lighting for hammer coral

[kypatriot]

I just got a green hammer coral with purple tips, and want to be sure I place it well in my tank.

The tank is a 40g and has two 250w SE MH's (using Reeflux 12k's). The coral is currently 14" from the water surface, and the light is 7" above the water.

From the shape of the rocks & other corals, this is the best place, but I wanted to be sure it's not too deep to get enough light to thrive.

 

[cloak]

I think it's got more than enough light. A good thing. You can always move it down in the tank.

Hammer with purple tips sounds more like a frogspawn to me. Maybe not.

 

[SDguy]

IMO that is plenty/too much light. I would start it at the bottom of your tank, and slowly move up. I've kept these corals under PC's before.

 

[kypatriot]

Thanks guys!

The guy I got them from had them under halides too, and they're about 5" off the bottom now. I know the 2x250's sounds like a lot, but the tank has a black center brace on the top that casts a big shadow.

It's good to know they'd be OK under PC - my wife would like for them to be in our other tank, which is a 135g with 576w PC. If they're likely to be OK under that, I might move them to that tank.

Thanks for correcting me on the ID too. I thought the ends looked more flattened, so I mis-IDed. Here's a pic:

 

[SDguy]

It looks like a Euphyllia paraancora aka branching hammer coral. Fast grower, very hardy. You'll be giving frags away in no time. I've got the brown with green tip version

 

[Lotus99]

I had mine under PCs for a while, and it seemed to do fine near the top of the tank.