What coral(s) would you put there?

[sooju]

I have a large flat rock that is mid-way up the tank and directly below the sump return - so I'm looking for something that needs moderate lighting and can handle high flow. Suggestions?

 

[melosu58]

Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Cauliflower Colt Coral

One that I have
Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Aquariums: Cabbage Leather Corals

Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Devil's Hand Leather Coral

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+600+652&pcatid=652

Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Green Finger Leather Coral

Just a few suggestions

 

[pat8you]

I think a nice frogspawn or torch would look good there.

 

[sooju]

I think a nice frogspawn or torch would look good there.

I have another spot in mind for a frogspawn or torch - I think this flat rock is too high flow for those!

 

[melosu58]

I agree that a LPS coral like a frogspawn it would not be a good area if it is high flow area. The high flow might cause tissue damage which inturn would cause brown jelly disease on the coral.

 

[Ziggy953]

Well if you had a little more light I would suggest an SPS. With PC lighting I don't think that would be a good idea.

 

[sooju]

Well if you had a little more light I would suggest an SPS. With PC lighting I don't think that would be a good idea.

Some day...*sigh*

 

[Ziggy953]

You could try some Digitata or a lower light Acro. I can't tell how high up that rock is in your tank and how high off the water your lights are. You could try an Acro frag and see what happens. I kept acros and a few other SPS when I had PC lighting, they just didn't grow like they do now under MH.

 

[sooju]

I can't tell how high up that rock is in your tank and how high off the water your lights are.

The tank is 20" tall so the rock is roughly 10" from the lights. Which acros were happiest in your tank when you had PC lighting? How do I tell which ones need less light? And is digitata the same as what liveaquaria.com calls "digitate acropora"?

 

[Ziggy953]

I have an acro that has been dubbed Ziggy's Acro because I have sold a lot of it over the last couple of years. This acro has grown well in all the lighting conditions my system has gone through. It is actually an ORA Scripps Acro if you want to look that up.

Do you have a link to the coral you are talking about on Liveaquaria?

 

[sooju]

Do you have a link to the coral you are talking about on Liveaquaria?

Sure: Drs. Foster and Smith Diver's Den® - Acropora gemmifera

I was looking in the WYSIWYG section and it looks like they describe the various acros as staghorn, tabling, or digitate. But when I search for "digitata" it looks like that's actually a montipora?

 

[Ziggy953]

Montipora Digitata is what I was talking about. The coral you linked me to is not what I meant.

 

[sooju]

So would something like this work? I'm looking for color
2X1 FHI FARM BRIGHT PINK MONTIPORA DIGITATA-MINI: Extreme Corals

 

[Ziggy953]

Yes that would work but it may not keep that color under your lighting.

 

[melosu58]

That`s why I put the soft corals that I did as I really dont think you have the par or intensity that SPS corals need. JMO

 

[sooju]

Well it certainly wouldn't make sense to add a colorful digitata if it's going to lose its color. I'll stick with the soft corals. Melosu, how come the cabbage leather in your tank is so much prettier than the one on liveaquaria?

 

[heidi]

Hi
A colt coral would be good in those conditions
(Cladieela sp. Colt coral)

 

[melosu58]

Melosu, how come the cabbage leather in your tank is so much prettier than the one on liveaquaria?

Because it`s about 8 yrs old and has grown out alot.

 

[sooju]

Thank you all for your advice. I picked up a nice green finger leather today and it looks great. Can't wait until the regular light shuts off at 9 pm so I can see it in the actinics...

 

[sooju]

Is it normal for a finger leather to look droopy when moved to a new tank? I swear it was taller when I first got it, and it has wrinkles, like elephant legs. It's green and smooth, no polyps.

And it has the most bizarre hitchhiker attached to its base. From searching the web the best I can guess is a spiny oyster, about the size of a nickel.