Seriatopora hystrix - Requirements

[Unicorn2093]

Hello mr. Borneman and greetings to texas
All respect from Norway.
I consider to get a seriatopora hystrix from a successful aquarist some hours drive from Oslo. This has the pink pigmentation.

My question is the requirements of this coral. The norwegian and european sources i know, (Fosså Nilsen - reef secrets, the norwegian aquarium clubs and communities) are saying that this coral is rather very sensitive to water changes and lightning, and a very difficult coral. (more difficult than most acropora corals). With very high light- requirements.
On many of the american internet- sites and shops, it is told that this coral is not very difficult. Also that the lightning needs is not too demanding. Moderate to high is what they say.
I am hoping you can solve my insecurity.

My second question is: Do you believe 20k kelvin temperature will have the same beneficial effect on the pigmentation. Since it is pink? (compared to blue and green corals)
(Sorry about my english, not my mothertouge)

Facts about the placement of the coral:
It will be in a 330 L reef
Closest neighbours: Acropora sp (table), Acropora Valida purple, tridacna crocea and maxima (already success with acroporas pigmentation, the acropora sp has switched from brown to strong metalic green and grows rapidly.

lightinig: right beneath/ under a 150 w mh 20.000 k colour and blue actnic bulb. Minimum range from MH accomplished.

My water qualities: calcium 450, salt 1.024, temp: 24- 26 C, 0 nitrate, 0 fosfate and right additions with iodine, strontium, magnesium, amino acids, kh/ph buffer + more.....
Uv sterilizer 28 w
skimmer: needle wheel, AM, turbo percula
Addition with phytoplancton spray-dried (cause of the uv) and they are dead but avaible anyway..

Tank set up is about a year or so.

I hope you can be at help :)
Sincerely yours,
Vegard Haugen

[EricHugo]

>>My question is the requirements of this coral. The norwegian and european sources i know, (Fosså Nilsen - reef secrets, the norwegian aquarium clubs and communities) are saying that this coral is rather very sensitive to water changes and lightning, and a very difficult coral. (more difficult than most acropora corals). With very high light- requirements. <<

I find S. hystrix, one of my favorite corals, btw, to be rather easy-to-keep. It does need strong light to stay pink, but will just lose the pink pigmentation in lower light. It will still do fine in lower light, and is quite tolerant of lower light, although growth will slow some, and it stays brown. It definitely does not need strong water flow, but tolerates it very well. You'll lose the delicate branching pattern in really high flow, and the branches will thicken as they anastamose making almost a solid lump with short thin spikes coming out of it.

>>My second question is: Do you believe 20k kelvin temperature will have the same beneficial effect on the pigmentation. Since it is pink? (compared to blue and green corals) <<

I think 20K bulbs are a bad choice, in general. They are expensive, have low PAR, a highly peaked spectrum that provides little usable light, and over time the values fall to about the equivalent of a few fluorescent bulbs.


My water qualities: calcium 450, salt 1.024, temp: 24- 26 C, 0 nitrate, 0 fosfate and right additions with iodine, strontium, magnesium, amino acids, kh/ph buffer + more.....

You are adding way more than you need to add. Calcium and carbonate is probably plenty in addition to food. Save your money and buy some more corals instead!