green birds nest

[gene71495]

I recently added a green birds nest to my tank. The polyps were green in the persons tank that I purchased it from. When I added it to my tank the polyps immediately turned white. Also, a few of my zoanthids and anemones appear to have lost color.

They are under two 14K 150 watt metal halides in a 58 gallon tank. My water parameters are:

pH 8.2
Temp 80
alkalinity 8.4 dKH
calcium 405
magnesium 1450
nitrite, nitrate, ammonia 0
specific gravity 1.028


Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[wfournier]

I'm not an expert on this but my thoughts are that depending on placement it might be getting too much light. I picked up a Green birdsnest from someone and the polyps were white, it was about 3/4 of the way up in his tank under T5s, the mother colony was on the sandbed and looked awesome. I put it in my tank under a 70w halide about in the middle height wise (under ~7" of water). It started to color up, I moved it down to near the bottom and it has continued to get better color.

I'm sure someone will chime in with more experience, but those are just my thoughts.

 

[swhaley40]

I agree with fournier..both my pink and green bird's nest like the sandbed. Best color and growth for me.

 

[gene71495]

Thanks

Thanks

Right now it is placed on the rock at middle height. I will move it to the bottom and see how it likes it. Is 10 hrs a good light duration?

 

[H.a.Z]

You should fix your specific gravity anyhow.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

Sp Gr is definitely too high

 

[ptr13]

Gradually move the coral up to the light,always move it down to the bottom just as a precaution. As you would do coming home from the petshop,place corals at bottom so you will not shock the corals and they need time to accomodate.

 

[ptr13]

It seems like it may be too much light,is the light fixture right on top of the tank? Maybe hang the light from the ceiling to give it distance,seems like too much light that its bleaching everything. You need to give it some depth and decrease the light exposure to just four hours MH a day,thats all they need. look up photoinhibition,save the corals and energy,hopethis helps.

 

[flamron]

I actually don't mind running my SG around 1.0265-1.0275, so I'd say while 1.028 is high, it is nothing to be super concerned about.

 

[jdhuyvetter]

New addition. If it was coming out of lower SG, that might be the cause of the stress.

 

[flamron]

Depending on the acclimation procedure - I'd still lower it to 1.025-26 and call it a day.

 

[cmc0814]

I run my SG at 1.027. I like it better up there.

 

[marke]

Here is a small frag, its placed mid to top of tank under 400mh lamps plus t-5's. I am not convinced your problem is too much light. Your water parameters look good, but keep checking them, you may have had a problem 1 week before you tested thats just showing up. good luck.

 

[chris4869]

I think it's getting too much light, or not enough trace elements.

 

[Racenrich]

FWIW....that coral looks like a Stylophora...not a birdnests.
All in all, growing well, id leave it alone and let nature takes it course.
they grow like weeds....!