There are a few things I'd recommend when adjusting the truss rod for the first time on any guitar:
* Put a mark on the nut, so you can always go back to exactly where you started.
* Loosen it 1/8th of a turn first, then tighten it back to where it was.
* If you feel that it's harder to turn than you think it should be, then stop. Immediately.
The more experienced folks check relief by eye, but I use a 24" steel rule (cut to length, so it's just long enough to span the first and last frets) and a set of feeler gauges, but I do get a bit OCD about guitar setups...