star polyps- getting them to flouresce

yakfishin · 08/15/2007, 07:29 AM

I have a star polyp colony that has a few polyps that really flouresce under my actinics lighting. The original colony is on a piece of live rock and where the colony touches my overflow it has grown like wildfire up the side of the overflow. This part of the colony growing up the side of the overflow is much more colorfull than the part that is attached to the live rock. I'm not sure why on my live rock the colony only has a few polyps here and there that glow a brilliant green. My questions is, is there something I can do, such as something I can feed or dose which would help the colony flouresce? It seems to me that over time a few more polyps are starting to turn green, so I'm thinking there might be something I can do to make them all start glowing. By the way, the colony on the live rock has not grown outwards except for where it touches the overflow. Could it be that all it's energy is being spent on growing up the side of the overflow and so the main colony doesn't have the "energy" to flouresce? Not really sure what makes some polyps flouresce and not the others.

JetCat USA · 08/15/2007, 07:51 AM

I've got a rather large rock (about 80 lbs) that has allot of GSPs on it, it was in my six foot 120g system for 4-5 yrs which had four foot NO bulbs driven at VHO wattage, it was a predator tank that just happened to have a few corals in there too so the bulbs didn't get changed probably that whole time and they were well off spectrum (practically yellow). the GSPs turned dingy brown over those few yrs.

i traded the 120 (I hate an Oceanic's glass center brace) for another 75 and during the tear down of the 120 i put that rock in one of my spare 75s with the same lights on where it stayed another 4-5 months still the same dingy brown color. i got the new 75 ready to setup and finely put that rock in it, and attached a frag of it to the overflow too, i like having them grow and cover it up, they have been under new T5s sense them (June 2007) and have fully regained their fluorescent colors.

My best guess is your lighting is the cause of your loss of fluoresce.

[img]http://i14.*******.com/4mkfoyg.jpg[/img]

weaselslucks · 08/15/2007, 08:03 AM

I agree with JetCat my green frilly mushroom eats and expands well but under pc lights i is a mostly dull born color.

yakfishin · 08/15/2007, 08:16 AM

I was thinking perhaps lighting as well, except the part of the colony growing up the side of the overflow is really green. Even though it is in the same part of the aquarium and thus is growing under the exact same light. Also, some polyps are really green- like that glowing, and the others around that polyp will be just brown or slightly green. I've only had this patch of star polyp for about 6 months now, but the offshoot has grown twice as large as the orginal part of the colony- so it is definetly spending the majority of its "energy" in growing up the overflow, would this have anything to do with the original part of the colony not flourescing?

rbtwo4 · 08/15/2007, 08:18 AM

Lighting is a major factor. What kind of lighting do u have?

yakfishin · 08/15/2007, 08:20 AM

By the way, my mushrooms, zoos and open brain are still flourescing as bright as ever. Thanks.

yakfishin · 08/15/2007, 08:23 AM

Power compact lighting producing about 4.5 watts gallon. Half the bulbs are 10,000k and half are actintic.

Tahlequah · 08/15/2007, 08:55 AM

For corals to truely flouresce they need UV light. You can make them do this by adding a blacklight. If you are just wanting them to be colorful you need the correct light spectrum.

yakfishin · 08/15/2007, 10:00 AM

Hmmm... the thing puzzling me the most is why part of the colony- the newer growth is flourescing, while the original part of the colony only has a few flourescing tips here and there. I have never heard of using a black light, my other corals are really flourescent under the actintic lighting.

JetCat USA · 08/15/2007, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tahlequah
For corals to truely flouresce they need UV light. You can make them do this by adding a blacklight. If you are just wanting them to be colorful you need the correct light spectrum.

Hogwash, true UV light will harm your fish/corals/yourself, black lights are a spectrum of lighting (370nm) with VERY low UV emissions, they are not true UV lights. corals don't need UV to flouresce, water filters UV out in the natural reefs, the glass around SE MH bulbs and the shield on HQI bulbs are UV filters to prevent it from entering your tank or destroying your eyes.

JetCat USA · 08/15/2007, 10:44 AM

also at the spectrum of light that 'black lights' put out the Ca in your water will reflect it making your tank appear cloudy.

08/15/2007, 07:29 AM	#1
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	star polyps- getting them to flouresce I have a star polyp colony that has a few polyps that really flouresce under my actinics lighting. The original colony is on a piece of live rock and where the colony touches my overflow it has grown like wildfire up the side of the overflow. This part of the colony growing up the side of the overflow is much more colorfull than the part that is attached to the live rock. I'm not sure why on my live rock the colony only has a few polyps here and there that glow a brilliant green. My questions is, is there something I can do, such as something I can feed or dose which would help the colony flouresce? It seems to me that over time a few more polyps are starting to turn green, so I'm thinking there might be something I can do to make them all start glowing. By the way, the colony on the live rock has not grown outwards except for where it touches the overflow. Could it be that all it's energy is being spent on growing up the side of the overflow and so the main colony doesn't have the "energy" to flouresce? Not really sure what makes some polyps flouresce and not the others.

08/15/2007, 08:18 AM	#5
rbtwo4 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NY Posts: 747	Lighting is a major factor. What kind of lighting do u have? __________________ I am completely ADDICTED!!!! Current Tank Info: 30G Rimless Deep Blue, AI Sol, 120 SWC Skimmer, Apex controller, MP10

08/15/2007, 08:55 AM	#8
Tahlequah Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tahlequah, Ok Posts: 311	For corals to truely flouresce they need UV light. You can make them do this by adding a blacklight. If you are just wanting them to be colorful you need the correct light spectrum. __________________ "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction." Current Tank Info: JBJ 30RL

08/15/2007, 07:51 AM	#2
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	I've got a rather large rock (about 80 lbs) that has allot of GSPs on it, it was in my six foot 120g system for 4-5 yrs which had four foot NO bulbs driven at VHO wattage, it was a predator tank that just happened to have a few corals in there too so the bulbs didn't get changed probably that whole time and they were well off spectrum (practically yellow). the GSPs turned dingy brown over those few yrs. i traded the 120 (I hate an Oceanic's glass center brace) for another 75 and during the tear down of the 120 i put that rock in one of my spare 75s with the same lights on where it stayed another 4-5 months still the same dingy brown color. i got the new 75 ready to setup and finely put that rock in it, and attached a frag of it to the overflow too, i like having them grow and cover it up, they have been under new T5s sense them (June 2007) and have fully regained their fluorescent colors. My best guess is your lighting is the cause of your loss of fluoresce. [img]http://i14.*******.com/4mkfoyg.jpg[/img]

08/15/2007, 08:03 AM	#3
weaselslucks Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oxford,Ct Posts: 1,393	I agree with JetCat my green frilly mushroom eats and expands well but under pc lights i is a mostly dull born color.

08/15/2007, 08:16 AM	#4
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	I was thinking perhaps lighting as well, except the part of the colony growing up the side of the overflow is really green. Even though it is in the same part of the aquarium and thus is growing under the exact same light. Also, some polyps are really green- like that glowing, and the others around that polyp will be just brown or slightly green. I've only had this patch of star polyp for about 6 months now, but the offshoot has grown twice as large as the orginal part of the colony- so it is definetly spending the majority of its "energy" in growing up the overflow, would this have anything to do with the original part of the colony not flourescing?

08/15/2007, 08:20 AM	#6
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	By the way, my mushrooms, zoos and open brain are still flourescing as bright as ever. Thanks.

08/15/2007, 08:23 AM	#7
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	Power compact lighting producing about 4.5 watts gallon. Half the bulbs are 10,000k and half are actintic.

08/15/2007, 10:00 AM	#9
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	Hmmm... the thing puzzling me the most is why part of the colony- the newer growth is flourescing, while the original part of the colony only has a few flourescing tips here and there. I have never heard of using a black light, my other corals are really flourescent under the actintic lighting.

08/15/2007, 10:44 AM	#11
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	also at the spectrum of light that 'black lights' put out the Ca in your water will reflect it making your tank appear cloudy.