what is the key to sps polyp extension?

[TUSI]

I have been keep SPS since 1997 and I can honestly tell you that I don't exactly what causes great polyp extension. I keep my tanks clean and I always have polyp extension, but some tanks have insane polyp extension...... Every acro looks like a fuzzy chips acro

Some observations

More polyps
- Bacteria dosed tanks have better polyp extension (also when I dose bacteria)
- Established tanks have better polyp extension
- Low nutrient tanks with a high bio-load have better polyp extension
- Some zeovit tanks have the best polyp extension that I have seen.

Less polyps
- Starved reefs, reefs with little fish and feeding, have poor polyp extension
- Reefs with high phosphates, very poor extension, poor color
- Picking fish, such as angels and certain gobys.... poor extension
- pests such as acro flatworms and red bugs reduce polyp extension.

If I had to take a guess, I would say having a highly fed reef that has been established for a while, while maintain an Low nutrient environment, will get you the best polyp extension and color. Easier said than done!

Good luck

Jackson I dont know if its the bacteria dosing or not cause I dont dose any bacteria but I dose every thing that zeovit have in the market, My nutrients are low enough that I dont starve the corals, flow could be a key but what is the right amount is the question. Some of my corals are fuzzy and some are not and all of them are in the same tank. I do believe though that is about feeding. Not every reefer feed his live stock the same I for instance try to feed both everytime I feed. I do keep a heavy bio load in my tank and sometimes I think I am to heavy on the bio load but so far so good.If you look at night when the lights are out evry coral is fuzzy looking for food. I did notice that the corals that are closer to the lights have less tentacles out during the day and more at night, dont know if that means anything.

 

[TUSI]

Joe,

I couldn't disagree more!!!!!

John u saw my tank some are fuzzy and some are not

 

[TUSI]

Joe,

I couldn't disagree more!!!!!

If you disagree what is your theory or your toughts

 

[crox99]

If you disagree what is your theory or your toughts

I am sorry Joe!! I meant agree!!

 

[TUSI]

I am sorry Joe!! I meant agree!!

No its ok if u dont agree im not an expert I just said my opinion Im willing to hear others opinion. But thx for agreeing at least I feel I make a little sense lol

 

[jackson6745]

Jackson I dont know if its the bacteria dosing or not cause I dont dose any bacteria but I dose every thing that zeovit have in the market, My nutrients are low enough that I dont starve the corals, flow could be a key but what is the right amount is the question. Some of my corals are fuzzy and some are not and all of them are in the same tank. I do believe though that is about feeding. Not every reefer feed his live stock the same I for instance try to feed both everytime I feed. I do keep a heavy bio load in my tank and sometimes I think I am to heavy on the bio load but so far so good.If you look at night when the lights are out evry coral is fuzzy looking for food. I did notice that the corals that are closer to the lights have less tentacles out during the day and more at night, dont know if that means anything.

I've used Coral Vitalizer. Whatever is in that stuff definitely increases polyp extension. Have you used zeospur in your reef?

 

[TUSI]

I've used Coral Vitalizer. Whatever is in that stuff definitely increases polyp extension. Have you used zeospur in your reef?

I used zeo spur micro elements but did not do much for me. coral vitalizer is a very concentrated coral food. I used it few times and got RTN maybe cause of something else and I thought its the coral vitalzer so I stopped it. What it does it fools the corals to think they need to eat and thats y they extend their polyps, thats what a german guy that works at zeovit told me.

 

[NYreefNoob]

not all sps have killer pe,
you will notice at night they get good pe because they are out catching particals, food at night, sps need more then just light as a food source
personally as someone who has been keeping sps for a decade stability is as big of a key as anything, plus keeping hands out of the tank. there's alot of factors in sps and different factors for different species, alot of people tend to think all sps require the same things, while some are high light and low flow and others the opposite, as well as colors can be manipulated with nutrients and phosphates, growth patterns by type and angle and amount of flow

 

[TUSI]

not all sps have killer pe,
you will notice at night they get good pe because they are out catching particals, food at night, sps need more then just light as a food source
personally as someone who has been keeping sps for a decade stability is as big of a key as anything, plus keeping hands out of the tank. there's alot of factors in sps and different factors for different species, alot of people tend to think all sps require the same things, while some are high light and low flow and others the opposite, as well as colors can be manipulated with nutrients and phosphates, growth patterns by type and angle and amount of flow

Agree 100%

 

[rideit6578]

not all sps have killer pe,
you will notice at night they get good pe because they are out catching particals, food at night, sps need more then just light as a food source
personally as someone who has been keeping sps for a decade stability is as big of a key as anything, plus keeping hands out of the tank. there's alot of factors in sps and different factors for different species, alot of people tend to think all sps require the same things, while some are high light and low flow and others the opposite, as well as colors can be manipulated with nutrients and phosphates, growth patterns by type and angle and amount of flow

Agreed. Also I tend to believe that a lot of pe, on certain types of sps, isn't desired and shows that the colony or frag is looking too hard for something, light/flow, that you haven't provided for them. My o tort and ice fire don't put out polyps until I shut my pumps off but milis wave all day long. Both are happy as can be.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Reefs

 

[rideit6578]

But I'm not saying that you don't want to see any pe just saying that all the types of sps are different and will show their comfort levels differently as well.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Reefs

 

[Adamc1303]

Established tanks usually have sps with allot of PE. The question is does more PE definitely mean a healthier SPS coral? Hobbyist usually start with LPS corals. On LPS corals if there is no PE then something is wrong (like on a torch). I think we automatically adapt that same theory to SPS when we start keeping them. But who says more PE is better in an SPS coral? If a coral has color and nice growth with encrustation but doesn't extend it's polyps is it not at it's absolute best captive health? SPS does mean SHORT polyp stony. I am asking here like the OP not stating my opinion. Great topic OP!

 

[sig45]

I agree w nyreefnoob. Check for PE at night, usually an indication of healthy coral feeding. Some sps have polyp extension at different times in my tank, ususally related to dusk dawn cycle and feeding.
Water quality and flow also can affect PE as mentioned.

 

[Swimmy]

Consistent on point parameters, adequate flow and lighting, and target feeding with a source of food like oyster eggs, nutramar OVA prawn eggs, rotifers.. ect will equate to good polyp extension. If the coral receives food it can catch, it will extend it's polyps in anticipation of food. This can be inferred by looking at other corals like lps. For example say you want to feed a favia that doesn't have it's tentacles extended, you'd squirt a little food on it, wait 10-15 mins and the tentacles should be out reaching for food and then you'd squirt food on it again, and it will catch the food. SPS are similar in the sense that if you feed them, they will extend their polyps to catch food. A healthy sps will have polyp extension (in anyway shape or form, maybe not extended long, but if the polyps aren't present your sps is most likely stressing), Multiple colors, and a thicker rim of new growth around the base of the piece.