how long before i can add sps
 

i recently started sps and have had stellar results. my main sps ( 40 breeder) tank was 4 months old when i started to add. no deaths to date, tank is 9 months old.
i just set up my 180 using my water, live rock , sand, from a 5 year old 120 gallon setup. i did have a small spike in nitrate and ammonia. they have been at 0 for almost a month. i just added 6 chromis this week and all are happy. my chaeto has doubled in size every two weeks since setup. i also used dr tims one and only with great results too. so im wondering after all of this if im ready to put sps in there. should i frag off something and use it as a test subject? would that be the best route. there are zoos and mushrooms already in the tank and they look good. please let me know what everyone thinks

Have you started to see coraline algae growing? If not then wait if you have the sps in a stable system. Softies are ok to have in there now. JMO

no coraline algae yet. inverts are growing fast, rocks that had coraline bleach are growing deep purple. not using all lights at this time. just using one 250 and vho's for the moment. figured a way of saving a little cash and working up to it. water params have ben stable. i have a neptune apex on it as well as ph monitor. tank is about a month or so old not counting the 5 year old stuff in it.

I would say wait a little longer and have you tested your Calcium level yet? What kind of lighting are you running?

I think it depends on you system maturity, for me it always best to let it run longer before you add first sps. remember in this hobby patient always better.

i dont feel maturity is my problem. as stated my startings were from a 5 year old 120, 250lbs live rock, 220lbs sand, water. my lighting is specific for sps. lumenmax 2 x3 250 halide with 2 95 watt vho and 2 110 watt vho. i have a mag 24 return and 2 mag8 korila, 2 korila 3, 2 seio 820, 2 seio 1000 for flow on wavemaster. i have a 75 gallon sump with refugium and super reef oct. 3000 skimmer. im pretty sure im set up. params as follows, 1.025, p04 0.00 hanna meter, nitrate 0 salifert, nitrite 0 salifert, cal 440 salifert, ammonia 0 salifert, alk 9dkh salifert, ph 8.3 apex. i have an apex running the show as well.. im starting to get the jitters and just cut a frag of my stag horn and start trying

Ok yes you have set up your tank for sps. However that tank really needs to mature more before you add sps. I would be really nervous adding sps into a 1 month tank. If I did it would be a birds nest or something very easy to keep, expect it to not do to well at first also. As I said if you have your sps in a stable tank now and all is going well with it then just wait. You dont need to wait a year like so may sources say. What you are wanting to happen in your new tank is this, bacterial colonization and not the the nitrifying type, algae cycles, plankton blooms yes we do have some planktons in our tanks, pod population to increase. All these things contribute to the stability of a reef tank and the success with sps. Every tank is different so there is no hard here is when you add sps time wise. The best indicator is coraline algae. If it is growing then the tank can support sps. I always wait until I start seeing several small spots growing on my glass and power heads.

the coraline on the rock is getting deeper purple but it has not yet spread to the glass. my pods are at a low for the time being and ive dosed a few strains of bacteria but as i learned i am waiting patiently.

yeah man i would maybe try some easy stuff first then go from there.

listen to the advice you're getting, it's sound. imo, you should wait at least six months for difficult to keep corals. i waited 11.5 months before adding my first SPS and I am very happy with my decision to be patient.

even with established rock there is a risk. its your money and time though, you can do what you like. but you really should take into account that corals are living animals and respect should be given to their care.