monti cap alive?

[jstdv8]

So, I got a frag of orange monti cap from a frag swap and it has the white around the edges which I was told means it is growing fine. But it doesnt have any polyps showing like in yoshis post below (actually thats the only one Ive ever seen with polyps)
It has an area in the center of it that seems to be white like its bleached out on that area, pretty faint but definatley not the same color as the rest of it. I have it up about 12" under the surface in my 90 gallon with 54x6 T-5HO's on the tank.
How can I tell if this thing is happy?

 

[nycbob]

with monticap, any white or dead spots will be overgrown or covered once the coral starts to grow. b4 my sps all crashed 2 weeks ago, my green cap had a white spot in the middle due to a coral falling on it, but over time, new tissue grew over the dead spot.

 

[jstdv8]

can i have it in too much light with a t-5HO 6 x 54 and hes about 12" in the water. Everyone Ive talked to in person says I can't have too much light from that light system. The reason I ask is I notice most people's tanks Ive seen ahve these on the bottom of the tank or near the bottom.

 

[oneradtek]

i have had many fellow reefer friends switch back to halides because t-5s can be overkill and cause bleaching.
But IME monti caps will be fine. my orange cap doesnt have exagerated polyp extension. white around the rim is normal. lighter color int he center is common for large colonies that grow upwards. try moving it lower if your worried, itll still survive either way

 

[gill again68]

Well my monti started bleaching around the edge and within a few days died. May not be the same symptoms but hey look out. I replaced that one with a Purple Rim Green and its growing like crazy. Both under the same T-5s. I dont think T-5s will over power your monti.

 

[jstdv8]

the lighter colored area in teh middle is slowly turning more orangish I think, seems to be doing ok. I can actually see the polyps now. so everything is good I think. How can I tell if its an upward growing one?

 

[spanko]

Flow will control the growth pattern for the most part. Also high flow will help the coral to develop thicker plates. You need to keep detritus off of the coral, hence the high flow. Only time will tell how it will grow, I don't think you can direct this, but I have been wrong before. Let's see what others say.
Here is a picture of the polyp extension on mine.

 

[nycbob]

high flow would definitely make it grow up from my experience.

 

[jstdv8]

whoa, my polyps don't extend like that. that looks cool.
When you say grow up you mean like they spiral upwards or they actually grow upwards like a mountain?

 

[spanko]

He means spiral and or cup I believe.

 

[nycbob]

spiral up like mine below.