How long for Pink Birdsnest to color up?

[Fibinotchi]

I received it about a week ago and it was white from shipping and still hasn't gotten any color. I have 80 watts 10k power compact lighting over a ten gallon perfect water conditions, calcium 450, good alk and mag. The polyps are active and appear to be feeding when I add marine snow. No tissue problems and slowly moved it to the top of the tank, good flow with nothing else near it. No diatoms or anything building up on it. Also have a small led fixture lighting it from an angle with 5 white 5 blue.

 

[Fibinotchi]

Any takers yet? or should I say, bump.

 

[jackson6745]

if it's white keep it in low light. You want it to brown up a little then slowly move it up high to get it pink. Bleached corals have a low population of zooxanthellae and can't handle or need a huge amount of light to become photo-saturated.

 

[Fibinotchi]

I just had a hard time thinking it could bleach in power compact lighting, most everyone says power compact isn't bright enough for sps. That is why I have the extra led spot light.

 

[jackson6745]

I thought you said the shipping stress caused the bleaching? PC's certainly shouldn't bleach an SPS. Not sure how bright the LED is. IMO as long as you have polyp extension it should come back. Feeding with some Oyster Feast will only help it recover/color.

 

[Fibinotchi]

Yes, it arrived white, and hasn't got any color, so I was thinking that pc wouldn't bleach it so it should get color soon.

 

[Fibinotchi]

This is the led I have on it. http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=20601

 

[jackson6745]

That's a cool little light. I may try that out for a small refugium

 

[Fibinotchi]

That is what I initially got it for but don't have my sump or a refugium set up yet. It is cheap, but gets pretty warm. It adds a nice shimmer to the aquarium.

 

[dancewithethan]

Sorry about your birdsnest. To be honest, I don't think you have the kind of light to sustain SPS. your LED light is not strong enough, and it's for mostly the D/D look. as for PC light, forget about it. Aside from your light issue, and if giving the right water conditions, and lighting, most Birdnest should regain their color about 2-4 weeks, some time longer.

Best

 

[Fibinotchi]

Although that may be true, I am hoping it isn't. I do have several different monti in here doing well, I even have to keep them low in the tank because I had one that was near the top start bleaching, but since lowering they are doing well. I know acro is pretty much a no, but I had seen birdsnest do good under less watts per gallon t5. I know that watts per gallon doesn't really mean much, but as I said, my light seems very bright and pretty intense. It is in a homemade canopy with really good reflecters about 4 inches above the tank.

 

[firebirdcrzy]

I too fell you PC light is not going to be sufficient, but it is a small tank. I also had recieved a birdsnest that was white from shipping, It took over a month+ to get color back and now is actually pink with purple polyps. Here is what I did, I kept it fairly low in the tank (running halides) 2 or 3 times a week I dose phyto and oyster feast (cant swear this acctually helped) and just left it alone as to not add more stress. Be patient and as long as the tissue does not start to fall off the color will come back in due time. Good luck to you and I hope everything goes well.