Hawkins Echinata Placement - High Light?

[Haggisman14]

I just scored a really nice Hawkins Echinata frag, and I wanted to confirm best placement from all you SPS guys! I was told that they can do well in Medium light with good flow, but I wanted to know if they can do well in High light with good flow?

All my lower spots with medium light don't really have the best flow in my tank. I'd really like to put this guy up high, but want to make sure that I won't fry him.

Any insight would help.

Thanks!

 

[CoralNerd]

Hawkins is a sps you can actually place lower down. Save that high spot for another coral. If you like sps get ready you need lots of indirect flow

 

[jda]

It will do fine in higher light, grow well and look pretty good but it will be more monochrome. Under lower light, the blue and green get more pronounced and most feel that it looks better with the contrast.

Something around 200 PAR seems to work really well... this is about 20" deep under my Halides. I would not let it under too high of light with LEDs - keep them under 350. If you can T5 or MH, then it can handle 600-750 with the coloration that I described above.

This is a great coral to patrol the bottom of an acropora tank. Most deepwaters are like this.

FWIW - I grew a bigger than golf ball sized frag of this outside in a kiddie pool one summer in Missouri. 6" under the water with a ton of light, it was bigger than a football in 5 months.

 

[Haggisman14]

Thanks for the input guys. I do have LEDs, Kessil 160 tuna blue, and the placement would be pretty much right under the top. See pic below. Originally I was going to put it in the red spot, but maybe i'll put it down in the orange spot , or on my Acan Garden rock in the back. There's also a branch that's stickin out the back of the echinata, might try and snap the little guy off and place him up high and see how he does

 

[jda]

a160 is not a high powered light. Most people report about 225-250 5-6" under the water at the top with some reporting even less. This would be fine for a Hawkins. I would worry that you are not even at 100 in the yellow circle.

If you have a PAR map or measurements, then be sure and post them.

 

[Haggisman14]

Well then...red circle it is

I do not have a PAR map, or way to take those measurements.

Definitely looking to upgrade lighting in the future....Eyes on a Hydra 26 or possible a Radion XR15 Pro. I know the Radion has a slightly smaller footprint, but packs a lot of LEDs, and people seem to love them!

Thanks for the replies!

 

[HairyGary]

It will do fine in higher light, grow well and look pretty good but it will be more monochrome. Under lower light, the blue and green get more pronounced and most feel that it looks better with the contrast.

Something around 200 PAR seems to work really well... this is about 20" deep under my Halides. I would not let it under too high of light with LEDs - keep them under 350. If you can T5 or MH, then it can handle 600-750 with the coloration that I described above.

This is a great coral to patrol the bottom of an acropora tank. Most deepwaters are like this.

FWIW - I grew a bigger than golf ball sized frag of this outside in a kiddie pool one summer in Missouri. 6" under the water with a ton of light, it was bigger than a football in 5 months.

Love to hear the story behind the kiddie pool experiment and filtration

 

[HairyGary]

Here's mine under XR30pro with T5s.

 

[jda]

If you are going to focus on any amount of acropora, then look at AquaticLife Hybrid as an upgrade option, if you can find one that fits. Nearly everybody who adds T5s to acropora tanks only lit with LED wishes that they would have done it sooner.

 

[HairyGary]

If you are going to focus on any amount of acropora, then look at AquaticLife Hybrid as an upgrade option, if you can find one that fits. Nearly everybody who adds T5s to acropora tanks only lit with LED wishes that they would have done it sooner.

That's what I am running on my cube

 

[vetteguy53081]

I always start lower tank and bring it up gradually every few days up to the upper 25% but Not at the very top

 

[eraser2001]

My coral is in the low level in my tank and is doing great.

 

[volcano1]

I’ve had mine more towards the top, any where from 6”-12” down. Running 400 watt radiums, getting around 350-500 par. It seems to get a purplish tip in that light.

 

[CoralNerd]

I’ve had mine more towards the top, any where from 6”-12” down. Running 400 watt radiums, getting around 350-500 par. It seems to get a purplish tip in that light.

It might but I wouldn't chase that rainbow lol

 

[Latinreefer]

I had mine mid tank under T5's with high flow

 

[Haggisman14]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the feedback!

 

[gig 'em]

I keep mine high up in the tank, but it's directly under a center brace. It doesn't get much direct light, but a lot of flow and indirect light. I'm very happy with the way it looks in its current environment. When I frag it and move the frag out under direct light I feel like it loses some of its rich coloration.

 

[JBKReef]

I had mine mid tank under T5's with high flow

Stunning tank.

 

[Haggisman14]

There's a small branch on my frag that sticks out the back. I'm thinking I might do a little experiment and place the main frag up high, and the other branch down low and see how it does. Can't hurt Would be interesting to have the same coral looking totally different in two different spots in my tank!

 

[Itsander]

I’ve had mine more towards the top, any where from 6”-12” down. Running 400 watt radiums, getting around 350-500 par. It seems to get a purplish tip in that light.

I got mine on the top and he is very happy growing, Radions, around 500-700,