Lowest light for pink birdsnest to keep its color in nano?

dendro982 · 01/19/2008, 05:57 AM

In your experience, what is the lowest light for a pink birdsnest to keep its color - in nano or pico?

zma21 · 01/19/2008, 12:00 PM

In a nano i would say 70 watt MH.

You could get away with t-5 in most cases, but they don't make the bulbs short enough for a nano or pico setting. unless of course you are going with a 20gallon or something.

jdieck · 01/19/2008, 12:09 PM

For birdnest to color up nicely MH is better than fluorecent the higher the better also 10 K is bwetter than 20K might be the PAR is higher with 10 K but that has been my experience.

DrBegalke · 01/19/2008, 01:21 PM

I would agree, at least a 70w MH.

dendro982 · 01/19/2008, 02:05 PM

Thanks! Who else tried it - post too, please.

eshook · 01/19/2008, 04:00 PM

I have 2 frags of pink birdsnest in my stock nc 24 (PC lighting). I would argue they are not at the best colors possible, but the branches have grown 1/2"+ in ~2 months. They are at the top of the rock work (3-4" from the water line) and have been growing well.

This is not optimal, but they have been healthy and growing.

dendro982 · 01/20/2008, 04:28 AM

How many watts, and has color at least the hint of pink?

eshook · 01/20/2008, 10:14 AM

2x36W 50/50 PC lights.

I think they both look pink. This isn't the greatest picture, but you can see the color of both frags. They are actually a little brighter than the picture, but its pretty close.

What do you think?

dendro982 · 01/20/2008, 12:39 PM

Wow! Love it.
Can you post the tank shot - to see birdsnest placement in relation to the light?

I have one frag in maybe 6" from the top of the tank, under 2x36W 10,000 PC (AH Supply retrofit) - all brown and much more fluffy, may be because it is filter feeders tank.

Any details will help.

eshook · 01/20/2008, 12:57 PM

Thanks. Here is a FTS. Its not great and is about a month old, but my wife has both of the cameras right now

Details are:
SG 1.024
Salt: Instant Ocean (4-5 gallon WC weekly)
Dose: 1 cap full of Reef calcium & carbonate during WC
Feed: combo of pellet, flake, & frozen

If you have other questions let me know.

dendro982 · 01/20/2008, 07:36 PM

Thank you, most helpful!
I have NC12 and NC6, using Instant Ocean salt and Seachem additives, it will be easy for me to make my settings close to yours.

What do you have in the back chambers?

eshook · 01/20/2008, 07:58 PM

It sounds like you have about the same setup.

Chamber 1: Rubble (bottom 1/3), 1/2 sponge, air-stone
Chamber 2: heater, 1/2 sponge, carbon
Chamber 3: maxi-jet 1200

dendro982 · 01/21/2008, 07:07 AM

The last questions:
- temperature,
- how do you protect lid from salt creep from air stone,
- 2nd chamber: how sponge and carbon located in relation to heater (I have heater only there)
- sponges are cleaned with water changes, right?

Seems we had covered it all.
Most grateful for your help.

eshook · 01/21/2008, 09:31 AM

1. Temperature: 80* (heater set at 79*)
2. I don't protect the lid, I wipe the lights during WC (once a week)
3.
- The heater is suctioned to the left side
- The sponge is shoved to the right side
- The carbon is shoved between them (resting mostly on the sponge)
4. Sponges are cleaned with WC

Not a problem. I'm happy to be of help. Now lets get to your setup. What is dramatically different? I wonder if the coral response is just different. I noticed you are our northernly neighbor, but can you get another frag to test its response?

How old are your bulbs? Do you clean the acrylic splashguard? How often?

dendro982 · 01/22/2008, 06:35 AM

Thank you very much!

This may leave chaotic impression, but I just tried to improve:
I have Nano-Cubes, but kept there sps only for a short time, with not a standard setup:

Mostly in this 10g tank:

(birdsnest in in the center top)
and now in longer similar tank on the same place.

Have empty NC6 right now, can try to repeat your setup at smaller scale, after finishing with current problem (Aquafuge type of refugium).

May use either of this 70W lamps - PC or MH,

but green pavona started losing color under MH, I removed this light. Could be result of high Mg threatment, not light. Or need in actinic supplement - who knows.

The bulbs are changed every 6 months, splash guard is cleaned as necessary, not much drops on it, more dust.

I tried 2 frags from different sources, both are looking the same, shorter and fluffier, than your.
At arrival, in QT:

Later, in this 5g hex (direct sun and 27W PC, later was moved to 10g with 72W):

become this:

and under 72W, near the elkhorn, same level:

Two other possible things, influences brownish color:
- I'm using tap water (but stylopora became pinkish under MH), may switch to DI in one small tank with not much water changes,
- the tanks are filter feeders tanks, fed multiple times every day - could be too much food and nutrients for sps (even without NO4 and PO4) and sps polyps could live on finest food, relying less on the light - those explaining the fluffiness and polyps extension.

But I got your pointers, thanks again!!

eshook · 01/22/2008, 07:50 AM

I'm willing to bet tap water is the culprit. I use RO/DI for my tanks. I would recommend buying some RO/DI for the next 2-3 WC and see if the color improves.

The high food content could be it, but I'm unfamiliar with this type of setup so I honestly can't say for sure.

Let us know how it turns out!

01/19/2008, 05:57 AM	#1
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	Lowest light for pink birdsnest to keep its color in nano? In your experience, what is the lowest light for a pink birdsnest to keep its color - in nano or pico?

01/19/2008, 12:00 PM	#2
zma21 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 1,443	In a nano i would say 70 watt MH. You could get away with t-5 in most cases, but they don't make the bulbs short enough for a nano or pico setting. unless of course you are going with a 20gallon or something. __________________ 12 Nanocube DX (re)born 8/27/10 25 rimless cube SPS/acan build: in the works Current Tank Info: 20 High -> 40 Cube -> Nanocube 12 DX -> 25 Gallon Rimless Picasso Clown Haven

01/19/2008, 12:09 PM	#3
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Naperville IL Posts: 15,790	For birdnest to color up nicely MH is better than fluorecent the higher the better also 10 K is bwetter than 20K might be the PAR is higher with 10 K but that has been my experience. __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

01/19/2008, 01:21 PM	#4
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,625	I would agree, at least a 70w MH. __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: DSA Neo 65

01/19/2008, 02:05 PM	#5
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	Thanks! Who else tried it - post too, please. __________________ Multiple Tank Syndrome: 15g shallow hi light - Xmas tree rocks, nps, sps, clams 6g shallow dark - sun corals collection 5g - sea apples NC12 - tube anemone 20g L - frogfish 125g - filefishes and lion Current Tank Info: 6 BB tanks: NPS, filter feeders and odd fish. LPS, sps and clams too

01/19/2008, 04:00 PM	#6
eshook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Urbana IL Posts: 819	I have 2 frags of pink birdsnest in my stock nc 24 (PC lighting). I would argue they are not at the best colors possible, but the branches have grown 1/2"+ in ~2 months. They are at the top of the rock work (3-4" from the water line) and have been growing well. This is not optimal, but they have been healthy and growing.

01/20/2008, 04:28 AM	#7
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	How many watts, and has color at least the hint of pink?

01/20/2008, 10:14 AM	#8
eshook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Urbana IL Posts: 819	2x36W 50/50 PC lights. I think they both look pink. This isn't the greatest picture, but you can see the color of both frags. They are actually a little brighter than the picture, but its pretty close. What do you think?

01/20/2008, 12:39 PM	#9
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	Wow! Love it. Can you post the tank shot - to see birdsnest placement in relation to the light? I have one frag in maybe 6" from the top of the tank, under 2x36W 10,000 PC (AH Supply retrofit) - all brown and much more fluffy, may be because it is filter feeders tank. Any details will help. __________________ Multiple Tank Syndrome: 15g shallow hi light - Xmas tree rocks, nps, sps, clams 6g shallow dark - sun corals collection 5g - sea apples NC12 - tube anemone 20g L - frogfish 125g - filefishes and lion Current Tank Info: 6 BB tanks: NPS, filter feeders and odd fish. LPS, sps and clams too

01/20/2008, 12:57 PM	#10
eshook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Urbana IL Posts: 819	Thanks. Here is a FTS. Its not great and is about a month old, but my wife has both of the cameras right now Details are: SG 1.024 Salt: Instant Ocean (4-5 gallon WC weekly) Dose: 1 cap full of Reef calcium & carbonate during WC Feed: combo of pellet, flake, & frozen If you have other questions let me know.

01/20/2008, 07:36 PM	#11
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	Thank you, most helpful! I have NC12 and NC6, using Instant Ocean salt and Seachem additives, it will be easy for me to make my settings close to yours. What do you have in the back chambers?

01/20/2008, 07:58 PM	#12
eshook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Urbana IL Posts: 819	It sounds like you have about the same setup. Chamber 1: Rubble (bottom 1/3), 1/2 sponge, air-stone Chamber 2: heater, 1/2 sponge, carbon Chamber 3: maxi-jet 1200

01/21/2008, 07:07 AM	#13
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	The last questions: - temperature, - how do you protect lid from salt creep from air stone, - 2nd chamber: how sponge and carbon located in relation to heater (I have heater only there) - sponges are cleaned with water changes, right? Seems we had covered it all. Most grateful for your help. __________________ Multiple Tank Syndrome: 15g shallow hi light - Xmas tree rocks, nps, sps, clams 6g shallow dark - sun corals collection 5g - sea apples NC12 - tube anemone 20g L - frogfish 125g - filefishes and lion Current Tank Info: 6 BB tanks: NPS, filter feeders and odd fish. LPS, sps and clams too

01/21/2008, 09:31 AM	#14
eshook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Urbana IL Posts: 819	1. Temperature: 80* (heater set at 79*) 2. I don't protect the lid, I wipe the lights during WC (once a week) 3. - The heater is suctioned to the left side - The sponge is shoved to the right side - The carbon is shoved between them (resting mostly on the sponge) 4. Sponges are cleaned with WC Not a problem. I'm happy to be of help. Now lets get to your setup. What is dramatically different? I wonder if the coral response is just different. I noticed you are our northernly neighbor, but can you get another frag to test its response? How old are your bulbs? Do you clean the acrylic splashguard? How often?

01/22/2008, 06:35 AM	#15
dendro982 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,963	Thank you very much! This may leave chaotic impression, but I just tried to improve: I have Nano-Cubes, but kept there sps only for a short time, with not a standard setup: Mostly in this 10g tank: (birdsnest in in the center top) and now in longer similar tank on the same place. Have empty NC6 right now, can try to repeat your setup at smaller scale, after finishing with current problem (Aquafuge type of refugium). May use either of this 70W lamps - PC or MH, but green pavona started losing color under MH, I removed this light. Could be result of high Mg threatment, not light. Or need in actinic supplement - who knows. The bulbs are changed every 6 months, splash guard is cleaned as necessary, not much drops on it, more dust. I tried 2 frags from different sources, both are looking the same, shorter and fluffier, than your. At arrival, in QT: Later, in this 5g hex (direct sun and 27W PC, later was moved to 10g with 72W): become this: and under 72W, near the elkhorn, same level: Two other possible things, influences brownish color: - I'm using tap water (but stylopora became pinkish under MH), may switch to DI in one small tank with not much water changes, - the tanks are filter feeders tanks, fed multiple times every day - could be too much food and nutrients for sps (even without NO4 and PO4) and sps polyps could live on finest food, relying less on the light - those explaining the fluffiness and polyps extension. But I got your pointers, thanks again!!

01/22/2008, 07:50 AM	#16
eshook Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Urbana IL Posts: 819	I'm willing to bet tap water is the culprit. I use RO/DI for my tanks. I would recommend buying some RO/DI for the next 2-3 WC and see if the color improves. The high food content could be it, but I'm unfamiliar with this type of setup so I honestly can't say for sure. Let us know how it turns out!