sps above water

[Mimi]

does it harm sps to be above water and exposed to air for the time it takes to do a water change?

 

[gflat65]

Generally speaking, no. If too long, I've seen lightening of the tissue, but usually not long term issues. Be careful of heat from lighting, as the water provides a good bit of protection.

 

[CoralBandit]

+1, no problem usually but if you have your halides blaring down on them it might be a good idea to turn them off for peace of mind

 

[suttumlikapimp]

corals survive for hours out of water in low tide.

 

[Mimi]

yes they do survive out of water in nature but nature dosnt pay for them

 

[mpoletti]

They are also used to it in nature, not in a closed system ;)

I try to turn of my main lights when I'm doing a water change. I try to limit it to under an hour.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

They are also used to it in nature, not in a closed system ;)

I try to turn of my main lights when I'm doing a water change. I try to limit it to under an hour.

Your sps are exposed for up to an hour? Good to know if so. I struggle with having to leave my little, tiny, baby, infant, fraggy, sticks out of water for 5 min.

I usually use a turkey baster and keep wetting them down so often.

 

[Paul_N]

Your sps are exposed for up to an hour? Good to know if so. I struggle with having to leave my little, tiny, baby, infant, fraggy, sticks out of water for 5 min.

I usually use a turkey baster and keep wetting them down so often.

Gotta love the overprotective parent....:wink:

 

[tangdiver]

under 30 mins w/o light is the way I go.

 

[650-IS350]

When I do water changes 1/3rd to 1/2 of the tank water, I take out the old water, lights are out and most of the sps are out of the water and exposed to air for 30-1 hr. while I'm doing work and placing water in the tank, I just turkey baste tank water over the corals every 10mins or so while they're exposed. been doing this for a long time now, now issues. all my SPS are mostly on the top part of the rock work.

 

[ReeferBen]

Why does it take everyone so long to get water back in the tank? I do 50 gal water changes. I just use a 1" hose suck out 50 gal, attach the hose to my mixing pump in the new saltwater and refill. At most they are exposed for 5 minutes. If I am trying to clean detritus up or w/e I just put a filter sock in the sump and use a smaller diameter tubing to syphon from the DT to the filter sock in the sump and don't have to turn any thing off. Even with small amounts of time exposed to air my SPS slime up like crazy and make a mess, especially my slimmer colony throws slime all over the tank.

 

[aerius007]

Here, maybe this video will keep your basters put away. I could imagine heat from a halide would hurt though so turn them off.

YouTube - Corals at low tide Fiji