Plate Coral gurus please

[TexasTodd]

I'm looking for tips on plates from very experienced reefers.

Yes, I've never owned one, but picked up one of those super sweet neon day glow orange ones at AquaTec yesterday. The base is about 2.25-2.5 inches and around 3.5-4 when open I guess.

What is optimal for light, flow, food?

i have it about 17" down on sand bed under 6 39w T-5's in medium current. It's not opening all the way.

Should it go lower light? I can move it off to the side to lower the light still ...by the bulb ends.

Thanks,

Todd

[jrsatx20]

mines on the sand under a 250 mh with med current. took a day or two to get used to the conditions but after that no problems.

[TexasTodd]

Hey Ruben, how deep is your tank?

Thanks,

Todd

[jrsatx20]

its about 53cm deep
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn80/jrsatx20/SU1HMDAwNTYtMjAwOTAxMjAtMjAzOS5qcGc.jpg
or 21 inches deep

[Bill S]

Todd, I used to have mine on the sand bed. I swear I read somewhere that they may not like the sand, depending upon what's in it (bristle worms? - I can't remember). I moved it to a rock about 18" down, and it did great until it lost a battle with an anemone. At that point, I moved mine to that big ol' flat rock that was in your tank. It was about 8" down - and it wasn't all that happy. Now that I only run lights 3 hours a day, and it's about 8" down with no bryopsis around it, it's doing great.

[prof]

They do like the sand. They will actually move around in the sand bed. You do have to be carefull that none of your fish or crabs bury the plate. If you set him on a rock it could actually cut its flesh against its own skeleton.

Any light should be ok and a moderate flow is all they need. You can spot feed them and they tend to open up more at night.

[TexasTodd]

Thanks you two. What to feed and how often?

LOL I remember Scuba Steveo "feeding" his a $160 wrasse! :)

Todd

[TexasTodd]

BTW Ruben.........show off! On the clear photo! :)

[thedude]

Todd,

The only success I've had with those neon orange plates is to put them in front of a wavebox. I've even taken one in captivity for about three years, moved it from a wavebox, started to do crappy, and had to move it back.

If you're going to feed it do so with something small and with the pumps off. Cyclops, rotifers, etc. will do the trick.

John

[jrsatx20]

that was taken with the cell phone and when i had a ton of micro bubbles from the closed loop. i cut the bottom off of a 20oz coke bottle and put it over the plate 1 a wk and feed cyclos or chopped up silversides. do that with my ric and chalices also

[R_S_C]

lighting - i've kept mine directly under a 250mh before with no issues. i've also had them at the bottom of a tank with 1 55watt PC.

flow - i keep mine in medium but random flow areas, in corners and coves in the rock work.

food - i don't normally feed mine, but sometimes the spetrum pellets i feed the tank make their way there and i haven't heard any complaints from my plates.

as far as sand vs. rockwork. i've done both. if you're going to keep it on the sand, make sure you don't have any critters that will toss sand onto it, this will kill that part of the flesh if there isn't enough flow to clean it off. if you're going to do the rock avenue, make sure its a nice flat piece of rock and that none of the flesh gets pinched when its inflated.

prof is right, they do prefer to be in the sand. i've watched my babies inflate and float to new locations that they prefered.

hope that helps some... and show it off, i wanna see some pics :-)
http://www.maast.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=12&pictureid=437

[Aquarium masters]

I usually bury in the sand a flat ceramic coral plug or small flat rock (about the size of the center base where you can see where it was harvested) for it to rest on just slightly above the sand so that the flesh can fully inflate around the edge. I use to get over protective about sand on them but I have seen them roll sand off of themselves by inflating and cleaning off stuff that gets blown on them from fish or using a magnet to clean the glass.

[TexasTodd]

John, I hate you and your cool toys! :)

Might have to check that mini wave out again you had.

Thanks,

Todd

[TexasTodd]

Thanks Russell and all.

I have NO creatures that burrow or move sand. i hate that! Sand sifting stars or cukes at the most.

O.K. I'll try to get a pic.

Thanks again,

Todd

[BIGBIRD123]

BTW Ruben.........show off! On the clear photo! :)


You wouldn't know a clear photo when ya see one...ROFLMAO!

S

[TexasTodd]

Ha ha Bird.....I've seen Brian's and Mark's (CB Pets) SO THERE!

:)

Todd

[TexasTodd]

The plate is doing much better and ate some Rod's Food tonight! i moved it and change my JBJ Duo wave maker (pho with Korlias) to put some alternating current on it and it seems to like it. Thanks again for the tips all.

O.K. I can't get the NEW camera to take a shot. The AF keeps making it fuzzy. SO, I had to break out the old one and take about 10 pics to get one decent one.

http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww271/TexasTodd/orangePlate2-09.jpg

We'll see if the link works. Plus, I got a message that there were "new comments" on my photobucket page....can't find them whatever SA comments one of you made! :)

Todd

[R_S_C]

looks very happy. let me know if you get lucky and get some clones off yours, i'd love to add to my color collection!

[TexasTodd]

Thanks Russell. It's not quite as "happy" as it was at first.

My tank seems to be going through some sort of issue. Hopefully the plate will make it.

I will let you know if it throws off some babies.

Thanks,

Todd

[thedude]

Todd,

How long is your tank (24" is great for the nano wavebox, under is a little sketchy). What T5 combo are you using right now?

John

[TexasTodd]

Hey John, it's a 36" tank 50g.

Arg, I got sick of basically no lights and got the Nova Extreme Pro 6 lamp with pho independent reflectors....instead of ordering and waiting for something to come in. I'm already switching out 2-3 bulbs for better color. I should have just ordered the TEK. This unit does have fans though which I like and puts out plenty of light.

I pm'd you too.

Thanks,

Todd

[thedude]

Todd,

Replied to your PM, sorry we missed you the other day. For bulbs I would recommend using at least a 2:1 blue to white ratio and like the following 4 bulbs in my nano. ATI blue plus, Aquasciene DUO (white bulb, good for reds), Aquascience 22k (blue), and KZ Fiji purple.

John