Red Planet Growth
- Thread starter LawmanRob
- Start date
BuckeyeTodd
New member
doesn't look like red planet either
LawmanRob
SPS Addict
Thanks Mock, I've never seen negative posts like this? In person the color is just fine, the green pocciliopora next to is supper green and the Acro in the bacround is yellow and purple, but in the pic the colors are just not coming through. As for PE none of my acros have much while the Main lights are on, once all the lights are off they all have great PE. But thanks for the negative comments anyways. Guess that'll teach me to post here.
RynosReef
New member
I feel you man. That was totally unnecessary. It looks great man. I take pics of my corals every month to see how much they've grown. It's a great feeling to see them growing! It means your doing something right lol! Which in this hobby, especially with sps, it's difficult to know when you are doing something right. Great shots man.
Znut Reefer
Premium Member
Looks great and looks like the red planet. Good vertical growth too. 
It should start growing faster now.
It should start growing faster now.
Mock
Saltwater Junkie
Anthony Calfo was recently in a LONG thread on another site that goes in depth on PE... Those of you who think PE is a good thing might want to check up on it.
Healthy corals do not always have good PE
Figured I would just quote it....
"Flow is only a mild influence in some cases (LPS receiving too much flow will stay retracted for safety, lest vessicles get torn from their bodies...LOL).
No...polyp extension is more about food/waste dynamics. Catching food, catching light (to an extent, as with the aforementioned panning for light all corals do in lower light environs), purging waste, etc
And keep in mind that one's hardware above the tank is not the end of the story. Just because the lights are big and bad doesn't mean they are good. A slight discoloration to the water from lack of carbon, ozone and or water changes can absolutely CRIPPLE light penetration at depth. So a bright looking fixture could still fail to support corals if the water its illuminating isn't maintained.
Also, a small amount of dust or debris, salt crust, etcetera on the bulbs or lenses is likewise crippling to light penetration.
For whatever reason, if the light doesnt reach the corals, they will stretch and pan for it in an attempt to spread out zoox and catch more of the weakly available light.
Same goes for feeding. If corals don't get enough food/nitrogen, they will starve and also stretch polyps with the hope of increasing their chances of catching prey or trapping more debris in the high surface area of mucous covered tissue.
Another reason is to purge waste. But also purge debris. A particularly scummy mfg sells a "coral supplement" that is basically fine sand packaged in the South Pacific and sold in overpriced little jars. It is insoluble calcium carbonate!!! But it claims to benefit corals and improve polyp extension. Only one of those two things is true...and that's still not good. This coral sand/powder is sediment(!) that sticks to coral tissues and they have to expand to slough it off! That is biologically expensive to an animal already not getting peak bacterioplankton, zooplankton, etc
When I see big polyp expansion, I'm usually looking to see whats wrong. Its usually not a healthy sign. Prime example in the every day is the sps enthusiasts that keep zero nitrates, a low fish load, no DSB and no other significant means of delivering nutrition to their corals. As such, those frags pan for light for some months (even over a year if enough fish waste lets them hang in long enough) before they ?mysteriously" die and the sps keeper is puzzled. I'm just puzzled that they are puzzled. LOL"
Healthy corals do not always have good PE
Figured I would just quote it....
"Flow is only a mild influence in some cases (LPS receiving too much flow will stay retracted for safety, lest vessicles get torn from their bodies...LOL).
No...polyp extension is more about food/waste dynamics. Catching food, catching light (to an extent, as with the aforementioned panning for light all corals do in lower light environs), purging waste, etc
And keep in mind that one's hardware above the tank is not the end of the story. Just because the lights are big and bad doesn't mean they are good. A slight discoloration to the water from lack of carbon, ozone and or water changes can absolutely CRIPPLE light penetration at depth. So a bright looking fixture could still fail to support corals if the water its illuminating isn't maintained.
Also, a small amount of dust or debris, salt crust, etcetera on the bulbs or lenses is likewise crippling to light penetration.
For whatever reason, if the light doesnt reach the corals, they will stretch and pan for it in an attempt to spread out zoox and catch more of the weakly available light.
Same goes for feeding. If corals don't get enough food/nitrogen, they will starve and also stretch polyps with the hope of increasing their chances of catching prey or trapping more debris in the high surface area of mucous covered tissue.
Another reason is to purge waste. But also purge debris. A particularly scummy mfg sells a "coral supplement" that is basically fine sand packaged in the South Pacific and sold in overpriced little jars. It is insoluble calcium carbonate!!! But it claims to benefit corals and improve polyp extension. Only one of those two things is true...and that's still not good. This coral sand/powder is sediment(!) that sticks to coral tissues and they have to expand to slough it off! That is biologically expensive to an animal already not getting peak bacterioplankton, zooplankton, etc
When I see big polyp expansion, I'm usually looking to see whats wrong. Its usually not a healthy sign. Prime example in the every day is the sps enthusiasts that keep zero nitrates, a low fish load, no DSB and no other significant means of delivering nutrition to their corals. As such, those frags pan for light for some months (even over a year if enough fish waste lets them hang in long enough) before they ?mysteriously" die and the sps keeper is puzzled. I'm just puzzled that they are puzzled. LOL"
JaneG
New member
All the really healthy SPS tanks I have seen at least have moderate PE...IMO a total lack of PE (or very little) is a worse sign than ridiculous PE.
Mock
Saltwater Junkie
Yeah man, you dont have a problem with polyp extension... Your corals look great! Keep up the good work man. Dont let people get under your skin here... make sure then ones you are listening to are the right ones... Not everyone here is a reef expert but some know more than others.
tankaddict
New member
Good growth to me man. Some corals will stay dormant for awhile and just take off. Color is pretty good also probably better in person.
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