Whats new???

Saltysteele · Jan 24, 2009

for sure, acans are sweet! I just don't think my water is clean enough for them, that they want to color back up. I got some rainbows from TFG's after the photo seminar you and mike put on, JR, and they seem to be losing color

i bought some polyps at the trop several months ago. they're making babies, but losing color.

but, then, some can't keep them at all. so, time to move on and find the next coral that i can be obsessed with. which, at this time happens to be chalices, with always a close eye out for z&p's. i need to follow jr around, hoping one of those everlasting gobstoppers will fall out of his pocket :snicker:

mak060 · Jan 24, 2009

Maybe we should start a thread on acan care. How high in the tank, feeding, water quality, and overall well-being.

"fall out of his pocket" . . . I can't stop laughing (Junior's Gobs really are that beautiful). Gotta figure out a way to get rare z&p's to grow like the green and brown ones.

But seriously Gary, a nitch in the competition helps, and it's gotta be fun.

Steve

JuniorMC8704 · Jan 24, 2009

acan care: simple as pie

LOW light, lots of blue light, or you wont get all the color variation.

Flow, medium, medium high, pretty much anything.

lol, ive got some about an inch under a vortech at full tilt. They are getting whaled on!

Also, temp, in my opinion shouldnt be over 80, i keep my tank at 78.5, and it stays there nearly all day.

keep in mind people, these are collected in 90 feet of water, so light is low, and the spectrum that is penetrating that depth is nearly all blue. Also, the temp is going to be lower than at the surface, by quite a bit.

Reef Pets · Jan 24, 2009

Sounds like you really like acans but just have a hard time keeping them. From my experience lighting is the key to color. Many times they change to a different color after they enter my tanks. 9 out of 10 times they color up better. They are kept under a dimmable 250 watt 20K metal halide in a lumen bright reflector. I turn the dimmer all the way down which then gives about 200 watts. The light is hung about 24 inches from the water and the coral are 10-12 inches into the water. So, its not bright by no means. They love cold water, all the way down to 60 degrees. I keep my tanks at about 74-75 degrees all year. But, this sometimes is not so easy for some people to do. All of the tanks that I have are in the basement were it stay nice and cool.

Saltysteele said:
for sure, acans are sweet! I just don't think my water is clean enough for them, that they want to color back up. I got some rainbows from TFG's after the photo seminar you and mike put on, JR, and they seem to be losing color i bought some polyps at the trop several months ago. they're making babies, but losing color.

but, then, some can't keep them at all. so, time to move on and find the next coral that i can be obsessed with. which, at this time happens to be chalices, with always a close eye out for z&p's. i need to follow jr around, hoping one of those everlasting gobstoppers will fall out of his pocket :snicker:

Reef Pets · Jan 24, 2009

Steve,
I completely agree! You want to start it off? I really think that the thread would get a ton of attention. They are extremely easy to take care of if you know the basics.

mak060 said:
Maybe we should start a thread on acan care. How high in the tank, feeding, water quality, and overall well-being.

"fall out of his pocket" . . . I can't stop laughing (Junior's Gobs really are that beautiful). Gotta figure out a way to get rare z&p's to grow like the green and brown ones.

But seriously Gary, a nitch in the competition helps, and it's gotta be fun.

Steve

Reef Pets · Jan 24, 2009

That sounds like the perfect condition for acans. I keep my flow on the low side. But, I do not have them in a reef aquarium. They are flat on egg crate so the flow can be a little lower because its even flow throughout the tank.
Junior - I need to make to trip to come to one of you photography seminars. I think I have all of the camera information correctly but can not get eny depth ffom the macro lens...... It would be worth the drive, I know a little off topic.

JuniorMC8704 said:
acan care: simple as pie

LOW light, lots of blue light, or you wont get all the color variation.

Flow, medium, medium high, pretty much anything.

lol, ive got some about an inch under a vortech at full tilt. They are getting whaled on!

Also, temp, in my opinion shouldnt be over 80, i keep my tank at 78.5, and it stays there nearly all day.

keep in mind people, these are collected in 90 feet of water, so light is low, and the spectrum that is penetrating that depth is nearly all blue. Also, the temp is going to be lower than at the surface, by quite a bit.

FaviaFreak · Jan 24, 2009

Chalices are the hot item still, have been for a while, there are so many beautiful patterns and colors popping up everyday that it won't die down for a long time. I thought favia might make a statement in the hobby since the Baby's Breath, Dragon Soul, Pastel War & Peace, Mia's Pot of Gold, Eye of Jupiter, Peace Coral, and all the others I would see online. Before the Chalice trend there was the big run on Duncans, but who knows, I am hoping people stop buying chalice's so I can move in and clean up.

I am thinking that Zoas/Palys might be lining up to make another run in popularity since the Purple Hornet craze but I guess it remains to be seen

gooch · Jan 24, 2009

Boy you really can not knock all the cool scolymias and cynarina's comming in lately. But they are not fraggable. Well at least I don't know of anyone chopping the up.

Every coral cycles. If its hot now it will cool and come back in a couple of years. I think there are still plenty of spsers out there but there is just so many ways to aquire them now.

For me it is euphyllia, brain corals, scoly/cynarina, elegance and believe it or not plate corals. Been some real cool ones coming in. I have three dendros and will be getting some common sun polyps. For me I do not sell coral anymore so it is easier for me to buy what I truly like. hat being said I do have a bunch of acans and I like them but my tank really isn't set up for them. Everything I have is tiny so it will be years before I need to worry about frags. Oh yeah, I love zoanthids too. Come to think of it there isn't much i don't like.

My one absolutely must sps is the efflo/soli's. Will always be my favorite. I have a dedicated spot for that frag when the time comes.

fishes2889 · Jan 24, 2009

SPS, Zoa's, and ricordea are things i tend to buy, maybe a stray LPS sometimes. Never and probably won't go into the acan craze, don't like fads, just go with what i like. Acans don't do anything for me. IMO

Kris Zmurk · Jan 24, 2009

Gary, I just got a 8 bulb t5 fixture over my 90, funny thing is only 7 are over the tank, the other lights up my storage room. At least I don't need a light for my refugium. I've got mostly actnics right now but I'm gonna get some ATI blue+. Will this light still be good enough for acans?

blkicebullys · Jan 24, 2009

The problem is that alot of the acans are very similar. Unless you have rainbow's or 3+ color acans almost all look the same. Or so close to eachother you cant justify spending the money when you have something like it.

mak060 · Jan 24, 2009

Yeah, seemingly infinite yet subtle color variation is tricky. Some A. bowerbanki are a nice variation in shape and size though. Nice and puffy at night and voracious eaters. One or two of these with a good pic of them open would surely attract.

ficklefins · Jan 24, 2009

reefpets said:
Steve,
I completely agree! You want to start it off? I really think that the thread would get a ton of attention. They are extremely easy to take care of if you know the basics.

There is a spotlight on Acans if you would like to beef that up. I haven't visited it in a while so it may need some updates to the first page write up.

Thanks,

mak060 · Jan 24, 2009

I should have looked before starting the thread. I guess something was gained though. Consensus from limited but experienced input seems to agree entirely with the spotlight. Suitable lighting variation possibly due to variation in depth of collection (1-20 meters) may be an important factor in success, with people finding the "right" conditions by trial and error. Would like to hear from chadfarmer (this thread), to see if there is something being overlooked in terms of ensuring success (pm sent). Thanks Luciano!