Best care for torch corals

[steve 1965]

For those of you who have success with keeping Torch corals. What’s the ideal Parameters? Alk,Cal,Mag? Feeding ? Par level?

 

[BristleWormHater]

@VintageReefer @tbrown

 

[VintageReefer]

@VintageReefer @tbrown

I’m already here. I’m typing lol

 

[VintageReefer]

I feel torches have a range of condition / parameters they can adapt to, and there really isn’t a specific ideal. But they don’t like change.

They will adapt to your parameters but they don’t like constantly having to adapt. Phosphate, nitrates, alkalinity, salinity, temp…this should all be stable and not fluctuating

I think the most important things are flow, lighting, feeding

Flow should be medium. Not like a flag in the wind.

Par should be medium to high. Typically placement mid tank is best. 150-250 par seems to be what most like

They will eat, and I think it’s important to feed them at least weekly. 1-2x a week. Cyclops, mysis, even flake food. They will eat it. Then off flow and baste gently and they will grab it and pull it in

They typically don’t inflate fully the day after eating or while they’d re splitting to fork new heads. This is normal

My current parameters are
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 6-8
Phosphate .2
Calcium 420-440
Mag 1250-1300
Alkalinity 9.25

For the last year I had phosphate .05 and nitrate 1-3 and alk around 8

I notice no difference between my current values and the values I had for a year before this.

If you look at my tank overall the torches are all mid level to upper mid level on the left or right

And they all get decent flow and are swaying but not aggressively

Some get a little more flow than others. I find it just affects tentacle length. Lower flow seems to promote slightly shorter / thicker tentacles and stronger flow makes longer thinner tentacles. Lower flow let’s then open and expand more. Higher flow makes them blow in a certain direction (see candy cane)

As long as the flow isn’t too low or high and it’s in that middle realm, they will be happy and adapt to it.

Key is just let them adapt and then keep things stable. Keep the off the ground and away from sand. Target feed 1-2x a week to promote growth

I do add aminos to the tanks, Reef energy ab+ At night, 2x a week
I feel it contributes marginally but positively

 

[steve 1965]

Thanks so your PO4 is .2? Mine ranges in the .2 range as well my Nitrates are around 10 to 12. Alk82 cal 430 mag 1340. I have a placement for them about 4” to 6” off the bottom and par would be around 150.

 

[VintageReefer]

Yes, just did full water testing 2 days so. Phosphate is .2

Last 1.5 months it was .4-.5 but I’ve been working on bringing it down

All your numbers and pad look good to me

 

[steve 1965]

How were your torches when it was .4 and .5 ? I’m constantly carbon dosing because I do feed because I have Anthias and chromis who need to eat a lot. I do also feed my corals AB+ and Benepets.

 

[steve 1965]

this is my older tank mostly all frogspawn and hammers. Gonis on the bottom. But tried torches. And they just didn’t take. But started a new tank and really want to figure out how to keep torches long term

 

[steve 1965]

New tank

 

[VintageReefer]

How were your torches when it was .4 and .5 ? I’m constantly carbon dosing because I do feed because I have Anthias and chromis who need to eat a lot. I do also feed my corals AB+ and Benepets.

I too have anthias, a damsel, and a tang and they all eat a lot. Look at my tank page, I post pics regularly. Anything from Aug 1 to Sept 14 i was .38 - .68