Getting my Candy Cane to Colour up?
 

Hey guys,

so I have this candy cane coral that I got from Gold's. It wasnt super colourful when I got it, but it was a decent deal and has a lot of heads. It had probably 22 heads or so when I got it and now has probably 30.

Problem is - I can't really get it to colour up.

What type of care should I give it to promote colouration? I target feed it probably 3 times every 2 weeks or every 5 days or so and its got pretty strong light on it that seems to be helping. Its about a 14" from my 250W MH and 96W actinics for reference.

Ive had the coral for probably 2-3 months now. It has some colour, but not nearly as much as others Ive seen.

Thoughts?

I doubt this will help you much but my candy cane hasn't seen much light the last few years and it's colour hasn't changed at all.

Hasnt changed at all as in its got good colouration?

Mine has improved slightly since I've been giving it special care, but perhaps it has too much lighting? Is that what you're saying? Low light might be best for it?

If I were you, I would probably frag the colony into 2 or more pieces and place them in different locations receiving different level of light and current. You will see what your coral likes in a few months.

Id rather leave it as a large colony though. Perhaps I could frag like 2-3 heads and make a frag plug that I'd eventually sell, but thats about all I would consider at this point.

Perhaps I dont have the kind that is bright green and white with red? Mine is more a flesh colour. It doesnt look quite like its perfectly happy though. Hmmm

try probably lowering it a bit? It's probably not used to strong lighting.

Hmmm, Ive read they are sensitive to MHs, but I cant just move the whole colony that easy, its epoxy'd to a rock. I'll move the whole rock down for a few weeks and see how it reacts to that.

Ok so I moved around quite a bit of my rockwork today in order to better accommodate my candy cane. I think he's in a better spot now, but we'll see how he responds.

I made it so he doesnt have as much direct MH lighting. He probably still gets a little bit, but not nearly as much. Some of it is diffused from my glass bracing which he sits under and the other one he has a higher rock ledge blocking a bit of it, but not all. Should be better conditions for him.

Sometimes coral isn't bright and amazing, stop being a coral racist and love all your coral the same :lol:. If it isn't brown by default you can try target feeding and keeping your levels constant, this might help.
Levi

Im working on keeping my levels constant. Been dosing for about two months now but so far I havent gotten levels up to where I want them to be. I might be wrong but I have a feeling some of my dosages are precipitating out.

Ive been manually adding it by the teaspoon to top off water, mixing it, then dumping it in. I add baking soda first, then calcium.

Magnesium levels seem ok for the most part, but doing this, my other two levels sort of climb, but not as much as Id expect them to.

Whats the best way to dose with accuracy on a budget?

i"ve got a colony 10" below a 250w mh and they are full of color and growing good. I don't think i have a head under the size of a toonie!!

How far from the MHs are they and are they subject to direct MH light? No diffusing through glass or what not?

right under a 250w mh, 10-12" below. bulbs a 20k tho, open top.there starting to really get moving now. for awhile they were just getting wider and wider, now they are pinching together in the middle forming new heads every month!!

Hmmmm that makes me wonder, cause mine are 10K. Odd.... Now Im more confused because mine was in a very similar spot.

That makes me wonder, can my coralife aqua light pro support 20K bulbs? Or would I need new ballasts or something?

Yes they can.