Brain Coral Lighting requirements

[Warnberg]

I have a brain coral that I have had for about a year now. It's alive and doing fine accept to color, it was green when I first got it but now its yellow and it seems the shaded portions of it are green. It is still alive, the polyps extend anytime I put food in the tank. Is it getting too much light? What lighting should be provided for a brain?

 

[alizarin]

I haven't owned a brain coral myself but from reading Eric Borneman's book it looks like they expect "moderately bright indirect light" (aka not right at the top of a bright tank, not at the bottom of a dim one).

 

[CMcNeil]

i was at FAOIS yesterday and they had there brains under T5 lighting and on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Warnberg]

Thanks, brain coral has been moved, we'll see what happens.

 

[ladyfsu]

Let us know please. My dad has one he just bought and I think there are going to be problems.

 

[ReefArtist]

Yes, they do need to be on the bottom of the tank. They are fairly low light and they'll lighten up with to much light. I've talked to John and Jenn from FAOIS a number of times and that is what they recommended.

 

[ReefArtist]

Oh - I have VHO (440W) and at one time put them somewhat high, they started to lighten up so that's when I talked to FAOIS. When I placed it lower - within a few days the colors started to pop again.

 

[jenate20]

I keep mine in the lower part of the tank as well and i have three and all have been doing awesome for over a year now i just suggest regular feedings with chunks of fish to keep them happy I think they do best in the sand because of the light reflecting off the sand is more appealing to them istead of being really close to the top in the rocks just my opinion

 

[Acolin]

One recent study (FAMA?) showed that to replicate the intense natural sunlight conditions on the reef, you would need the equivalent of a 400-watt metal halide hung three feet over a 10-gallon tank! Of course, this would have to be on a continuously variable timer, so that the peak intensity took 6 hours to reach after the lights come on. The peak would last for only 1-3 hours (replicating the intense light and wide spectrum of high noon) and take about 6 hours to diminish. The tank would probably need a chiller big enough for a 100-gallon aquarium to handle such wide temperature fluctuation â€"œ or a 500-gallon reservoir vat.

I think the article concluded that something like a 40-watt bulb, just a few inches over the tank, but on for 10-12 hours daily, would accomplish the same thing…

 

[alizarin]

Acolin - do you remember if that was brightness at near-surface depths?

It's kind of amazing how we can keep all these corals the way we do, so far out of their environment.

 

[Warnberg]

As a followup to the Brain Coral lighting requirement. I moved the brain to a low light (indirect lighting) area of my tank, actually shaded from direct lighting and it is starting to color back up. I figure another 2 to 3 weeks and it will be back to it's normal coloration.

 

[wiszmaster]

hhhmmnnn ... my green brain is 'washing' out in color as well ... but mine is on the sandbed already ... nowhere else to put it.... :-(

 

[Warnberg]

Well, if I am reading things correctly you have 760 watts of T5 lighting in a 150, try to move it under an over hang, somewhere it would get idirect lighting....

JMO

 

[ReefArtist]

Man, under T5's and on the bottom, I'd better watch mine. I just purchased some T5's to mix with my VHO's on my 75G. I'd better easy them into the new lighting.

 

[wiszmaster]

yeah ... :-( ... right now i only have the 6 x 60" tubes up .. haven't put up the 2 x 54w 48" tubes yet for the full ~760w .... so i'd guess currently about 720w or so ... give or take 30w

 

[mattliu]

wow fama concerns me. glad i don't read it anymore. it takes a little more than a 400 watt to duplicate the sun. the sun puts down roughly a kilowatt per square meter. an inefficient 400 watt halide with an extremely limited spectrum relative to the sun pales in comparison.

 

[Acolin]

Perhaps I remember the article wrong, I know the light bulb spectrum does NOT compare to the sun, but are you saying a 400-watt bulb hung three over a 10-gallon tank is NOT enough light for stony corals if it gets brighter for 3-6 hours, stays bright for awhile and then gets dim for 3-6 hours?