sun coral shade
- Thread starter rayn
- Start date
SWINGRRRR
Premium Member
"""Do They Have To Be Mounted/Kept in the Dark?
This is a common misnomer regarding large polyp NPS coral, and the answer (with some restrictions) is no! Most of the large polyp NPS coral we see (Tubastrea and Dendrophyllia) are outcompeted by photosynthetic coral in that they grow sooo much slower than their photosynthetic counterparts and are overgrown by them, therefore they must reside in the depths. I have personally seen Tubastrea faulkneri while diving with polyps fully open in bright sunlight in only ten feet of water! Also, in nature these corals are obviously not spot fed by a turkey baster, they rely on Zooplankton and other small critters to feed on, which only come out of the rocks at night! This is why many newly imported large polyp NPS corals will only extend their polyps at night. On that note however, surprisingly some NPS are light sensitive, take Balanophyllia Sp. for example. Any of them that are light sensitive should be kept in a very low light tank, or under overhangs so you can still enjoy the beauty of them when they open. One well known hobbyist even stated that her Balanophyllia closes up (after open once the lights are off) if she turns the TV on in the same room!""""
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1719839
This is a common misnomer regarding large polyp NPS coral, and the answer (with some restrictions) is no! Most of the large polyp NPS coral we see (Tubastrea and Dendrophyllia) are outcompeted by photosynthetic coral in that they grow sooo much slower than their photosynthetic counterparts and are overgrown by them, therefore they must reside in the depths. I have personally seen Tubastrea faulkneri while diving with polyps fully open in bright sunlight in only ten feet of water! Also, in nature these corals are obviously not spot fed by a turkey baster, they rely on Zooplankton and other small critters to feed on, which only come out of the rocks at night! This is why many newly imported large polyp NPS corals will only extend their polyps at night. On that note however, surprisingly some NPS are light sensitive, take Balanophyllia Sp. for example. Any of them that are light sensitive should be kept in a very low light tank, or under overhangs so you can still enjoy the beauty of them when they open. One well known hobbyist even stated that her Balanophyllia closes up (after open once the lights are off) if she turns the TV on in the same room!""""
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1719839
Well when I got my sun coral I read allsorts and one of the things I read repeatedly was in a cave or at bottom of tank. Now I tried this and it wouldn't open after about a month I was starting to get worried as because it wouldn't open I couldn't feed it.
Well I tried moving it around the tank keeping to low light areas nothing. Then I read that it wasn't a case of they don't LIKE light its just they don't NEED light. This is why they are found in caves in nature. I also read at the same place they like a fairly strong (but not direct) flow.
So I put it about 4 inch from the top under a double T5 strip (one white one blue) It partially came out in about a hour of being there. Enough for me to get some food in it anyway. It didn't take long for it to start opening fully every evening and does so while the lights are on. It will open up anytime I put food in particularly if it is cyclop-eeze (it loves that stuff)
So in conclusion I would say light doesn't matter but if give them a good water flow (but not overpowering) and food they will come out.
I can't remember what the website was but despite people keeping tetting me it wants low light, it is doing great near the top so as it is happy it is staying where it is.
Well I tried moving it around the tank keeping to low light areas nothing. Then I read that it wasn't a case of they don't LIKE light its just they don't NEED light. This is why they are found in caves in nature. I also read at the same place they like a fairly strong (but not direct) flow.
So I put it about 4 inch from the top under a double T5 strip (one white one blue) It partially came out in about a hour of being there. Enough for me to get some food in it anyway. It didn't take long for it to start opening fully every evening and does so while the lights are on. It will open up anytime I put food in particularly if it is cyclop-eeze (it loves that stuff)
So in conclusion I would say light doesn't matter but if give them a good water flow (but not overpowering) and food they will come out.
I can't remember what the website was but despite people keeping tetting me it wants low light, it is doing great near the top so as it is happy it is staying where it is.
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rayn
New member
I've moved mine since first asking this. They went from full light to partial light under a overhang. I also have changed my flow. Went from two tunze to two tunze facing the front, one k3 straight across, and on k4 angled towards the front. Major flow change and the are out much more now.
Im working on upgrading the powerheads though and adding a pulsing wavemaker to the mix.
Im working on upgrading the powerheads though and adding a pulsing wavemaker to the mix.
I think flow is the key with them to get honest. Once they are happy with the flow it gets easier. I didn't find it till after I had got it opening for the mysis shimp but I was amazed at how mine responded to cyclop-eeze I not trying to sell you it but it really opens them up fully.
I don't accually know what the stuff is to be honest but it is a powder and comes in a tin so will last ages. One thing I am sure of if it works even if everyone says otherwise it is best to keep doing it.
I don't accually know what the stuff is to be honest but it is a powder and comes in a tin so will last ages. One thing I am sure of if it works even if everyone says otherwise it is best to keep doing it.
Here is a pic of my sun this is taken without a flash and tank lights on. Btw that half a polyp got damaged when I was blow torching some hydriods it nothing ti do with anything else :rollface:
http://img6.imageshack.us/i/10007443.jpg
http://img6.imageshack.us/i/10007443.jpg
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