Birdsnest Care
- Thread starter FSOL
- Start date
ClownReef®
Bubbletrousing
I have mine under 250w 12Ks, URI VHOs and med. flow..It grows like a weed, very fast grower.
FSOL
New member
Is it placed high or low in the tank? I have 3x250W Ushio 14K's + 2x165w VHO actinics. I got it today and placed it about 18" below the lights and it has no direct flow on it, just gentle indirect flow.
It's a good size, but the branches are so delicate. Do the branches thicken as it grows?
It's a good size, but the branches are so delicate. Do the branches thicken as it grows?
ClownReef®
Bubbletrousing
Brown tips are bad.. tips should be white as it is growth.. I would put it up on med-high flow so the flow will blow any algea that grows on the tips.
ClownReef®
Bubbletrousing
well ofcourse, thats a given..lol..you dont want to put it right next to the Tunzes..LOL
Justin74
New member
Short of putting the coral in direct stream with a powerhead these guys like a good current. Brittle thin branches is a product of not having enough flow.
For example I received my first frag of birdsnest from a HQI and PC user with a total wattage higher than mine, but it was getting low flow, and the poor frag was as brown as you know what. I made sure it recieved the similar positioning of light intensity but bumped the flow up, now I have beautifull pink base with purplish polyps.
Gotta love it! Just food for thought.
-Justin
For example I received my first frag of birdsnest from a HQI and PC user with a total wattage higher than mine, but it was getting low flow, and the poor frag was as brown as you know what. I made sure it recieved the similar positioning of light intensity but bumped the flow up, now I have beautifull pink base with purplish polyps.
Gotta love it! Just food for thought.
-Justin
ClownReef®
Bubbletrousing
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7158558#post7158558 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Justin74
Brittle thin branches is a product of not having enough flow.
Gotta love it! Just food for thought.
-Justin
I disagree..for example, mine (the one in the picture i posted) is a Seriatopora hystrix, yours seems like something else. The colony where mine came from is from a good friend of mine that has an AMAZING setup...no lack of flow anywhere. The mother colony has the same structure and has bright purple polyps.
thebicyclecafe
New member
Could be a S. stellata.
dots
Premium Member
Thanks, I was just wondering because mine is under 150DE HQI about 12" from the uv glass. It is in decent flow, but I was wondering if I should leave it or move into better flow and closer to the light. I know sometimes, SPS will stall and have problems, but will perk up in the end.
I have a milli and an acro, in less direct flows and locations that are growing like weeds. Which creates my confusion.
The birdsnest is below the middle chromis in this older pic. Since then the ViaAqua is to the right of the overflow with no attachments, and two 820 Seios have been added, to replace the other smaller powerheads, pointed at from opposite sides into that SPS area, so flow shouldn't be a problem.
I have a milli and an acro, in less direct flows and locations that are growing like weeds. Which creates my confusion.
The birdsnest is below the middle chromis in this older pic. Since then the ViaAqua is to the right of the overflow with no attachments, and two 820 Seios have been added, to replace the other smaller powerheads, pointed at from opposite sides into that SPS area, so flow shouldn't be a problem.
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ClownReef®
Bubbletrousing
I think its a light issue, i'd add some stronger lights, thats just my opinion.
dots
Premium Member
Granted, I would have gone with the 250s of the Aqualight pro, but got it before they were offered. I was hoping there was a coversion kit that would be offered, but I doubt it. (I didn't think the differences between a 150W bulb vs a 250W bulb would be that much different, short of a ballast, but they say they are)
Oh yeah, thats a dim picture.....
Anyway, I know 150W is on the low side, but they are HQI DE's which are supposed to be more intense than SE, so based on that fact and that the light is 4" off the water on a 75 gal, I think I have enough. Granted, it don't have great intensity, but am in the ballpark, which should get the suckers to grow, which the other are. Where is the guy growing all kinds of SPS under PC's when I need him......
Oh yeah, thats a dim picture.....
Anyway, I know 150W is on the low side, but they are HQI DE's which are supposed to be more intense than SE, so based on that fact and that the light is 4" off the water on a 75 gal, I think I have enough. Granted, it don't have great intensity, but am in the ballpark, which should get the suckers to grow, which the other are. Where is the guy growing all kinds of SPS under PC's when I need him......
DRZL-sauras
New member
HQI being stronger than SE isnt a fact, that statement is overspeculated theres alot of info on it if you search DE vs SE type threads
Bump up the lighting, do you know the PAR rating on the bulb?
go 250W girly man!
its better here
Bump up the lighting, do you know the PAR rating on the bulb?
go 250W girly man!
its better here
ClownReef®
Bubbletrousing
Yeah, ive seen setups with DE and for some reason, my SE 250w's look brighter, LOL
Purple Haze
New member
high flow, high light here.
Lyscer
New member
From my understanding there are a couple different species of birdsnest. There is a thin branched one and a thick branched one. I have both in my tank and they are both doing great under my lighting. The thin birdsnest is about 10" under the lights and sits in a med/high flow area. The thick birdsnest is probably 12" under the lights and is in a high flow area during the day and low flow area at night. It has had literally 50 tiny branches stem from the 5" frag that I got 6 weeks ago. I also dose with bionic 2 part calcium/alkalinity every other day which I have seen make a huge difference.
