How do corals grow??

[Reef N Discus]

I am talking about in terms of at the tanks surface, for instance most freshwater plants will break the water surface and be fine, and even blossom ontop of the waters surface.

So my question/questions are do corals break the surface? It seems I think I have seen picks were yes they do but is this all of them? I have seen other picks were they are just bellow the surface? I also here you do not want the air to touch them? how do you move or frag them then? Is this not true?

At my local fish store I see their reef tanks and all their corals are just below the surfce do the sense some way that their about to break the surface and dont or what?

If they do how are they getting all their requirements meet? I mean in addtion to the light they need the calcium, mag, alk and all that other good stuff.

Thanks Just in the planing and buying phase of setting up a 75-90 gallon mixed reef and was really courious about this.
Thank you in advance!

[James404]

Yes corals can break the surface for sure. You will see this with SPS corals, when they do the exposed tips will start to die off given time. When fragging you can expose corals to fresh air for short periods of time without it affecting them much, this happens in nature as well. Take a look at reefs in fiji where at low tide you have areas of reef out of water, in the sun for hours.

[Salamander]

I've had SPS that grow the the surface then spread out without breaking the surface. I've also had others that will grow to just barely break the surface and the tips die off. I usually just frag that piece a lower.

Most things can handle some time out of water although some sponges, starfish and others are more sensitive.

I once fragged a pocci and lost a piece when it flew across the room as I cut it. After looking for a while I gave up. 5 or so hours later I was vacuuming and ran it over. I put the dried out and battererd piece back in the water and within about 15 minutes it's polyps were out.

[seapug]

Stony corals like acros will die on top form then mini "atolls" and start growing horizontally. Softcorals will contract to remain submerged. I have a couple big softies that expand just enough to remain about 1/2" underwater.

[Reef N Discus]

Ahh, so this is the reason why I see these tanks with all these corals growing rite up to the surface without ever breaking it huh? I was wondering about this like how does the coral know it is just about to the surface of the tank? It does not it actually breaks the surface and the parts exposed just simply die off, without effeting the rest of the coral colony? Then the ones I have seen slightly above the surface were the soft corals that can survive like an inch out of water then? either that or there SPS,LPS corals that have just broke the surface and have not died back yet?

Ok well I am getting a 90 or 70 gallon tank I have 2 times 10 inch pendants MH of 175w running on a dual balast with reeflux Coral vue 20K lights and was planing on doing mainly LPS maybe some softies and eventually when and if I become skilled enough will move a little into the SPS worl I am wondering if these lights will be good or if I can or will be able to sumplement with some t5HO? like on or two fixtures and what color temp 14K?? should I plan on adding that suplimentation now would it be benefical at the beginign of my future setup and what color should I gow ith if I want to keep that nice deep blue color. Finally I was told conflicitn reports on wether or not I could do a clam or two maybe a few inches under the surface of the water with the MH about 7 inches of the surfac clam about 4 inches or so bellow the surface I hear yeah and no so what do you all think? Thank you very much!

[Reef N Discus]

Oh forget to say I bought these lights used but replaced the bulbs I am not sure if this matters or not? Was considering T5 as the MH setup would have been exp but then found a great dual on the pair of these MH's so went with them I can supliment like I said with the T5HO if need be I have some running on my 55 freshwater setup for discus fish with some plants I do not mind sacrificneg the plants to snatch the lights to move to my Reef tank setup the plants were cheap and I already have lights for that DST anyways.
I will or plan to upgrade to some beter reflectors eventually for the HM I have, can I do that? use the current balast and MH sockets and just up grade the reflectors? Can I upgrade to a beter blast and keep the same socketss and up grade the refelctors? in other words are there any compatibility issues when doing this kind of an up grade? Would i have to buy a totally new setup? the current 10 inch diameter pendants that cam with this are just painting like a white inside I was wondering if I could do anything to make the reflectivnes better out of these like a new paint of some kind or if I can just up grade some compentats as funds become availible to me?? as just strating up is expensive as is. To date I have acuired the sump, lights, and the skimer thats it I still need a whole list of equipment and I have to save then buy save then buy, and with 3 kids a wife and all and with Xmas it is sloooooww going if you know what I mean so each purchase needs to be thought out and rite I can not afford to buy something then a few months latter find out it is inadiquite and needs up dated but I can replace equipment over time if need be, it is just that intial cost of getting started thats a killer I still have to get the RODI unit the storage (Bruite trash cans for water starage) basicallye verything else I did not include here, lol I know it is a lot and really over whellming to me rite now so I am taking it slow buying one thing at a time and with each purchase I am one step clsoer to ,y dream of owing a nice mixed reef tank of about 75 - 90 gallons in size. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and to undrstand my questions and concern thank you so much in advance.

[Bloodritual]

The pics you saw were probably taken during a low tide, Just like stated some corals have the ability to survive out of water for some time.

[Bloodritual]

As far as upgrading your lights, there are sockets, reflectors and ballasts that are sold separately. Just s long as you know how to put them together it is possible, not that hard but a little tricky and some knowhow about wiring and electricity.

[Reef N Discus]

Originally Posted by Bloodritual

As far as upgrading your lights, there are sockets, reflectors and ballasts that are sold separately. Just s long as you know how to put them together it is possible, not that hard but a little tricky and some knowhow about wiring and electricity.

Oh well that should be no problem for me as I have a 2 year tech degree in electronics so I should be ok for some basic wireing I have done things such as celling fans, recepticle outlet plugs/covers and spot lights for the deck.

My main concern other than making sure the wattage and size type of bulb match the balast and the reflectors were big enough was all that I needed to worry about. I was not sure if there were things like impedince matches I had to worry about like making sure your stero speakers have that rite impedance matgches. I thought there was something betwent he blast that had to be matched up properly with the bulbs and so forth guess not beyond the wattage balast and bulb you are talking about.

The pics I seen were top down picks of reef tanks were the corals were either just bellow or just above the surface of the water. I never seen like a coral 5 inches out of the water on a reef tank like a freshwater plant could be, But i have seen them break the waters surface the coral that is and this is what meade me think to ask about this, thank you so much for all your help I think I understand a bit better now.