Cyphastrea lighting and flow help

[BigRedReefer MT]

Howdy everyone. I have a cyphastrea coral on order and have read some slightly conflicting information since my initial research. I had read that they prefer moderate light and low to moderate flow but have recently read that they do best in very low light and almost no flow. Just wondering about others experiences so my initial placement doesn't cause any bleaching or other tissue loss. I'm still combating algae growth on a chalice that I bleached by leaving it too far out in the light. ;Facepalm

 

[Retro Reefer]

I have one that’s happy under moderate flow and getting about 130 PAR

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

I have one that’s happy under moderate flow and getting about 130 PAR

So it sounds like yours enjoys moderate light for sure. Did you have to let it adjust to your lighting for a longer than normal period before you could start moving it to it's home?

 

[maroun.c]

All mines are doing great in lower light and from low-medium flow.

 

[Oldreefer44]

I have several that are doing well. Most are in moderate flow and have low to medium light. Seem pretty tolerant of anything but high flow and light.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

All mines are doing great in lower light and from low-medium flow.

Are yours placed just in the lower reaches of your tank or did you place them in shaded areas as well? I read that some place them under rock overhangs and they grow up the rock and out to where the light hits the edge of the overhang.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Mine have direct light from Orphek v4's (100% intensity) at about 30 inches below the lights. Grow rapidly and encrust fully.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

Mine have direct light from Orphek v4's (100% intensity) at about 30 inches below the lights. Grow rapidly and encrust fully.

I'm not very familiar with the orphek lights, do they use a frosted panel to diffuse the light leaving the unit? My Chinese black boxes seem to be able to fry things, even when only 55% of blues And 35% of whites

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

Either way it sounds like to start I should probably turn the lights down a bit and err on the side of caution by placing them in shaded areas. 130 PAR seems to be fairly bright but I wonder how long they had to acclimate and slowly move to that spot.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Always better to be cautious.

 

[maroun.c]

Ones in my tank are on sand towards the front. Large colony left side is under a ledge right side is in the open so ledt side gets lower light and right side gets medium light. Branching cyphastrea above it is under a ledge and growing very slow to the outside. Two other frags are in the front of the tank and not shaded.
You can get an idea about positioning in this shot

colony grown from tiny frag in same location

Couple more in a bit more light growing fine

And a branching one in more shade clearly looking duller and growing way slower u can see it above the colony

Are yours placed just in the lower reaches of your tank or did you place them in shaded areas as well? I read that some place them under rock overhangs and they grow up the rock and out to where the light hits the edge of the overhang.

 

[madweazl]

My opinion, it doesnt matter what you do. They grow like a fricken weed and I wish I never bought them. I've had them in 100 PAR (meteor shower that was green with orange polyps in low PAR and turn blue with pink polyps in higher PAR) and have some in about 350 PAR at the moment (not sure how this patch got there...). Flow in our tank has always been high (acropora dominant) so that is of no factor. Do not place them on your main structure unless that is all you want to see. They grow up and over acropora like it's just a piece of rock. I recommend placing it on it's own little rock island far from anything. Rotten stuff but it's attractive.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

Ones in my tank are on sand towards the front. Large colony left side is under a ledge right side is in the open so ledt side gets lower light and right side gets medium light. Branching cyphastrea above it is under a ledge and growing very slow to the outside. Two other frags are in the front of the tank and not shaded.
You can get an idea about positioning in this shot

colony grown from tiny frag in same location

Couple more in a bit more light growing fine

And a branching one in more shade clearly looking duller and growing way slower u can see it above the colony

Yeah, you can definitely see the branching one trying to move further out for some more light. ItsItjot creeping up the rockwork oroeven heading towardstthe inner part. That colony is gorgeous, and I love your aquascape.

My opinion, it doesnt matter what you do. They grow like a fricken weed and I wish I never bought them. I've had them in 100 PAR (meteor shower that was green with orange polyps in low PAR and turn blue with pink polyps in higher PAR) and have some in about 350 PAR at the moment (not sure how this patch got there...). Flow in our tank has always been high (acropora dominant) so that is of no factor. Do not place them on your main structure unless that is all you want to see. They grow up and over acropora like it's just a piece of rock. I recommend placing it on it's own little rock island far from anything. Rotten stuff but it's attractive.

And 350 par tells me that they can certainly be tolerant of light if they are thriving at those numbers. I guess it just depends on getting them acclimated to that amount of light.

Thanks for the info everybody. I guess I was just stressing for nothing. And as far as growing like a weed, I guess I'd prefer cyphastrea everywhere compared to zoa's and palys.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

Sorry about the deplorable grammar and spelling. My phone has a cracked screen. Likes to type all sorts of wierd crap.