When to move SPS from frag rack to main display?

plankton · May 27, 2020

Currently have a digitata mini colony in a frag rack on side of tank cuz I don’t want to fry it under my LEDs. Currently color is great, polyps out and all is well.

I’d like to move it out into center area where light is considerably higher as well as flow.

How long should I keep monti on the side before transitioning out?

PS I placed a tort directly into main display area and within three weeks went pale then CTN. And really don’t want to replay that mistake.

Reeffraff · May 27, 2020

Most digis can handle really high light/PAR values without issue. However, have you considered renting a PAR meter? Better to know what you light intensity actually is than flying blind, especially if you think it may be too high.

KrisReef · May 27, 2020

While it's growing on your rack it is adjusting to the light and currents on the rack. If you lower the light in the center of the tank to match what's going on at the frag rack the montipora should be happy after the move. Then, slowly crank up the lights if you like.

dvp95 · May 27, 2020

Im going through the same odd transition. I have a bunch of sps in my coral QT. The are ready to go to my DT at different times. I have had a lot of bleaching going to my DT since my coral QT lights suck. I have recently upgraded my QT lights to match my DT to make it easier. Some take it very well, some bleach even on the sand in my DT. I have been leaving them on my sand for a good week as long as they look great before i move them up. I am just starting my transition to the DT now so its going to be slow over the next few weeks for me so I do not lose any more coral.

plankton · May 27, 2020

I will eventually get a true marine par meter cuz it’s cheaper than loosing corals!.

I do have el cheapo lux meter and it reads 132 center just above water level and 32 in corner of tank where monti is - that’s 4x change in lux. It’s 10pm here and spectrum is on the blue/violet side right now.

as soon as i get marine par I’ll measure across and more importantly depth to see where the heck I could place it and not stress the heck out of it.