When to Move up New Green Slimer

[Wandering Albatross]

Gods morning all, I recently ordered a couple corals, and I’m wondering when I should start trying to move them higher on the rocks.

Corals are metallic frogspawn, dragon soul favia, orange monti digi, and a green slimer stag. All but the favia came in well colored, and were shipped overnight. The favia is sitting at the bottom of the tank in roughly 80-90 par, and the other 3 are in 100-115. Frogspawn is open at least somewhat, and both monti and stag have some pe. There’s so much conflicting information about how quickly to get a new coral set in it’s permanent spot, from immediately out of the bag to several weeks later after light acclimation.

Within an hour or so the bottom of the stag was faded white, but not flaking off like rtn. It hasn’t gotten worse, but part of it is starting to look a little browned. The upper most still has pretty good color and decent pe, but I’ve had corals fine one day and totally gone in under an hour so I’m a little paranoid. I didn’t see bugs during acclimation and haven’t seen them on it after adding to the tank either.

Should I raise it, lower it, increase flow even more, or let it ride? The monti about 2” away is fine so far. It’s only been a few days, but I don’t want to lose another.

 

[GHOSTLY]

I usually place my coral in their permanent home and turn down my light to adjust. With the sandbed method I would keep it for around 2 weeks and move it up to the middle for a week. Once you notice its started extending put it in its final spot

 

[design.maddie]

I will put corals on the sandbed only when I don't know exactly where I want them at. It gives me a few days to up to a week to see where my eye thinks it should go. After that it is placed in the permanent location and the lights are turned down. I spend about 2 weeks ramping the lights back up. I have an SPS dominant tank so I know they are coming from tanks with just as much light as mine.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I will put corals on the sandbed only when I don't know exactly where I want them at. It gives me a few days to up to a week to see where my eye thinks it should go. After that it is placed in the permanent location and the lights are turned down. I spend about 2 weeks ramping the lights back up. I have an SPS dominant tank so I know they are coming from tanks with just as much light as mine.

My highest available point on the rocks runs 200-250 par at 100%. There are hobbyists who say there’s a difference between corals brought home from a lfs and shipped corals. That shipped corals need additional time to acclimate to keep from bleaching, so that’s my biggest concern, even though 2 are considered medium to high light corals.

Flow has been my biggest problem because of tank size. My understanding is that browning is normally caused by lack of light, or potentially an unbalanced light to flow ratio.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I usually place my coral in their permanent home and turn down my light to adjust. With the sandbed method I would keep it for around 2 weeks and move it up to the middle for a week. Once you notice its started extending put it in its final spot

Extending as in growing or showing some pe? I’ve seen videos of tanks with acro pe where the polyps are almost like hair. Mine aren’t quite that extended.

 

[etcee]

If the stag is looking brown, I would move it up. I get corals and immediately put them in the spot I think I want them and don't waste time putting them low.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

If the stag is looking brown, I would move it up. I get corals and immediately put them in the spot I think I want them and don't waste time putting them low.

Oddly it's the base that is showing the browning, just above the part that went white.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I find there is a general tendency to run lights low in this hobby. To me any coral should be able to take 200-250 par, it’s not that high at all, and it’s on the lower side for sps. If you find the coral is browning then I would definitely move it up. With that said, high nutrients can also brown out sps corals.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Personally I find there is a general tendency to run lights low in this hobby. To me any coral should be able to take 200-250 par, it’s not that high at all. If you find the coral is browning then I would definitely move it up. With that said, high nutrients can also brown out sps corals.

Are we talking just the big 2, or can cal/mag cause it as well? I run higher nutrients currently because my toadstool and xenias like it. I just thought the way it started browning from the bottom was odd, it's not a big frag. Will it in theory get used to the new environment and recover if nutrients are the issue, or do I need to dial everything down? I'll move it up tomorrow morning when I can keep an eye on it during its photoperiod.

In addition, while it may be shipping stress, the favia is still an orange-ish brown where it's supposed to be a dark purple, but its low center around the mouth is neon green like it's supposed to be. At least one of the heads looks to be expelling, but I have seen no pe on it. My understanding is they do well in lower light and flow, although I had a favia in the past about 4" higher on the rock and partially shaded that colored nicely.

 

[etcee]

Personally I find there is a general tendency to run lights low in this hobby. To me any coral should be able to take 200-250 par, it’s not that high at all, and it’s on the lower side for sps. If you find the coral is browning then I would definitely move it up. With that said, high nutrients can also brown out sps corals.

Agreed.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Extending as in growing or showing some pe? I’ve seen videos of tanks with acro pe where the polyps are almost like hair. Mine aren’t quite that extended.

I say happy is polyp extension and maybe a thin white growth band. Settling in means it hopefully shouldn't die in 2w and id say its settling

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I say happy is polyp extension and maybe a thin white growth band. Settling in means it hopefully shouldn't die in 2w and id say its settling

I know the picture is poor quality, but do you think the pe I have now means it hasn’t decided to shut down and give up?

 

[etcee]

Oddly it's the base that is showing the browning, just above the part that went white.

I wouldn’t say that is odd. I’d move it, it will most likely keep browning until it’s completely dead. Like Mr mojo said acros brown for 2 reasons, high nutrients or not enough light.

 

[GHOSTLY]

I know the picture is poor quality, but do you think the pe I have now means it hasn’t decided to shut down and give up?

Id say its definitely a good sign. You would be able to tell when its happy because a slightly ticked off acro will either show no polyps (which some species do) or lose all color

 

[X-37B]

Low par. Move it so it gets 200 par. Slimers can take all the light you can give them.
Here is one of mine on the back wall getting 2-300 par in my 50.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Low par. Move it so it gets 200 par. Slimers can take all the light you can give them.
Here is one of mine on the back wall getting 2-300 par in my 50.

What about the favia, is it more likely having issues with lack of light, or acclimation to the new nutrient levels?

 

[X-37B]

What about the favia, is it more likely having issues with lack of light, or acclimation to the new nutrient levels?

My favia in my 150 is getting about 120 par in the bottom corner and doing well. They like just enough flow to keep debris off of the them in this system.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Any additional advice on how to color him up?

 

[X-37B]

Any additional advice on how to color him up?

I just focus on stability in my systems. Decide on what parameters you want to run and focus on keeping them in range.
I feed the fish heavy and do not directly feed any coral in my systems.
Check my builds if your interested in my approach.

 

[X-37B]

Another of my brains in my 150.