Healing Superman...

[Logzor]

I picked this frag up less than a week ago, it is about 2 sq. in. and had lost most of its color, got it for 10 bucks.

Now it is gaining some back, how much more vibrant will it get? When I got it it looked very maroon, now I can really see some red color and a decent bit of blue on the edges.

Has anyone had experience with these loosing color then gaining it back?

Here is a picture of it this morning, my main lights are not on yet..

http://fc04.deviantart.com/fs31/i/2008/186/a/1/Superman_Monti_by_Logzor.jpg

[hawaiian_boi]

you got it pretty close to that other coral...might end up being a problem later on

[DaveJ]

Without knowing what strain you have.. I would say that the really bright polyps you see on the lower section may end up being the actual color of the others. You'll notice the are on the shaded portion of the edge. Many of these montis have different color polyps in low light or growth edges (such as the rainbow) and some of the superman varieties end up with bright red, orange or burnt orange. Though some of the maricultured ones end up brown or the same color as you see, that maroon color.

The blue is almost always light determined, mine produces the same color polyps at the bottom of my 90 under 6x39 ATI fixture and gets a deep baby blue in color, almost purple.

Keep stable alk, mag and cal and see what happens. Some folks report bright red with blue base under high light, others low... you'll just need to find out which yours prefers.

[Logzor]

Well I know this piece was sawed up. The edge you see is the only edge that was not cut. The rest of the sides you can see that the coral is extremely thick and a blade had cut through it. I am guessing that this side is still somewhat colored because it was not put into direct shock.

I will see how it does under this light. It is medium high in the tank under 4x54w T5 in a 55 gallon. The coral next to it is a confusa, I just have them epoxied so they will be fairly easy to move if necessary.

[bigmatt]

Give it some flow and good water parameters, let it heal and watch it grow

[Logzor]

Took your advice, it is coloring up big time. Take a look:

http://fc07.deviantart.com/fs31/i/2008/198/5/4/Superman_Monti_Update_by_Logzor.jpg

[DaveJ]

Looking good... keep it up.

[Eklikewhoa]

I got one as well!

Seller was rescaping his tank and broke a few pieces off....also ****ed everything off cause everything turned brown. I got a piece and not even a week later I saw the true superman colors again.

[Logzor]

I got this piece for 10 bucks. Amazing deal, definitely going back to that seller. He hooked be up because it was discolored, but I have had good luck with sps lately.

It is amazing how much it has grown over the cuts, it looks like it is spilling over the sides. I wonder how big the original coral was since it the tissue is very thick, the cut was over and inch thick total.

I am hoping to frag off that little from piece on the front for a small frag of some other monti.

[MBZ]

Just to give an idea of a potential color. I bought this frag about a month ago. Photo taken with photobox under 400w 12K Reeflux with actinics.

Mark

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm269/MBZ_photos/Superman1.jpg

[Logzor]

Looks good. With the supermans, in particular, it really seems that the color is ALL about what light you put on it.

20k with actinics is quite intense.

[rogergolf66]

yes wow that is much nicer then mine and I get pretty good color but I run 14K no attinic. my camera skills suck it is much nicer in person but yours looks the same as mine in person. I would say you a pretty close to what you are going to get. I would say you may get a bit more blue then what you have now.



http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb173/rogergolf66/Corals7-14-08001.jpg
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb173/rogergolf66/Corals7-14-08009.jpg

[GreatReefs]

MBZ that superman monti color is awesome!

[Greg Hiller]

Here's a photo under 12K Phoenix 250 W MH. Top down:

http://www.greghiller.com/images/photos/superman%20montipora%20mother.jpg

[GSMguy]

12k pheonix??? greg is that right?

that is a very nice coral, how far from the bulb? what kind of flow is it in?

[Logzor]

Those are some great pics everyone. Thanks for showing your supermans under the different bulbs.

I run 4 T5's. The latest picture is under:

bluespecial
super actinic
aquasun
blue+

I agree, mine is getting more and more blue every day. I will post again when I think its topped out!

[GreatReefs]

Very nice greg! I received a piece through a trade but it was bleached out. I waited very patiently and the colors are coming back in full.