I bought this coral, but....

[Zack K]

[ID needed]
So I picked up my first piece of SPS yesterday to give the sticks a shot. I have all parameters in check except two, Nitrates and Phosphates. I will get to that later.. I went to my coral guy and picked up this piece for a descent price IMO. He told me it was an easier piece to care for and would work for a "test" piece. So I got it, brought it home, and within the hour their was PE! I figured that was a good sign. The only problem is I forgot the name. So, Here are some pics of this Unnamed beast.

I got him for $20 and he is about 1"1/2 to 2". Not too bad. Now onto the nitrates and phosphates. I am sure many of you are going to say this guy will die, and he might, but I did my research and read up on a very well known guy. Paul B, he has Nitrates and phosphates through the roof, yet he has beautiful colonies. I have a buddy, Nitrates off the charts and high phosphate, Amazing colonies. So I figured it is worth the shot. In case you haven't figured it out yet Nitrates are at 160pm and Phosphates 2.5

 

[awais98]

Wow I don't know the name but the PE extension is crazy

 

[JaimeAdams]

hydnophora

 

[Brew12]

[ID needed]
So I picked up my first piece of SPS yesterday to give the sticks a shot. I have all parameters in check except two, Nitrates and Phosphates. I will get to that later.. I went to my coral guy and picked up this piece for a descent price IMO. He told me it was an easier piece to care for and would work for a "test" piece. So I got it, brought it home, and within the hour their was PE! I figured that was a good sign. The only problem is I forgot the name. So, Here are some pics of this Unnamed beast.

I got him for $20 and he is about 1"1/2 to 2". Not too bad. Now onto the nitrates and phosphates. I am sure many of you are going to say this guy will die, and he might, but I did my research and read up on a very well known guy. Paul B, he has Nitrates and phosphates through the roof, yet he has beautiful colonies. I have a buddy, Nitrates off the charts and high phosphate, Amazing colonies. So I figured it is worth the shot. In case you haven't figured it out yet Nitrates are at 160pm and Phosphates 2.5

Yup, it's going to die. In fact, it is already dead, it just doesn't realize it yet.

Or, it will be just fine. Odds are the PE will change under higher nutrients as will the color. As long as you don't do anything to cause a huge swing in nutrients you should be fine. You may not be able to keep every SPS with those nutrient levels and you may not get ideal color and growth, but there are many you should be able to successfully keep.

 

[JaimeAdams]

So I just read the 160 nitrates....WoW! It's an easy enough fix, lots of big water changes.

 

[happyhourhero]

Be mindful of space around that coral. Hydnophora is quite mean and will kill basically anything. I have found that it can be "tolerant" of neighbors but one day will decide is needs more space and then Zap!

I put a frag like yours on a piece of pukani rock about a year ago and the the other day was looking at it and it is now massive. Its a pretty coral that provides good movement though so I can live with it's moodiness.

My philosophy on nitrates and phosphates is that I do as much as I am willing to do to control them (skimmer and Algae scrubber and high flow and quality foods and weekly 5 gallon WC) and then just dont even worry about them. I havent tested for them in at least a year and i think my tank looks ok.

 

[McMullen]

Happyhourhero beat me to the warning. I have a hydnophora as well, beautiful, but deadly. I've lost several coral to this guy. They're sweeper tentacles are massive. Put it in the corner of a tank somewhere. Save the middle, or prime real estate for other sps.....IMO

Mine has taken out sticks, montis, hammers, torches, favia, zooas, mushrooms, you name it......yes I'm apparently a slow learner!

 

[luke33]

^^^Agreed with these guys, those guys will kill neighbors, and I even know a guy who had a really bad sting after handling it. Its probably one of the strongest stinging corals you could get.

 

[happyhourhero]

My hawkfish is sitting on mine in this pic. You can see where the red cap and it have had their differences. Right now they are touching again so any day now there will be a big white spot on that cap. It has been behaving well though. They have been touching almost 2 weeks.

It will happen though. Always does.

 

[Zack K]

So I just read the 160 nitrates....WoW! It's an easy enough fix, lots of big water changes.

If I do 3 50%'s in a week it takes it down to 40ppm. And 3-4 days later it's back up.

 

[Zack K]

I appreciate the responses. It is definitely alone in its own little corner. I did not know they were moody. I will definitely keep an eye out. Are they semi easy to keep?

 

[happyhourhero]

I appreciate the responses. It is definitely alone in its own little corner. I did not know they were moody. I will definitely keep an eye out. Are they semi easy to keep?

Mine has been. when they deflate, they let you know something is off. Mine loves being blasted with flow.

 

[Zack K]

Another question. Do they place nice with each other

 

[happyhourhero]

Another question. Do they place nice with each other

Like two hydnos? my only experience is with pieces of the same colony and they were fine. If it is any other case I would assume the hydno will eventually kill anything it comes into contact with.

 

[justingraham]

If ur going to try to lower ur nitrates and phosphates do it slowly real slowly
But in my opinion I think ur fine

I have no idea what my nitrates are but when I do test it turns pink right away so yea

Consistancy that's all u need

 

[JaimeAdams]

If I do 3 50%'s in a week it takes it down to 40ppm. And 3-4 days later it's back up.

I just realized this was your post Zack. I guess I need to wake up still.
Obviously you know that the Nitrate needs to be coming from somewhere. I know people who have had great success with using the various ceramic bio block media like Marine pure and brightwell. I keep a pretty dirty tank myself with Nitrate around 40 because I slack on water changes, have WAY too many fish and feed too much. Hydnophora is a pretty easy stick looking coral though. I'm sure you can keep it with elevated nitrates, just not sure that 160 is gonna work or not, but I guess we will find out.

 

[Zack K]

Obviously you know that the Nitrate needs to be coming from somewhere.

I think we narrowed it down.l to the semi deep sand bed and the rock. I really though, don't have the time or effort right now to tear the tank apart again.

I know people who have had great success with using the various ceramic bio block media like Marine pure and brightwell.

I would but I am out of sump room. It kind of sucks only being able to have a 10g sump. Hoping to make a custom one this fall.

I keep a pretty dirty tank myself with Nitrate around 40 because I slack on water changes, have WAY too many fish and feed too much.

Do you keep SPS? I am assuming yes, I will check after I write this, how do they do in the 40's?

Hydnophora is a pretty easy stick looking coral though.

Does it grow out like an Acro would? Kinda dead treeish

I'm sure you can keep it with elevated nitrates, just not sure that 160 is gonna work or not, but I guess we will find out.

This should be a fun ride!

 

[dakoop]

Liveaquaria shows that is an LPS. Never would have guessed that one!

 

[JaimeAdams]

I have some SPS, but not any. You can grow SPS with 40 nitrate. Sanjay does it and does it well. When having the increased nutrient you can run lots of lights, lots of flow, and high alk.

hynophora does grow like an acro in structure. Branching tree type.

You always could carbon does with vodka, vinegar, no3po4 to bring down the nitrates. That is if you were inclined to care or want to change it, but obviously you would either have to use a doser or do it manually every day.

 

[Zack K]

I have some SPS, but not any. You can grow SPS with 40 nitrate. Sanjay does it and does it well. When having the increased nutrient you can run lots of lights, lots of flow, and high alk.

hynophora does grow like an acro in structure. Branching tree type.

You always could carbon does with vodka, vinegar, no3po4 to bring down the nitrates. That is if you were inclined to care or want to change it, but obviously you would either have to use a doser or do it manually every day.

Carbon dosing is the last resort option if I find things don't handle the high nutrients. I appreciate the advice. It is also interesting that live aquaria labels it as an LPS. It definitely has the structure and polyp types as an SPS.