Pocillopora damicornis conditions

[mattsilvester]

Hi All,

Reading about this coral I understand it preferes medium to strong lighting and flow.

I am a bit ignorant - and SPS newbie really - so what constitutes "medium".

My tank is 24" deep, lighting is 400W SE 20k MH with icecap ballasts and Lumenmax refelctors.

So to equate "medium" in my tank, would it be fair to say that mid-water will be "medium-to-high", anything in the top half would be "high" and anything in the bottom have "medium-to-low" and nowhere is really "low" unless shaded by rock or another coral.

Thanks,

 

[Amphiprion]

IME, Pocillopora is tolerant of a very large variety of conditions and seems to thrive in most. I'd say those generalizations listed would work just fine, but aren't necessarily absolute. I housed it in lower lighting conditions and very high water motion and it grew. I had some planulae settle on the far side of the tank nearly behind a rock with even lower lighting and low flow--and, of all things, it grew. It is adaptable, clearly, but if you want the most out of growth, higher wter motion seems like the answer, along with decent light. Just acclimate carefully and I don't think you'll have an issue, especially if you start with a frag or small colony.

 

[Alex T.]

Just be aware that this coral will create coral "graffiti" all over the tank if you're successful. It regularly spawned in my tank and was on every single rock surface slowly growing. If you don't want this to happen, stay away from Pocolipora Damicornis.

 

[mattsilvester]

Thanks for the replies - interesting about the spawning issue - can a colony self fertilise?

 

[Finland]

Just be aware that this coral will create coral "graffiti" all over the tank if you're successful.

Ha ha, that is a different way to describe it. I had a very healthy 10-12 in. poci under moderate/high lighting and moderate flow. The coral liked it so much, it left over a hundred "graffiti's" in my tank. They were everywhere. That was one of the reasons I tore down my tank and started over. They look really cool, but can end up being a pest.