Darth Maul Porites Care - Light?

[zwandz]

Hey all -

I picked up a darth maul porite from the LFS today - did some chatting, did some Googling and everything seems to agree on moderate flow and moderate to high light.

But how high? I have the Fluval Marine LED Bluetooth Nano light - and the manufacturer specs have the light at 600 par at 3 cm… which is their current placement.

Should I move them down some?

Parameters
5 gallons
1.025 salinity
9.6 alk
8.2 ph
427 calcium
<5 nitrate

2 zoa colonies and a yellow leather polyp are also in the tank, but all have plenty of room to expand and grow.

 

[blaxsun]

Yes, ideally you probably want something in the 250-350 PAR range.

 

[zwandz]

Yes, ideally you probably want something in the 250-350 PAR range.

How fast will it have an issue if i test it in the current spot?

 

[Dburr1014]

Hey all -

I picked up a darth maul porite from the LFS today - did some chatting, did some Googling and everything seems to agree on moderate flow and moderate to high light.

But how high? I have the Fluval Marine LED Bluetooth Nano light - and the manufacturer specs have the light at 600 par at 3 cm… which is their current placement.

Should I move them down some?

Parameters
5 gallons
1.025 salinity
9.6 alk
8.2 ph
427 calcium
<5 nitrate

2 zoa colonies and a yellow leather polyp are also in the tank, but all have plenty of room to expand and grow.

I would not rely on the specs of the manufacturer for that light.
600 par seems as a stretch.
Try to borrow a par meter from someone.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

This coral was originally almost lost because everyone was blasting it with light thinking it was like all other porites. It has seemed to become much more tolerant over the years in captivity though. So I would error on the side of caution, it will pale out quickly and or stall growth if it gets too much light. Eventually I kept mine in lots of par but it’s not needed to keep the deep red color at all.

 

[zwandz]

This coral was originally almost lost because everyone was blasting it with light thinking it was like all other porites. It has seemed to become much more tolerant over the years in captivity though. So I would error on the side of caution, it will pale out quickly and or stall growth if it gets too much light. Eventually I kept mine in lots of par but it’s not needed to keep the deep red color at all.

I had it on a slope, to get a viewing side I really wanted filled. But, the top was only a few cm from the water surface and started turning lighter pink within the first day. So that night I moved it further down, and it’s gone back to it’s normal color already. Glad I was watching lol and now waiting obsessively for it to yell “I’m healthy!” Lol!

 

[DaJMasta]

I think the window for them is fairly wide, I wouldn't go too low but the more moderate side of low lighting to the lower side of high lighting is probably good - maybe like 125 to 300 par?

I've got a chunk growing happily about 10" down from the surface and about 6" off center of a G5 XR30 run at 60% with a longer photoperiod. It grows next to other porites and some acros.

Worth mentioning that the PAR from your light is probably listed in air - the Fluval Nanos I've used were good for moderate lighting in a small (<5G) tank, but don't have a lot of depth penetration. If your zoas are happy and in the sand, I'd probably aim to keep your new frag around half way up, at least. It probably won't do well on the sand bed.

 

[zwandz]

I think the window for them is fairly wide, I wouldn't go too low but the more moderate side of low lighting to the lower side of high lighting is probably good - maybe like 125 to 300 par?

I've got a chunk growing happily about 10" down from the surface and about 6" off center of a G5 XR30 run at 60% with a longer photoperiod. It grows next to other porites and some acros.

Worth mentioning that the PAR from your light is probably listed in air - the Fluval Nanos I've used were good for moderate lighting in a small (<5G) tank, but don't have a lot of depth penetration. If your zoas are happy and in the sand, I'd probably aim to keep your new frag around half way up, at least. It probably won't do well on the sand bed.

Appreciate the insight on the par listing especially! It’s a 5G tank, and the leathers and zoas are happy in the bottom third, and now feeling more confident with maul in the middle third. I’m having trouble finding something that can truly be in the top third tho!

 

[DaJMasta]

It may be fine there, but I don't know if it needs to be there. I'd expect the PAR a couple inches from the surface to be half that figure if it's actually an in-air measurement.

 

[prall]

Hey all -

I picked up a darth maul porite from the LFS today - did some chatting, did some Googling and everything seems to agree on moderate flow and moderate to high light.

But how high? I have the Fluval Marine LED Bluetooth Nano light - and the manufacturer specs have the light at 600 par at 3 cm… which is their current placement.

Should I move them down some?

Parameters
5 gallons
1.025 salinity
9.6 alk
8.2 ph
427 calcium
<5 nitrate

2 zoa colonies and a yellow leather polyp are also in the tank, but all have plenty of room to expand and grow.

The Fluval marine with Bluetooth, you say? I had two of those on a 29g a few years back. Get a par meter. Even the Photone app is decent if you can’t afford an apogee. I had decent luck with those but they’re not popular so… They are basically the same as the AI Blade that just came out. Possibly better. I have some overpowered lights now so my DM porites are on the sand bed. Don’t do that with those but you should be fine where they’re at