Anyone seen Tommy Knockers prostrata in person?

[jcolletteiii]

Am thinking about pulling the trigger on this one, but I'm just not sure if this is an accurate representation of the color or not. Really, really strange, unusual coloration - if the photo is un-retouched. Has anyone actually seen a piece of this coral? Does it ACTUALLY look like the photo from aquaholics website below?

Their photo...
http://www.aquaholicsinc.com/frags/mega/megapage1/mega3/FX001.jpg

[M007]

Can't say it had the same name but I have seen a prostrata that looked very much like the picture you posted. Only ever seen it once and the colony was about 1/2 the size of your pic.

[jcolletteiii]

Kinda looks like a 'sunset' type prostrata overall, but with a bit more green, but those crazy dark tips make it look sooo neat. Sent them an email asking or photos of actual frags... we'll see what they send.

[dlterry85]

i live near aquaholics, and yes they are pretty. does not mean they will look like that in your tank. depends on what kinda lighting you have. i have bought from tom at aquaholics and he is a nice guy to deal with.

[jcolletteiii]

I have AI leds. Grows A. prostratas like weeds and makes their colors pop nicely. I have both a rainbow (pinkish body w/ blue tps and greenish polyps) and a sunset. This one would be a nice addition - possibly. I just can't believe that this thing looks this cool - especially the dark tips. Anyone have photos of anything similar they can offer as a reference?

[twiggyb]

I would definitely say it reminds me of the Steven king Tommy knockers movie with that kind of green. Pretty piece. I'd like to get one, but I need to set up my bigger tank first.

[James404]

IMO that photo looks to be retouched and also under some heavy actinics judging by the surrounding areas. Probably still a nice piece but I would be surprised if it looked like that in person.

[twiggyb]

How do you order corals from them? I can't find a link to buy things on my phone.

[jcolletteiii]

There's a little add to cart button below each photo.

I got a reply from Tom at aquaholics this morning - he's going to forward some actual frag photos and lighting details when he gets back into town on Thursday. We'll see how they look. On their website, it says that frags look similar but do not have the purplish-black tips. Curious. They have another prostrata that has black tips as well, but that one has a reddish-pink body - also another fantastic color combination - if it can be maintained.

[cmoresps]

Not to hijack the thread but I own Aquaholics, and can provide insight here. Number one, I only use photoshop to remove the blue cast by halides and to put the names on them, I DO NOT enhance color in the photos!! Many people locally and nationaly have purchased frags from me and can attest to the coloration. I now visit frag shows with frags of the very same offerings, displayed in a tank with a full 400watts of XM 20k power, I offer on the site and they can attest to the coloration.

As for the Tommy Knockers, that piece was imported in 2008, and LOOKED PRECISELY AS IT DOES IN THE PHOTO. Due to the downturn in the economy and a negligent error on my part vodka dosing (eg crashing a system), I shut down late that year. When I opened back up, I reacquired the peice from someone who had grown a frag into another mother, but it did not have the characteristic blacktips at the time I reaquired it. I started vodka dosing approximately 6 months ago, and have successfully gotten one tip to go black on the mother. Others locally who vodka dose or carbon dose ALSO report dark blue to black tips depending on light. The tips are SOLELY determined by phosphate levels and light intensity, ultra low phosphate equals black tips.

Also note that my site states what I just stated here, I tell all customers the same, and since it is sold without the black tips currently , I have been selling it for $35 a frag and not the $89 listed on the site in the interim. Bottom line, the pics on my site are representative of the frags I sell, I DO NOT enhance or falsify color as word spreads quickly in this industry as this thread is a testiment to. Please dont take my response here as being hostile, but I do take my livestock seriously, and have absolutely NOTHING to gain by misrepresenting my product

Any questions please feel free to contact me

Tom

[jcolletteiii]

Tom - thanks for the info. Couple of things for clarification.

1) The photo on your website is not the colony that you are fragging from, but the original colony? Do you have a photo of the current colony?

2) Was the lighting in the original photo (one on website) under 20k/radium?

3) Your add to cart button does not seem to be working. I'll definitely give it a shot for $35. Pm me payment/shipping details please.

[cmoresps]

Np, thats the original, 1) I have not repicked it as I have been waiting to get the black tips back, I do vodka dose but still have excessive phosphate

2) All picks are udner 20k xm or radium, 400W, its all I use

3) Will send pm

[Quis]

I bought a frag from Tom about a month ago. The frag I got from him look just like the one in the pic, but without the black tip. It look like it's a fast grower.....it size is almost double.

[jcolletteiii]

Quis - you have a photo?

Have decided to give it a try. One of my other prostratas has nice deep purple tips, so who knows? The pale-bright green base and orangy undertones will be great in any case.

[nvdiz]

I have a small frag of it, and its a pale yellow color, but no black tips. I got it from a local who at the time said his piece didn't have the black tips either.

[Quis]

Quis - you have a photo?

Have decided to give it a try. One of my other prostratas has nice deep purple tips, so who knows? The pale-bright green base and orangy undertones will be great in any case.

I'll take a pic tonight when I get home.

[allsps40]

Great looking coral.

[wizardx322]

I have this coral and it look exactly like my green milli

[jcolletteiii]

I have this coral and it look exactly like my green milli

Could you please post a photo? Does it have polyps that fluoresce green? Any orange/yellow undertones?

Quis - did you manage to get a photo yet?

[cmoresps]

Guys its this simple, as with any coral light intensity and phosphate have a direct impact on coral coloration, with this piece:
Moderate to low light, high nutrient= Green
High light, mid nutrient to ULN= yellow and green
High Light, ULN= Yellow, Green with black tips

So why dont I get my system ULN so when I ship them they have the black tips? Because 1) When I started vodka dosing I was running a RDSB, so i had zero nitrate, this meant my maintenance dose was VERY low, 1.5ml a day for three hundred fifty gallon system, 2) I have been excessively busy in the past few months, there have been a few weeks when I have had to skip water changes altogether, I could just stop selling it until all frags have the black tips, but there are many who want the peice particularly at $35, or I could put an updated pic on the site but that would not do this piece justice as in my experience it is fully capable of achieving its natural coloration if in an ULN high light environment. BTW sorry for the delay in response, I have been out of town

Tom

[steely185]

It's a great looking piece. I bought a frag of it and it was very bright green and much like a fuzzy milli. I lost it with other sps in crash a couple months ago but plan on picking another frag of it up again soon. Pick one up, you won't regret it.

[poidog81]

nvdiz got his from me. Mine looks like a dark green milli. I have recently moved it to get higher light, so I'm waiting to see what happens.

[KJAhp098]

And poidog got his from me. It's a nice looking coral, but I was never able to get the black tips...probably because I've never ran a ULNS.

[poidog81]

haha. Hi Ken! I like how we have the whole linage on here.

[Tortuga78]

Don't mean to hijack..If you guys from the Chicago area have a frag for sale let me know. It looks like a great color.