SPS ID request - advice on placement?

[rocknut]

I picked this coral up locally about two weeks ago, and after keeping it on the sandbed since I brought it home, have just moved it about half way up in the tank (150 gallon with ATI 8 bulb Sunpower), under some fairly strong flow (nothing direct). Polyps are out, especially at night, and so far it looks good, but I would love to find out what it is, and make sure I have it in the correct light/flow.



Kind of hard to tell from the photo, but the overall color is yellowish, and the tips are a purple/blue. Very small polyps.

Thanks in advance!

Rocky

 

[evolved]

It looks somewhat bleached to me; I'd leave it in lower light for now.

It's certainly an Acropora, but I am not certain on species ATM.

 

[HiddenUser]

Not sure what it is, but most SPS like moderate - high light and moderate - high flow. I just try observe my corals as I move them up to make sure they're still opening up and not bleaching.

 

[rocknut]

It looks somewhat bleached to me; I'd leave it in lower light for now.

It's certainly an Acropora, but I am not certain on species ATM.

Thanks for taking the time to look this over and respond. Yeah, it definitely is light in color, that is for sure. I see you are in Phoenix, so probably are familiar with AquaTouch? They had it in a smaller T5 lit tank for several weeks, with several smaller pieces that all seemed to have a nice light yellow color, so I just figured that was the color it was supposed to be, instead of bleached? Anyway, I'm still trying to get a better handle on placement of corals, so I really appreciate your feedback. Would the thought process be to leave it at the bottom of the tank to see if the colors change, or darken up? Go from there?
Thanks again!

Rocky

 

[rocknut]

Not sure what it is, but most SPS like moderate - high light and moderate - high flow. I just try observe my corals as I move them up to make sure they're still opening up and not bleaching.

Thanks for your response. Yeah, this one doesn't exactly have "smooth" skin that make me think deepwater or low flow/low light, but it isn't exactly a stag with big raised coralites either, so I was kind of stumped regarding placement.
Thanks,

Rocky

 

[bct15]

It's bleached so keep it in the sand with good flow for right now. It is going to want high light when it is healed.

 

[rocknut]

It's bleached so keep it in the sand with good flow for right now. It is going to want high light when it is healed.

Okay sounds good, I appreciate the help. So, move back to the sandbed for now, with high flow, then wait until it colors back up before moving it back up? Again, appreciate everyone's help! Any guesses at a possible ID?

 

[evolved]

Thanks for taking the time to look this over and respond. Yeah, it definitely is light in color, that is for sure. I see you are in Phoenix, so probably are familiar with AquaTouch? They had it in a smaller T5 lit tank for several weeks, with several smaller pieces that all seemed to have a nice light yellow color, so I just figured that was the color it was supposed to be, instead of bleached? Anyway, I'm still trying to get a better handle on placement of corals, so I really appreciate your feedback. Would the thought process be to leave it at the bottom of the tank to see if the colors change, or darken up? Go from there?

I am familiar with AT; are you familiar with the club in town? AZ FRAG. Check us out if not.
T5 can strongly light things; overly so if in close proximity for an extended period of time.
Yes, leave it down low until it starts to darken up or get some color besides "pale". Then move it up a bit.

Yeah, this one doesn't exactly have "smooth" skin that make me think deepwater or low flow/low light, but it isn't exactly a stag with big raised coralites either, so I was kind of stumped regarding placement.

Yeah, it's not a deepwater species, nor is it something that tables. So "mid" placement is ultimately what you'll want for the "bushy" species like this, after it colors back up.

Any guesses at a possible ID?

Frick could give this one a better stab than I could.

 

[bct15]

Okay sounds good, I appreciate the help. So, move back to the sandbed for now, with high flow, then wait until it colors back up before moving it back up? Again, appreciate everyone's help! Any guesses at a possible ID?

I can't open your pic up from my phone, so all I see is a microscopic square with a picture in it. I can tell it is bleached but that is all. There is some good ID'ers on here that will take a shot at it. Does it resemble the acro on the left?

 

[rocknut]

Actually, it DOES look like that acro on the left. Funny, I have been keeping reefs with SPS for quite a while (with only mediocre success at best) and honestly I thought for an acro to be considered "bleached" it had to be completely white. I've had to take a step back with this current tank and not make as many assumptions with what I know, or think I know. I sincerely appreciate everyone's help on this forum.

 

[Frick]

My response from another forum.

With the uniform spacing between the branches and the shape of the corallites I would guess Acropora nana. Give it full light and good water flow.
Acropora nana. Corals of the World - Photos, maps and information about corals and reefs

Bct15, yours is closer to A. valida, the OPs Acro looks closer to A. nana. Both are almost identical but A. nanas branches grow with uniform spacing.