird nest.

Tank stats:
Equipment
75g, two years old
800 reef octopus skimmer
Jeabo wave maker pp-8
2x Chinese led black boxes
Jeabo auto doser
Parms:

Sal: 1.25
Alk: 8/2.9
Ca: 450
Mg:1350
Ph:8.3
No3 is undectable
I do have a nutrient issue right now, but it's nothing severe and should be taken care of in a week or two.
I do weekly 10-15% water changes and use ro/di water.
I feed my corals once a week, I feed a mix of filter food for my feather duster, zoas and hammers. And a homemade frozen food mix for my Duncan's and rainbow bulb nem.

What do I need to increase or change in order to accommodate SPS

 

[Brookster123]

I'm a major noob here. I picked up a Gatorade birds nest a few months back and it's doing excellent, same with the reverse superman frag. They seem happier than some of my lps actually? I have the same lighting as you. Dose nothing. Weekly 30% wc and feed 2-3 times a week with reef roids. I'm sure it's dumb luck at this point, but they're def responding positively.

 

[Brookster123]

You can see the birdsnest and the superman is little right and lower.

 

[bribo12]

Birdnest really isn't plunging into sps! They're pretty dang easy and once acclimated tend to grow like a weed. Now getting into acropora can be a chore.

 

[Brookster123]

Birdnest really isn't plunging into sps! They're pretty dang easy and once acclimated tend to grow like a weed. Now getting into acropora can be a chore.

Acropora??? That's a legal term?? I see that quite frequently in divorce and bankruptcy documents at the firm..

 

[cgthebeast]

Birdnest really isn't plunging into sps! They're pretty dang easy and once acclimated tend to grow like a weed. Now getting into acropora can be a chore.

Okay, that's cool. When I was reading up on it, a lot of people suggested it as a first SPS. What would be some good reaching SPS to start out with then?

 

[cgthebeast]

I'm a major noob here. I picked up a Gatorade birds nest a few months back and it's doing excellent, same with the reverse superman frag. They seem happier than some of my lps actually? I have the same lighting as you. Dose nothing. Weekly 30% wc and feed 2-3 times a week with reef roids. I'm sure it's dumb luck at this point, but they're def responding positively.

So no dosing or anything? I read that some people dose amino acids. Anyway, I'm hoping I'all have your luck

 

[Brookster123]

I was instructed by the coral farmer i enjoy visiting... like toys r us for reef nerds!... on a smaller system, mine is 45 gal total.. 5%weekly wc, no dosing! Seems dosing needs are in higher demand on larger systems with less wcs and higher nutrient consumption. Like I said... I'm a noob and I only know what I've explored personally. I upped the weekly 5% to 30%. I'm a fw planted, sa/.ca cichlids keeper so large, frequent wcs are my thing... can't say my tank is thriving but all coral are looking well and good.( except kryptonite candy cane.. )

 

[bribo12]

Birdsnest, montipora capornicis, montipora digitata, a lot of encrusting montis. Pocillopora are all pretty forgiving

 

[cgthebeast]

Birdsnest, montipora capornicis, montipora digitata, a lot of encrusting montis. Pocillopora are all pretty forgiving

So just really avoid acros until I advance more into the SPS thing

 

[bribo12]

Pretty much. I mean some acros aren't to hard but overall they're the toughest corals to keep

 

[cgthebeast]

If you looking buying a montipora, what are some signs I need to watch out for?

 

[bribo12]

Tissue loss, algae growing where flesh should be, bleaching.

 

[Sniperhank]

Even then...some monti are BEYOND forgiving. The orange monti I had came back from my tank going over 100 degrees to the point where it was looking like it would overwhelm the 55. When I screwed up on my salinity on the move, it all died off...unless you look real carefully and see the tissue coming back. Orange monti is immortal.

 

[cgthebeast]

Welp I've finally did it, I got a piece of pink bird nest (for free!) to try out. Got it yesterday and it's already extending a bit. So fingers crossed

 

[Sniperhank]

Good luck. I've killed a ton and grown a ton of birds nest.

 

[cgthebeast]

Yup, fingers crossed on thsi