Anything special about keeping stylos?

[Palting]

I have had bad luck with stylos. Tank/lights are in my sig. I had a green stylo that was under PC lights at the lfs. So I placed it on the substrate first, then moved it up, strong flow, directly under the MH. It still bleached anyway, so, I put it under 4 layers of screen and target fed it. Seemed to do ok for about 6 weeks, then slowly got taken over by brown crud and polyps disappeared, and I got rid of it.

Next is a pink stylo. I got it 3 weeks ago (Christmas gift). It was under MH lights at the lfs, so I put it up top right under an MH simulating the lfs condition, moderate to strong flow. 3 weeks now, it's so-so. Not quite bleached, but a lttle blanched.

Right around the same area as the pink stylo is a green Millle, a purple Acro, a green slimer, and a tortuosa. All are growing like gangbusters, encrusting their plug and into the live rock, with multiple growing tips.

Params: SG 1.026, ammo/trite/trate 0, phos 0, pH 8.2-8.4, Ca 440, Mag 1350, Alk 8.3 dKH, temp 78-79, total flow 28X tank volume.

Why am I having a hard time with stylos, while all other sps, lps, are doing great? I like the colors that I see, so I'd like to get some going. What's so special about stylos?

Thanks!!!

 

[Mikigo]

stylos do not need that much light. keep it down and only moderate flow.
these should be one of easiest coral to keep.

 

[Palting]

Oh, gee. And here I thought they needed to be up top. Guess I was misinformed?

 

[Dustin1300]

Palting, I thought you moved it to the bottom as we suggested in this forum two months ago?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1941632&highlight=stylo

 

[Palting]

I did as you all suggested then and put it lower, but maybe it was too late. The green one didn't make it. It just browned out and the polyps disappeared.

The pink one was under 250 watt MH at the lfs, on the top tier. He has been growing frags of this thing for several years, and that's how he has this particular colony set up. He was in fact concerned about not enough light in my system. But, his 250 lights were about 18" above the water, my 150 is only 6" up. We both thought that f I put it as high as I can directly under the MH it should be fine. It's not dying, just not looking too hot after 3 weeks. It is looking better than the green one did after 3 weeks, though.

As for the green one, the other lfs still has frags of the same one. Still under PC's and growing. I may get one again, and put this one in the shade under an outcropping. I may have to wait a while to get over this stylo failure feeling before I do, though.

 

[Dustin1300]

I've got ya. If it was used to high light then maybe the light is not your problem....May be another factor.

 

[Palting]

That factor is what I am trying to figure out. My params seem fine as listed above. Maybe it's flow. Everything is relative. Like, high flow to me may be low flow to others. Anyway, the flow I have the the stylo at is that same flow that the Mille, Tortuosa, purple acro, and green slimer seem to thrive in, all SPS, so I assume that it's a TRUE high flow area, right? Maybe too high?

 

[Dustin1300]

Mine likes medium flow. I found when I blasted it with flow that PE was not perfect. A little moving and its been one of the easier SPS I've kept. It's amazing how one reefer has troubles with one particular coral and the other has success. That same reefer will have great success while the other reefer has troubles with another I'm learning and think we both hopped into SPS around the same time so I feel your frustrations! If it was not a challenge everyone would have a reef in the living room though

 

[Palting]

Thanks, Dustin. Gives me some encouragement . I've moved the powerhead slightly off to give the stylo less flow. Here are some pics. Might help figure it out.

Here's the area. Front left to right are the green slimer, blue tort, purple acro, green mille. Behind is the pink stylo of interest, a colt that doesn't like the fact that I just did a water change and is pouting, and a monti cap.

Here's a close-up of the struggling stylo. Dunno if it's going to make it.

Just to show how the other sps are loving this area, look at all the growing tips and encrusting bases on these two:

 

[Dustin1300]

Other corals look great Palting. Where is the powerhead relative to the stylo where it is at? What type of powerhead and how much gph?

 

[Palting]

It's a Koralia evo 750, at the front of the side panel, pointing towards the area. Overhead are two spouts from the return, and from the back are two K Evo 1050's. Overall a swirling variable flow in the area, but the dominant flow is from that 750. Here's an fts.

 

[Dustin1300]

I'm doubting it's flow based on that picture as it looks like you have a good distribution of flow. Not sure what is up with your bad luck with sylos!

 

[Palting]

Yup, got me stumped too. And you know what else? The difficult ones, the sps, are thriving. On the right of the tank is a big wild acro, reportedly difficult to expert only, and it's growing. BUT, the easy one's, the zoas and the GSP, are struggling! LOL!!

 

[Dustin1300]

I've read that they can benefit from micro-plankton and foods designed for filter feeders. I don't do this and it's still looking good but have been wondering about ways of getting my corals to have more vibrant colors. I believe my next step is going to be adding Rod's food to my feeding schedule. Changing small things and calibrating is what we've got to stick to

 

[lgull1]

I think you have to much light. You only have 150w bulbs but you have 8 T5's also and moonlights. I know you have actinics and 15k 150w but i have had my stylos for awhile and my tank is similar to yours in size but i have much less light on mine. 175w 14k and 3 VHO 110w. I keep my bulbs similar in height to yours. I only have a MP20 doing long bursts across the tank. That's all they need. I can't keep acros because of light conditions i have and the flow. I have LPS in tank also so i have to be careful of flow. Mikigo is correct on that also. Don't blast it. You look like have to much flow for it. I see it there on the left.You can't keep flow on it all the time. Just intermittent the flow. That's my 2 cents.

 

[reefsic]

Ive got a pink/purple Stylo that I aquired from FHI awhile back and it is doing very well in Med. Light/Med. Flow. Holding color with great PE, but grows rather slow!!!

GL