REEF OUT OF WATER! Check out this video! Big deal or nah?

Are your corals ever subjected to the open air with no water for water changes or tank maintenance?

  • Yes and I wish I had planned my aquascape better

    Votes: 42 11.6%
  • Yes even though I planned my aquascape for the possibilty

    Votes: 113 31.1%
  • No as I planned for this not to happen

    Votes: 89 24.5%
  • No not yet and I haven't planned for it

    Votes: 95 26.2%
  • Other (please explain in the thread)

    Votes: 24 6.6%

  • Total voters
    363

revhtree

Owner Administrator
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
47,602
Reaction score
85,989
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
1620312887797.png


Ran across this gem of video from @rachelsreef on IG and thought it would make for an interesting QOTD today! She shot this video from @TopShelfAquatics so props to them as well for the amazing system. So let's talk about our coral and them being out of water!

1. Are your corals ever subjected to the open air with no water due to water changes or tank maintenance?

2. How long are you comfortable with allowing your corals to be "out of the water?"

3. Did you plan your aquascape to factor in the probability that your coral may at times be exposed to the open air?


 

Sharkbait19

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
10,833
Reaction score
13,274
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One time I had to glue a frogspawn to a rock so I had to drain the water past the normal amount. Some leathers were out of water for over an hour, and my torch was out of water for 15 mins. I was freaking out the whole time lol

I sometimes wish my aquascape was like an inch lower to account for situations where I’d have to drain water. I wish I planned certain corals to be in different spots, but things have worked out in the end.
 

Conrad Noto

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Messages
239
Reaction score
219
Location
West Palm Beach, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
SPS can be out of water awhile, LPS & Soft Corals dry faster and won't fair well. SPS can pull all soft tissue into skeleton and secrete slim to block holes. If your going to have a leaked out bag at delivery better an sps, has a better survival rate if bag losses water.
 

SteveMM62Reef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2020
Messages
2,201
Reaction score
1,410
Location
La Plata
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a Birds Nest, that is growing off my Overflow. It’s gotten so big, the top part is out of the water, every water change. So far, it has Zero effect on it.
 

Conrad Noto

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Messages
239
Reaction score
219
Location
West Palm Beach, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One time I had to glue a frogspawn to a rock so I had to drain the water past the normal amount. Some leathers were out of water for over an hour, and my torch was out of water for 15 mins. I was freaking out the whole time lol

I sometimes wish my aquascape was like an inch lower to account for situations where I’d have to drain water. I wish I planned certain corals to be in different spots, but things have worked out in the end.
Leather usually don't die from that, the shed. Will look ugly for awhile though.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
View Badges
Joined
Dec 9, 2014
Messages
29,481
Reaction score
23,570
Location
tejas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
my tank routinely is drained 30 mins or so during cleaning, sps and lps mixed. no spraying, total air drain for 30 mins avg.
 

Wick3d_1

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 5, 2014
Messages
190
Reaction score
363
Location
Covington, Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No. Our scape is super low in the tank so if/when we add the few sticks, they have room to grow and remain under the water line. Watching that video, makes me panic. I know they are fine but I stress about the corals stress. Lol
 

Stewgene

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2021
Messages
30
Reaction score
110
Location
Toronto, Canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Agree with most so far. Sps not too much of an issue for 30 mins or so. But with lps and softies I'd be a little more worried. That doesn't mean that I'm not panicking and internally rushing - but sticks at the top during a water change / fragging will be fine in my opinion.
 

BigRedReefer MT

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
239
Reaction score
339
Location
Montana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Voted other because it does happen but only under dire circumstances and with no thought of plan during placement. Only have two corals that the tops come out of the water during a 50% water change. But as they continue to grow there will be more and more of them out of the water.
Luckily it's a short period of time and the battle with gha has been all but won.
 

ApoIsland

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
1,293
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Every water change (once every 3-6 weeks) half my mixed reef corals are exposed to air for 30-45 min. Been doing it this way for 10 years with only the loss of one piece of red monti years ago.

recently i had to tear out 2/3 of the tank to catch a rogue fish and a lot of the corals were exposed for hours with no losses. Zoas, clam, a few sps, lps.

here are some before/during/after pics. No losses.
 

Attachments

  • 986E0365-DA2B-4F0B-9690-972CCD66EE07.png
    986E0365-DA2B-4F0B-9690-972CCD66EE07.png
    830.7 KB · Views: 447
  • CC0DB3F8-F3A8-4486-A8D3-88BB0D16AC6C.png
    CC0DB3F8-F3A8-4486-A8D3-88BB0D16AC6C.png
    813.7 KB · Views: 319
  • B3086089-5479-4BCC-ADF3-637C3D1A306B.png
    B3086089-5479-4BCC-ADF3-637C3D1A306B.png
    862.4 KB · Views: 267
  • 2759702A-C97F-41E4-8A68-F57FCC934BCD.png
    2759702A-C97F-41E4-8A68-F57FCC934BCD.png
    1,012.8 KB · Views: 240
  • BDE14F3F-AAE9-4E25-922C-4BF277A188A6.png
    BDE14F3F-AAE9-4E25-922C-4BF277A188A6.png
    893.9 KB · Views: 244
  • 9B9BA929-C47F-4063-9CFA-08BBA5FFA842.png
    9B9BA929-C47F-4063-9CFA-08BBA5FFA842.png
    913.9 KB · Views: 230
  • 01D604AC-BE7D-4BB7-8BA5-B617D28D1C17.png
    01D604AC-BE7D-4BB7-8BA5-B617D28D1C17.png
    1.5 MB · Views: 374

Epic Aquaculture

The artist formerly known as SawCJack00
View Badges
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Messages
3,118
Reaction score
11,271
Location
Surprise, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've accidentally left a colony out of the water when fragging it. It sat on my work station for 4 hours before I realized it. I put it back in, and it browned out a bit, but recovered within 2 weeks. I'm comfortable with corals being out of the water for up to an hour, after that I would be very concerned. I took this pic during a water change. All corals are out of the water here.

Low Tide.png
 

Gtinnel

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
21,074
Reaction score
29,647
Location
Charleston, WV
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Mine never have been but I wouldn't be worried if they did. I don't have any sps that have grown tall enough to be at the surface of the water and I have an AWC so my water level doesn't fluctuate with a water change anyway. The only time my display water level will drop is when I turn my return pump off and even then it's probably less than an inch difference.
 

Fish Think Pink

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
5,629
Reaction score
25,987
Location
DFW Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
my wishlist includes Miami Vice as I have a spot I'd love to add a coral that will always be out of water during water change
 

Bruce Burnett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 27, 2015
Messages
1,295
Reaction score
979
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Years ago I had a staghorn that grew above the waterline by a good inch. So yes as long as they don't dry out. You can use a spray bottle filled with tank water.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 63 36.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 34.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 24 14.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 15.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top