encrusted gorgonian advice

[cmc3502]

Just got a "encrusted gorgonian" today from the LFS (where it was open and nice and pink). Heres what is looks like after 5 hrs in my tank today.... what is the acclimation time and when should I start seeing it open? Should I move the placement of it? (65w compact lighting)
thanks!

 

[lobstergrabber]

I had two of those in my previous tank. Give it a few days to open and it should be fine. very hardy. Don't put it next to anything you don't want it to spread to though. Mine grew rapidly and covered almost all of my bare rock. I had mine under pcs as well on that tank. I head 260w on a 55 gallon. Place it toward the top with your lights until it gets acclimated to tank then move it down to where you want it. They are nice though and definitely a good beginner coral.
Rich

 

[cmc3502]

thanks for the reply....

 

[lobstergrabber]

No problem, love to see a question on something I have experience with.
Rich

 

[cmc3502]

bump (day two, looks the same...not opened!)

 

[lobstergrabber]

I still think you should not worry yet. How tall is that tank? You said in your original post you had 65 watt pc. Is that it or do you have multiple 65 watt bulbs? Your tank looks very tall for pcs to be effective.
Rich

 

[darknes]

Very nice tank..I like the blue background.
Give it one more day or so. As lobster said, it's a very hardy coral and makes a great beginner. I have it growing all over the tank. It's also easy to propogate, and is a great coral to learn how to do that as well.
Are they getting good flow? Mine seem to like a good current over them.

 

[cmc3502]

the tank is 24" tall 30" wide and yes, that is just the single bulb (with one blue, one white tube) in the compact lighting.... I had moved the powerhead right over it yersterday but moved it back to where it was this morning... also I spot fed it DT's although nothings open to receive the food...

 

[lobstergrabber]

Ok 24 is not as bad as it looked to me from the pic. You are undoubtedly going to need some more light on that thing. That said not sure this coral won't do fine with what you have for a temporary basis. Try stacking your rock differently to get it up even higher in tank if it does not open in 3 days or so. I would look into the t5. A lot of the people on the board seem to like them and I have seen some strips with a couple of bulbs around not too expensive and should expand what you could keep. Of course you could go hallide but its not for everyone. I had great success with the pcs I had on my previous tank.
Rich

 

[cmc3502]

day 3 and it still looks the same.... I think I might be able to set it on top of the powerhead (see top right of tank) and that way it would be some 4" from the actual bulb.... this just being for testing purposes to see if it opens up and not a final resting place...

 

[lobstergrabber]

Before you move it try giving it a little more flow by moving the power head and give it 2-3 more days. It should be just fine. It was open when you bought it right?
Rich

 

[teen]

i know regular gargonians dont need light because there filter feeders, so im assuming its the same for this one. i would just place it in a higher area of flow.

 

[lobstergrabber]

This Gargonian as do many others require light. Most people are used to seeing the deep water varieties which have adapted to live without the light.
Rich

 

[cmc3502]

day 4 - starting to open.... well I can see little openings on about 9 of the holes with little "threads" starting to come out! this is actually kinda exciting to watch day by day....

 

[brotox]

I got about an inch square of this stuff for my first coral, and within about 6 months it covered a 6x8" rock. It really looks great when it waves around in the current. It think it should be fine under that lighting. It may just spread a little slower, which isn't such a bad thing.

 

[mandarin w]

May I make a suggestion, From the picture, and from what you said, your tank is 24 inches tall, and it looks like you have one powerhead, and a hang on the back filter. From the picture both are located very high in the tank. Look to be in the top 1/4 of the tank. So it doesn't seen like your water in the bottom half of your tank is not going to get circulated properly. That will cause big problems down the road. You need to get one or two more powerheads and put them low in the tank and have them blow at an upward angle. Not straigt up. But you need to get the water from the bottom of your tank to the top so if can get properly filtered also.