Deep water coral placement and flow

[nasotang]

Any advice on placement and flow requirements of deep water SPS?

 

[snorvich]

I have three considered such. I have them under 400 W halides (Radium + Reeflux 10k) about 2/3 of the way down on a 30 inch deep tank. They seem to be doing fine. Flow is moderate but chaotic.

 

[nasotang]

Here's a picture of the deep water coral.
I'm trying to troubleshoot the tissue loss.
I had low alk problems (5.1dKH-1.83med/L) last week and have been slowly raising it back up. Currently 7.0dKH/2.51meq/L.
I also inadvertently adjusted one of my OM8 nozzles so it was pointed slightly towards the coral and about 18in away.

Does the tissue loss look like an issue with the low alk/lighting/too much direct flow?

I have it under 400W (radiums), about 10" below the waters surface.

 

[snorvich]

Well, low ALK and direct flow are not good things. I think that this is a bit too high in the tank as well. Or any way, mine do well considerably lower.

 

[nasotang]

I moved the coral down lower in the tank and will see how it does.
All the other corals in the tank seem to be doing fine, so it probably was the combination of all 3 issues.

thx

 

[mano1192]

i have my lokoni frag 4" from top under 250w reeflux 12k

 

[kurplunk]

I have mine up high with some of my high light stuff. I seem to get better colors. Although they are only under 8 t5

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[kev apsley]

I'd say start down low than work your way up until you find a happy place

 

[nasotang]

Nice stuff Daniel. Did you get your tank room built?

I had another small frag of a deep water that was green when I got it and when I moved it up higher in the tank it turned more of a deep purple/green. Has anyone else observed this shift in deep water corals depending on how much light the coral received?

Here's another one that started to have purple tips and purple base until I moved it down in the tank.

I've moved the one that was having some tissue loss lower in the tank until I get my Alk in control, then I might move it up slowly like others have suggested.
thx all for the help.

 

[myzislow]

All of my "deepwater" species are in hi light and do great. When I moved a dustins deepwater frag down low it lost all its color and browned out very fast. IME, just because the coral is of a deep water species, does not necessarily mean the coral will prefer lower light levels. From what I've gathered, the term "deep water" applies to corals of a smooth skinned nature(simplex, echinita, carolina, turaki, lokani etc.), with a larger degree of spacing in between the coralites. I could be totally wrong though.

 

[nasotang]

I've kinda noticed the same thing with the color shift. It's just and observation though.

myzislow- do you have pictures that show the difference in the coral depending on placement?

I've also noticed that they seem to be the first to show signs of stress when something goes off in my tank while everything else looks fine. I've been having alk issues since my ca reactor is on the fritz.

 

[kurplunk]

I think all of my deepwaters started out either green or pink when i first got tem. The turaki at the bottom was the same color as your green dw. And no never got to the room. Change of plans cause i have son coming in July.

 

[ezcompany]

it really depends on your definition of deep water.
a lot of deep water are found in 20 feet of water, while some are true deep waters such as suharsonois and elegans.
my elegans started losing tissue when i placed it in a moderate flow/light area, after fragging it i moved it where its in the shade but still gets decent flow, and it likes it better there.

my lokani did not like high light at all and browned under it. after moving it to the side its starting to develop good purple tips.

 

[McNichol]

You could always try fragging about 3 pieces of your coral and then placing them at different spots in your tank, then just wait and see which place works best.

 

[ezcompany]

thats exactly what i did

 

[johnnybravo234]

"Deep water" seems to be nothing more than a label for most corals. I find that many "deep water" acros love a lot of light. IME lokani does best in high light locations.

 

[nasotang]

Daniel- Congrats on the upcoming baby. Just make sure you don't name him like "Turaki" or "Lokani" or something reef related. not sure if your wife would agree.

I did frag a 1" piece when I first noticed the tissue loss. It's in the middle of the tank on a frag tray and is aquablue. I've moved the colony down to ~20" below the waters surface and half of it's in the shade. I'm slowly raising the ALK with super buffer dKH and it's now at 7.4. No more noticible tissue loss. I'll see how it does there and note any color change.