new coral placement help needed

[mellowhead]

This is my first attempt at this level of coral. I am no rookie, but cannot honestly say I am in my own territtory. I have been reading these sites for about a month or so in regards to SPS..years on other stuff I guess after seeing some of the SPS tanks around here I am hooked.:lol: Anyway, now I am faced with the placement of these new additions http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19330 and I am finding myself not exactly sure where to do so. I know I want to plan for normal habitat light intensities, growth and growth patterns, water current force, etc... I have heard to stay away from gluing them to the live rock so I can move if necessary. Some say affix to a plug and use that to secure in or between rockwork. After reading I would tend to agree, unless I am missing something I haven't thought about. I would love to hear from Kevin the SPS Guy as you seem VERY knowledgable and have excellent looking livestock and/or anyone else that could offer some assistance for the placement of these new corals.

If this info is needed:
Lights are 2x250 XM 10K (currently only one running) and 2x175 Hamilton 14K all under spider reflectors with PFO ballasts.

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
Placement is not as critical as letting the coral adapt to its location. The table (A. cytherea/hyacinthus) likes high flow and current as do A. millepora.

Corals are very adaptable to a wide variety of lighting and flow. On average if you want the coral to be lighter in color then place it higher in the tank and lower if you want it darker. Most SPS will like strong alternating current. The exception would be very thin branching corals, but even they will adapt to strong current by growing much thicker branches than usual.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[mellowhead]

Hello,
Placement is not as critical as letting the coral adapt to its location. The table (A. cytherea/hyacinthus) likes high flow and current as do A. millepora.

Corals are very adaptable to a wide variety of lighting and flow. On average if you want the coral to be lighter in color then place it higher in the tank and lower if you want it darker. Most SPS will like strong alternating current. The exception would be very thin branching corals, but even they will adapt to strong current by growing much thicker branches than usual.

HTH,
Kevin

much appreciated!! When you say lighter and darker in color, do you mean lighter = less color..or?...and darker = brown, or more color? Also when you said high flow and current is this not one in the same or do they differ? Or did you mean high light and current? Also these frags are unmounted so I will have to mount to either rock rubble or plugs and then place into rockwork. Can this be done all at once?

Thanks Again, MH

 

[kevinpo]

Regarding color they darken but retain their color except in extremes in either direction. For example A. valida turns brown in low light and cream with purple tips in very high light. It will be all purple in just the right amount of light

The table (A. cytherea/hyacinthus) likes high flow and current as do A. millepora.

:| I meant high light and flow :lol:

You can mount them to rocks/plugs so you can move them around to find the best location. Once you find the best spot just break them off the rock/plug and glue them to directly to the rockwork. If some tissue remains on the rock/plug you are on your way to a new frag

Regards,
Kevin

 

[mellowhead]

Once you find the best spot just break them off the rock/plug and glue them to directly to the rockwork. If some tissue remains on the rock/plug you are on your way to a new frag

Regards,
Kevin

Cool, but how would one go about breaking it off of the rock? And what if it was attched to a rock you could not take out of your tank with out destroying your aquascaping? They are all looking sooo good with great polyp extension, except for the one little guy, but it still has the color If you remember my pics I would love to know what is number 2, the one with the ??. It has amazing lines and little polyps and a hue of green I cannot wait to mount all of these. I am trying for tomorrow. I will also have some temp questions as I cannot keep up with it very effectively. What would you recommend besides a chiller:doubt:

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
A pair of needle nose pliers works well. I also use pruning shears. I just ordered some stainless steel coral cutters from Via Aqua. I saw them at a show and they looked very cool.
Evaporative cooling is the most cost effective way to cool at tank except in very humid climates. It also allows you to drip more kalkwasser than you normally would. I don't worry about temperature until 83F. I've had a few corals start to RTN at 84F. 78F is my target temperature.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[mellowhead]

Hello,
A pair of needle nose pliers works well. I also use pruning shears. I just ordered some stainless steel coral cutters from Via Aqua. I saw them at a show and they looked very cool.
Evaporative cooling is the most cost effective way to cool at tank except in very humid climates. It also allows you to drip more kalkwasser than you normally would. I don't worry about temperature until 83F. I've had a few corals start to RTN at 84F. 78F is my target temperature.

Regards,
Kevin

Thanks Again,
MH