acans lighting/placement

[Hyprviperx]

figured id ask everyone on here what lighting do you have for your acans and where are they placed in the tank? mine never seem to do good but im not sure why, and im tired of spending large amounts of $$ and they never seem to grow. also what is your Calcium level at.

 

[Reed639]

Acans Do Best On The Sand.Also I keep my calcium high because if your calicum is high everything tends to grow faster than with a low calcium.
-Reed.

 

[nikesb]

my calcium is 380-420

i get about 2-3 heads a month. the head will form before a skeleton does. but it takes about a year before i consider frags a mini colony. its placed in moderately flow, on the sand bed with a flat piece of rock underneath of the sand bed

 

[nikesb]

i also keep it away from directl light as much as possible. ive had gorgeous rainbow acans turn to brown muck cause of light

 

[Hyprviperx]

Acans Do Best On The Sand.Also I keep my calcium high because if your calicum is high everything tends to grow faster than with a low calcium.
-Reed.

appreciate the info, ill have to drop them down a little bit, the only prob i have with the sand is that my pistol/goby pair will most likely bury them, but i can always build a wall of live rock to keep him on his side of the tank. thanks again

 

[swannyson7]

They grow pretty well under pretty much any lighting, but they really benefit from target feeding. If you're looking for better coloration they should be in lower light, especially several of the rainbow morphs, which will lose various colors if you place them in higher light. Most people tend to put them on the sandbed

 

[Reed639]

i also keep it away from directl light as much as possible. ive had gorgeous rainbow acans turn to brown muck cause of light

Ya I recently ordered a rainbow acan will It do well in the shadow of a rock maybe.

 

[Hyprviperx]

i also keep it away from directl light as much as possible. ive had gorgeous rainbow acans turn to brown muck cause of light

so do you keep them off to the side or under over hangs?

 

[Reed639]

appreciate the info, ill have to drop them down a little bit, the only prob i have with the sand is that my pistol/goby pair will most likely bury them, but i can always build a wall of live rock to keep him on his side of the tank. thanks again

Ya thats the main reason I have not purchased a goby although they are a great fish they will definatly bury your corals laying on the sand

 

[Reed639]

They grow pretty well under pretty much any lighting, but they really benefit from target feeding. If you're looking for better coloration they should be in lower light, especially several of the rainbow morphs, which will lose various colors if you place them in higher light. Most people tend to put them on the sandbed

Ya I heard they grow the fastest and have the best color when fed directly.

 

[Hyprviperx]

awesome i think i was doing it all wrong i have them about halfway up the tank in full light ill try to change it up when i get home

 

[Hyprviperx]

i do spot feed roe, cyclopeze, and mysis

 

[Reed639]

I believe the main problem your having with your acans is they are in to much direct light you should move them down do the sand and keep target feeding them.They should recover pretty fast if you move them out of direct light

 

[Hyprviperx]

I believe the main problem your having with your acans is they are in to much direct light you should move them down do the sand and keep target feeding them.They should recover pretty fast if you move them out of direct light

thanks again, will do

 

[nikesb]

so do you keep them off to the side or under over hangs?

basically. i have an ati fixture, so im limited where i can put them. theyre on the sides of my aquarium near the front. one of them is completely shaded because it was pure brown, and so far its still alive (a month now)

 

[nikesb]

this is the same coral which lost its color under directly lighting, still working on bringing it back

 

[thewackyreefer]

Here are the params I try to shoot for:

Alk - 10dkh
Calc - 450ppm
Mag - 1400ppm
SG - 1.024

I keep all of my acans on my sand bed, based on what I've read acans prefer less than 200 par. Currently mine are under LED's that are far too strong so some of them have gone bland but I've got a new less powerful fixture coming in so I hope they'll color up again. I've found that they like all kinds of flow, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

I spot feed them at least once a week once the lights go out and they eat like pigs!

 

[Hyprviperx]

i have had them on the bottom for a few days now and they are looking better, thanks to all who posted.... i was able to shade them with a ball of cheato