How fast should I move up encrusting montipora while acclimatiing?

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

I'm wondering how quickly I should move an encrusting montipora frag up in my tank. I have 8 x 54w T5 HO bulbs over my 120 gallon tank. I'm not sure whether my experience thusfar with montis is normal...

The first monti frag, my sunset monti, was put in about 2 months ago... it did very well for about 2 weeks, and then slowly began to bleach. I had placed it near the top of the tank, where it showed great color and polyp extension for a while, then declined. When I moved it down to the bottom, it slowly regained color and is now growing for the first time, so I figured it just likes low light.

Now over the weekend I got a large piece of rock encrusted with montipora, and I added it mid-high level in the tank, as the LFS from which I acquired it has it high up in their tank. It immediately began to bleach within the hour. I moved it down to the sandbed, where it has been for 2 days, and it has now regained all color and looks happy.

So should I be moving it up slowly and seeing whether it does better under more light? Leaving it alone? I'm inclined to think it might like the high light but just need proper acclimation, unlike the sunset monti which was bleaching more slowly... any thoughts on this, and on how quickly I should move it up in the tank, would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[FishLipz]

Don't judge your placement by the placement in the LFS. Too many variables between lighting setups (age of bulbs, type of lighting, quality of fixture). I usually start everything in the lower third of my tank and move things after a week or two. You can always move it back if it shows signs of stress. I honestly can say that I've found very few SPS pieces that can't be placed anywhere as long as they are acclimated slowly.

 

[LivinTheSwreefLife]

Thanks FishLipz, and great to see another reefer in Bmore!

 

[FishLipz]

Lol! I didnt even notice that. There's a few of us on here.