Candycane placement

[trinidiver]

I have a candycane with about 7 heads and i have problems with placement.
Now the thing is its growing, but when i had it low to the sand or high or midway up to the light, it was never puffy like how i see it in pics or at the LFS. In the night though, all the feeder tentacles are out as normal. All my parameters are very good.

Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphates 0
Cal 460
alk 9
Salinity 1.026
temp 79F

The tank is running close to a year now with multiple types of corals (LPS, leathers and zoas) which are growing very good and open. Of my 20+ types of corals in the tank, this candycane is the slowest and is not open. I'm thinking of replacing it with another coral from my LFS like a green rasta leather. Any help on the candycane will be a great help

 

[The Rio Reef]

I am having a similar issue, waiting on reply from the experts

 

[trinidiver]

^^^ have you tried anything else different?

 

[BamBam17]

Mine started at 5 heads (plus 1 nearly dead head)...for months never opened when it was towards the bottom. I moved it up to about 1/3 from top and after about a year has literally 60-70 heads, very puffy, and tentacles out every night. Running 4 lamp t-5 HO in 24" deep tank

 

[trinidiver]

^^^^^^ ok cool. I'll see if i drop it away from the light and see what happens

 

[ianjirka]

^^^^^^ ok cool. I'll see if i drop it away from the light and see what happens

Yeah, the lower I place mine the puffier it gets. Not sure what is best for the health of the coral though. Mine seems to grow just fine in either case.

-Ian

 

[chucko]

Ive also got a 4 bulb T5 light in a 20" tank. Whenever mine is close the top or midway up, it tends to shink...put it on the bottom and it opens up and looks much better.

 

[trinidiver]

thanks

 

[JHawlz9989]

I had issues with mine as well, and when I began feeding it regularly (every day), it really began to get inflated and stay inflated, even when I quit feeding it all the time. These corals seem to need a kick start some times...

Josh

 

[Bradshaww]

My candy cane is under 4 t5hos as well however it was only in a 20 long so it was only 13 in deep on the sand bed. Had similar problems as you and lowered my salinity from 1.026 to 1.023 because of some advice from a fellow reefer and saw decent improvement in how much it would open

 

[kingfisher62]

Find a space with moderate lighting and moderate flow and just leave it. I used to waste a lot of time moving mine from space to space but I found if I just let it be it will acclimate and become fully inflated.
Trust me! I have colonies all over my tank.This green candycane was my first lps and definitely my most prolific .

 

[trinidiver]

i'M NOT AT HOME RIGHT NOW SO WHEN I GET HOME OVER THE WKEND I'LL DO IT....THANKS

 

[kingfisher62]

See, there ya go!
LOL , You are already thinking of moving it again.
Just let it be!

 

[trinidiver]

its not that, its just that i have it in high lighting at the moment......... about 12" from the light. My tank is 30" high

 

[Jim.mer]

Probably my favorite LPS, They come in a lot of colours, The Neon green is awesome and the Red striped is sweet, I agree lower light with moderate flow.

 

[kingfisher62]

what do you have for lighting trinidiver?

 

[MNewman]

What lights do you run? I have 250w MHs and my candycanes love it on the sand bed.

 

[trinidiver]

what do you have for lighting trinidiver?

Its a 72" Current USA hood with 8 X39W - HO T5's (12,000K) with 4 purple actinics and 2- 4ft truelumens Deepwater Blue - sharp 453nm LED's.
My tank is 72" X 24"W X 30"H. I have acans, brains, scollies, lobo's which are all on the sand bed. My frogspawns are lower than where i have the candycanes

 

[frankyrivera]

I have mine about 12" from the top and it looks like this I don't even feed it just leave it still it will be ok

 

[Brisk]

been searching on why mine is not doing well, I'm going to try move it to the sand bed and maybe even party shaded because my led lights are quite bright