Coral placement and care. Beginner questions.

[respite]

I got my first coral the other day, and have a few questions.

The only two filter feeders ive introduced are a flame scallop and a chunk of finger leather. Ive been adding Kent Marine PhytoPlex once a week. I change 10 to 15 gallons of water per week.

Is this one food dose enough to keep the animals healthy?

Is there anything else i should be adding to my tank? I know calcium will be an issue later on when i have a full stock, but for now, the water changes alone should take care of that.


As far as placement goes, is the bottom of the tank the best place for the leather? Ive heard they are hardy, and dont need to be way up on the rock structure. I placed the chunk of rock it came on at the bottom of my tank. This puts it about 30 inches below a pair of 175 watt halides.

Is that a good home? Should it be higher up?


Is it normal for leathers to slump over at night? After the lights have been on for 20 minutes, all the "fingers" are standing up towards the light...

[AQUAN8TOR]

It's normal for the leather to retract at night. As far as placement, I'd definitely move it closer to the light, but slowly--not more than a few inches at a time for a few days or a week between moves, IMHO---it prevents light shock. Distance and intensity are related on an inverse square, so a little closer is a lot more intense!

As far as the flame scallop, I'm sorry to tell you that they have a pretty dismal record in captivity, even for very experienced hobbyists. They are completely dependent on supplemental feeding. I'd really increase the Phytoplex amount to every other day, then switching to DT's or other LIVE phytoplankton. It has been debated on RC as to efficiency and viability of phyto supplements---do a search on phytoplankton and scallops. I don't want to tell you your scallop is dying or anything, just that it doesn't have a long lifespan anyway----6-12 months.

HTH.

Nate

[cmoresps]

I agree, leathers can be held even under 400's but the slow transition is the key

[respite]

I was warned by dave at fin&feather that flame scallops dont last. He told me they usually die of starvation. When i started to feed, i would squirt the plankton at it with a turkey baster, hoping the extra touch would pay off. Then it started hiding underneath my rock structure. The only plus side is its favorite hiding place happens to be under a rock where there is no substrate. I can keep an eye on it by looking from the bottom of the tank, and remove it when it dies.


A google search resulted this as one of the first articles listed.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/toonen.htm

Seems like it will die in my tank, just as well if i took it back to the pet store. I hate housing pets that i cant properly take care of, but statistics say its screwed either way.

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I had a few chunks of base rock which i hated, but now it seems like they will come in handy. I was planning on replacing them with live rock. Now ill just start working the leather coral up the base, and let it take over.

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Steven is kind enough to donate some green star polyps to me. Any feedback as to where they should be placed?

[SunDragon]

Nate said it all, but something to consider is what lighting it was under at the store. If they had it under halides, then you can probably place it anywhere without worry of light shock. As for the star polyps, put them anyplace you want. I swear the things will grow in the dark.

[respite]

Good point. It was under power compacts. Ill just let it reside on the bottom for a few more days..

[Charlie Davidson]

Wasabi- sorry eric, its your handle to me!

Live phyto has helped me/my aquarium in many ways, it feeds a whole sub-cuture of critters that many people don't even know about-this Sub-culture helps feed many of the animals in we keep in our tanks!

Go by alantis aquariums, Marvin has/had free samples right now of madreef- live phytoplanton, I plan on trying it after I finish using the quart of DTs I have now.

[respite]

Hah! Ive been called worse things...

Atlantis seems a bit far out of my way. Ive heard nothing but good about using live phyto. Next time im at fin and feather (which turns out to be once a week as i still dont have an ro/di unit) ill ask about it.
--
wasabi

[Charlie Davidson]

If you buy DTs- ALLWAYS-make sure you open and smell it! It should smell like your tank, no worse, I have never bought bad phyto at F&F but!!!!!! If, unsure of smell- ask for brandon or dave.

[Charlie Davidson]

BTW Merry Christmas!!

[respite]

I made a giant mess of my tank to rearrange the rock work. The left side of the tank still doesnt feel quite right. I think im going to add a 4 or 5 pound chunk just for looks.. my water quality has been perfect, but im still not 100% happy.

The leather is now about 24 inches below the light. How much higher should i push it?

[Bass Master]

If the leather was under pc's, you can put it anywhere you want. But, if you want it higher in the tank take your time with moving it up - Nate gave you the skinny on that. By the way, if you still want that rose (the small one) come and get it - free.

[respite]

Free sounds great! Its been christmas from the richmond reefers for me. When are you available?

[Bass Master]

Whenever. I think I pm'd yuo with my cell #