Purple Death Palys

[kenske]

Can anyone out there,that has PDs that are really purple, suggest tank placement for these palys? I just got a single polyp frag (few days ago), and it has only a hint of purple. I'd like to know if there are any suggestions as what I can do to get the purple back on this paly. It is currently on the bottom of my tank. I am using 150w MH and (2) 24watt t5 actinic.

 

[pnoyreefer]

Here is my PD's

This one is sitting at the middle of the tank Pretty deep purple

This is at the bottom very nice light purple which I like

 

[kenske]

Wow those are nice! Maybe I just have to be patient and wait a bit before moving it.

Pnoyreefer, would you agree that blue and/or purple zoas (in general) require less intense lighting while pinks and orange zoas need very intense lighting?

 

[pnoyreefer]

I like to play around with my zoas .. high light, low light, low flow, high flow..

The question you ask I don't know the answer but I know when my zoas are stress I put them in a shade dark with low flow...

 

[KathyC]

How deep is your tank?
I find that my purples like the lower section of the tank and it is usually suggested to place any new ones on the bottom to start with. If they are stretching to reach the light, move them up, but I was told to do it about 3" at a time, wait a week and then move them again if needed.
They do not like to be moved, so do it in small increments if you must move them.
In my tank the lighter colors do better higher up..thought my blues like to be up high..they also seem to adapt well to flow. I keep mine in a medium flow.
Zoas, go figure

 

[kenske]

pnoyreefer:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the PDs. I guess the only way to know placements these palys is by testing out different flow/lighting.

KathyC:
My tank is 18" deep and the lighting is 5-6 inches above the tank. I appreciate you sharing your experience and addressing my question. The PD is already on the sandbed. If the color doesn't improve in a week, i will start moving it upward, slowly. I will follow your suggestion of moving it no more than 3 inches at a time. I only have 1 polyp. I can't afford to have it melt under the halides.

-Kenny

 

[kenske]

These guys can really eat! A med sized polyp ate a full sized mysis. I did not even target fed it, it caught a mysis all on it's own. They should be pretty quick growers, right? I have gotten contradicting answers from talking to a few reefers.

 

[fali]

^^what is the kelvin on your bulbs. My purple death are grey/brown under 10k but the deep purple shows under actinics and moon lights. Maybe have more purple look under 20k rather than 20k, right?

 

[kenske]

^^what is the kelvin on your bulbs. My purple death are grey/brown under 10k but the deep purple shows under actinics and moon lights. Maybe have more purple look under 20k rather than 20k, right?

The bulbs i'm using are 14k mh and 2- t5 actinics. I was thinking of changing the bulb to 20k, but being that I have the t5 actinics (which I really dig), im afraid that the lighting it may be too "blue".

The PD is growing pretty fast. I see a baby polyp already!

 

[ssmtcarlo]

I have mine mid tank under T5's nice and purple

 

[kenske]

Mine is getting a bit more purple. It has been on my sandbed since day one. I notice that if i were to view it from above the tank, it looks really purple. Anyway, im moving it up a bit and toward the center on the tank. Let's see if that's going to make any difference.