Fungia changing color??

[miyzfrider]

I recently purchased a fungia that is about the size of a CD, from some fellow reefers. This is my first plate coral.

The first photo below is the one I took, just after I put it in my tank about 8 days ago. The second one I just took. Probably on the third day I had it, it lost the dark tint to its tentacles and became much lighter. I also notice that the white skeletal ridges are much more pronounced now and jagged.

At first I freaked out thinking it may be dying, but over the past week, it has continue to look like that, yet appears healthy otherwise. Its tentacles are out then in for a bit, then out again. It has eaten a few times (Oyster Feast). My water parameters are

kH - 8-8.5
pH - 8.3
Temp 78-79
Salinity 1.026
Amm - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0

I don't have test kits for anything else. My 90g tank is also about 3 months old. Other inhabitants are two zoa frags, a trumpet coral, 8 mushrooms, GSP, two ocellaris clowns, royal gramma and assorted snails. All other inhabitants seem to be fine.

Lights are 4x54w T5's. All 4 are on for 8 hours, two are on for 11 hours total.

I do know the water it came from in the other tank had a yellowish tint to it, so maybe that was part the cause?

So I'm just wondering if either plate corals just change color with conditions or if the move just caused it to do it, maybe due to different flow or water patterns.

This is my first plate coral, so I just don't have any experience to go on. If this looks unhealthy, what should I do considering the other tank mates look ok?

Any thoughts?

Here it is day one in my tank.

Here it is today (about 8 days later). Again it began to look this color about day 3.

 

[greech]

Water conditions and changes in lighting can definitely chage the color of a coral. I don't think there is any reason to be worried but I would keep and eye on it as you would any new addition. What kind of lighting was it under previously and how far was it from that light? Since a 90 is a fairly deep tank, my guess is it is getting less light than before.

 

[miyzfrider]

It was a 29G biocube. They had a 4 light T5 fixture as well, but two ft vs 4 ft bulbs, so I'm not sure what the wattage difference is. Definitely a different amount of light and flow though as their tank was much heavier stocked and established.

 

[greech]

That's going to be the difference. While not irrelevent, length/wattage of the bulbs is not as significant in this case as the height of the previous aquarium and the distance the coral was to the light source compared to now. What kind of T5 fixture do you have?

I wouldn't do anything right now other than watch it. If the color continues to fade then I might put in a spot where it gets a little more light. I have seen some glue down fungias but I don't like to do that. Mine puffs up like crazy and moves around a bit so gluing it down just seems wrong to me.

I would also continue to feed it a little meaty food now and then. Mine love to eat!

Pretty coral for sure!

 

[miyzfrider]

I really appreciate your insight and help!

My fixture is an Aquatic Life 4 bulb T5 4' fixture. It has a timer, so I can program the fixture per two bulbs and then there is a moonlight 8 LED strip built in and programmable. I only have all 4 bulbs on for 8 hours currently. Two are on for 11 hours, but they are the blue bulbs. The two brighter white (10K) bulbs are the ones on for 8 hours. Do you think that's enough light?

I wasn't sure if the lighting may be too much, so I actually moved the plate over to where it is, which is sort of in the shadow of a rock about 8-9" above it. I can't seem to get clarity on two factors as a relatively new reef keeper.

1. What type of lighting is a 4 bulb T5 (54w) fixture going to create at the bottom of a 90gallon tank? (low?, moderate?) Or what about 10" below the water line at the top of my LR?

2. What type and intensity of lighting does a plate need?

Again, thanks for the info! I'll try to feed it again tonight just after the moonlights come on.

 

[greech]

That's a good fixture but the bulbs that come stock in these are the Current brand fixtures are not the best. may want to look into some ATI or Geisemann bulbs down the road.

1. Low on the sandbed. You probably wouldn't want to put the plate at 10" below the water (at least not right away).
2 Low to moderate seems to be the best for them.

My LFS has a 90 and they ran a 4 bulb over it for years with a lot of success with LPS everywhere in the tank including plates on the snadbed.

You may end up wanting to move it up but I wouldn't just yet if it were my coral.

Also FWIW, here is a pic of my similar plate under a 4 bulb T5 but my tank is only 16" tall where as I believe yours is 24?

 

[miyzfrider]

Yeah, the LFS offered me a swap to ATI bulbs right away, so I took them up on the offer and now have 4 ATI bulbs in there. They said the same thing as what you're saying.

Very nice looking tank! I've begun to read more about Acans and love the way those look. I can't wait to get more stuff in mine.

Here is mine as it stands. Still getting it fully setup as far as equipment. You can see I have Koralias in there right now. I have a Tunze 6105 on the way, which I need because the Koralias just aren't giving me the flow pattern I need to keep things moving properly I am going to start with one, but figure a second will be added down the road.

Thanks again for the insight! I'll just keep watching the plate and see how it does.

 

[miyzfrider]

Just another question, how would I move the plate up if that's the issue? Just set it on a rock? Doesn't it need to be on the sandbed? Beginning to wonder if I made a mistake on the 4 bulb fixture. I wonder if I could somehow retrofit another 2 bulbs in there. Hmmmm..... :headwally:

 

[greech]

That's the problem with moving them up and why I suggested not trying it unless you absolutely had to. Looks like there is more direct light in the center and right along the sand. If you think you should give it more light in a few days, I would just inch it over.

Really nice looking 90! Love the rockwork. You'll like the tunze a lot. I have one with my MP-10 after previously running 2 Koralia 1050s and can't believe I waited as long as I did to upgrade. Flow is significantly better with these pumps.

6 bulbs would definitely be nicer with the depth you have but you can make the 4 work.

 

[miyzfrider]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to the new pump. From what I have read, you can't go wrong with either the Tunze or Ecotech pumps.

Just fed the plate some Oyster Feast and Mysis and it ate it up. So I think it's ok, just still getting adjusted.

Thanks again for the help!