Cyphastrea questions

[ingchr1]

My lighting (24") is two actinic blue XHOs and two T5 bulbs (Reef Brite actinic and a 50/50). The T5s are on for five hours a day, the XHOs 16 hours ramped with 8 of it at 100%. The PAR center bottom at peak is ~120, top less than 200. In general, I would say over all my tank is low lighting. I have five cyphastria, all at the bottom except one branching that is more middle (partially shaded by a Setosa). All but one are growing fine. The one has died back a couple of times, not sure why. They have grown into cave and under hung areas. No idea if they would grow if started in a dark area though.

Not the best photo taker and only the XHOs are on.

This is my largest one on the side of the tank.

These two are center back of the tank.

This one front.

Here's the lighting.

 

[crabgrass]

My lighting (24") is two actinic blue XHOs and two T5 bulbs (Reef Brite actinic and a 50/50). The T5s are on for five hours a day, the XHOs 16 hours ramped with 8 of it at 100%. The PAR center bottom at peak is ~120, top less than 200. In general, I would say over all my tank is low lighting. I have five cyphastria, all at the bottom except one branching that is more middle (partially shaded by a Setosa). All but one are growing fine. The one has died back a couple of times, not sure why. They have grown into cave and under hung areas. No idea if they would grow if started in a dark area though.

Not the best photo taker and only the XHOs are on.

This is my largest one on the side of the tank.

These two are center back of the tank.

This one front.

Here's the lighting.

I like this setup: I am building a new 100g next month and thinking about stocking similarly. What are the corals you have in here?

 

[ingchr1]

I like this setup: I am building a new 100g next month and thinking about stocking similarly. What are the corals you have in here?

Thank you.

Cyphastria
Galaxea
Montipora Setosa
Montipora Digitata
Chalice
Ricordia
Favia
Goniopora

 

[KenRexford]

I don’t know what people are talking about with cyphastrea not being low-light. It’s hard to tell from this picture, but the rock in the background has cyphastrea climbing upside down from the one in focus. I think my cyphastrea needs about a half a par to grow.

 

[rossco]

cyphastrea are not low light corals.

False.

Cyphastrea will grow anywhere from full light to low light, as long as some light reaches them - and it doesn’t take much. Maybe the portion in the full light is helping support them but mine grow way back into full shade.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Interesting, while they probably can live in a lower-light environment the one I currently have has died back in spots that it shaded itself out. Though that could be also due to my black bug problem though the shaded polys have never opened while the top of the colony shows full extension

Mine thrived at a PAR of 50-100... much slower growth and thinner skeleton at higher PAR.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Mine thrived at a PAR of 50-100... much slower growth and thinner skeleton at higher PAR.

Interesting, though I've noticed no growth on the shaded portion of my colony, but that is probably lower PAR than that. Though I still don't know if cyphastrea will fare well in the cave OP has

False.

Cyphastrea will grow anywhere from full light to low light, as long as some light reaches them - and it doesn’t take much. Maybe the portion in the full light is helping support them but mine grow way back into full shade.

Well I just learned something!



And not to be that person but as I mentioned there isn't much polyp extension on the shaded areas

Though that cyphastrea garden is beautiful!

 

[crabgrass]

Thank you.

Cyphastria
Galaxea
Montipora Setosa
Montipora Digitata
Chalice
Ricordia
Favia
Goniopora

It’s really nice and clean looking with a lot of growth and variety. Cool. There isn’t a lot of height difference from the montis to anything on the bottom, so I am assuming you had to just pick a par in the middle in the middle and go with it?

 

[MrGisonni]

Chalice corals are a good option also. An encrusting cyphastrea is still a solid option for you IMHO

 

[ingchr1]

It’s really nice and clean looking with a lot of growth and variety. Cool. There isn’t a lot of height difference from the montis to anything on the bottom, so I am assuming you had to just pick a par in the middle in the middle and go with it?

Not exactly sure of your question, but the height of the lights is for the best spread. So the PAR is what it is for the lights I have. For coral placement I just placed based on what light level I though the corals needed. Lower light at bottom and higher at top. The last coral I put in was the branching cyphastrea a couple of months ago. That one just went to the last piece of open real estate.

 

[kevgib67]

Here are a couple of my blastos thriving under the shadow of my monti cap.

 

[Jeremy_d]

I don't know of anything that would grow in a cave except sponge or sun corals (which need feeding).

dendro's are on my coral bucket list. I want to build a tank and have just them in there