Chalices/favia in an SPS system.....

[darryl_v]

Being that its hard to find new SPS that interests me and my tank is pretty full .....I have been purchasing some very nice favia and chalice for the sandbed. Some have done well and some have not. I have lost a few from too much light I believe. I have another couple of favia that are bleaching and have been in complete shade for a while. One thing I have noticed is the captive grown frags seem to be more tolerent to my system than wild peices. Having learned a few lessons I'm starting out all new favia and chalice in the low light. Still wondering if my tank water is too clean or something though.

Who is success with chalice and favia in an SPS system? Any tips or tricks.?

thanks

 

[Surf&turf]

I have both in my system, start them in the shade and work out into more light slowly. Most of mine are on the side's of the tank away from direct MH lighting.

 

[Dave3112]

I have had good success with both in my SPS dominant system. I ran 3x250W MH and T5 actinic. Some were directly below my halide bulbs about 14" away and did well (red/pink WM type did best in higher light). The spectrum makes all the difference in the world with MH and chalices/favia. I ran radium 20K and everything loved it then I switched to Phoenix 14k and stuff still looked good but the colors started to "wash out". If you go to 10k it will bleach. I don't know what kind of bulbs or spectrum you are running but in my experience anything 20k + is going to get the best color and anything below that is going to start washing out the lower k you go.

 

[darryl_v]

Thanks Dave.......tank is 54"x36"x24h and I run 2 x 400w SE 20k XM in large lumenarc with 2 x 110w super actinic VHO and 20 x 3w cree royal blue.......so lots of blue.

 

[FaviaFreak]

just keep them shaded from the get go and go from there, some do better under different lighting conditions than others, gotta play around with placement...I find greens like less light where pinks and reds can tolerate a bit more

 

[SDguy]

From what I've seen, if you have an extremely ULNS, chalices tend to look a little translucent.

 

[darryl_v]

what about feeding. Do I need to spot feed or just broadcast feed. So far I try to broadcast feed at night once a week (only time I know polyps to be open). I use cyclopeeze and some times mysis.

 

[Dave3112]

400 may be a bit much for them. Even with the blue spectrum. Like others have suggested I would try to keep them shaded with that much PAR. I never spot feed anything on my tank but others do. It's personal preference I think. But if you are running a ULNS tank it wouldn't hurt to spot feed them and see what happens. Worst thing that could is that they grow faster. LOL.

 

[Acropora52]

what about feeding. Do I need to spot feed or just broadcast feed. So far I try to broadcast feed at night once a week (only time I know polyps to be open). I use cyclopeeze and some times mysis.

I'd probably spot feed given how low your nutrients are. Chalices do fine in my system but I feed heavily for the fish and am definitely not low nutrients. Most of my chalices are low in the tank under a 10 x 80 powermodule but I have tyree red watermelon 8" from the water surface, tyree golden eye 12" below the top, and toxic pie 10" under the lights, non with shading. Miami hurricane, original mummy eye, tyree green watermelon, bleeding apple, pinkalicious, and a few others are near the bottom or partially shaded.