# LPS or colourful Softies that can take strong light



## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

So SPS used to be my thing and I had great success with them, but for no reason anyone can figure out, they are not doing well and just dying. All my LPS are doing well, so, instead of fighting it, I decided to go all LPS. They look great under my lighting anyway, so I am sure I will like it.The problem is, I need some corals for the top of my rock work.

What LPS or colourful softies will thrive under high light and strong flow?

Lighting is an 8-bulb T5 with two XHO actinic led strips. corals would be about 8 inches under the lights and 18 inches in from of an MP40.

Appreciate the input!


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Maybe some branching montiporas? Unless those didn't grow for you.
Did you try an efflo? I have trouble with sps, but my efflo is happy happy happy.
Not sure how a photosynthetic gorg would do?


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

yeah. Montis did ok for a while and I never liked them up top, but another reason for the decision to of all LPS is we tend to watch the tank at night when just the actinics are on, and the LPS looks really nice under that light. SPS doesn't. So, that way I accomplish two things by going all soft


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

I personally found leathers will adjust well to bright light. ricordea mushroom do well in high light for me. chalice do well and hammers.

I've had issues with Faviids, Brains and torches up high but hey im no expert


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

Certain chalices, torches, hammers, leathers will all do fine. For chalices I generally have to acclimate them slowly to full lighting.


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## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

Photosynthetic gorgonians will do fine. They're not all just purple, but it's hard to find too much variety here. Sent you a pm...
Neptheas and capnellas would do well, also.


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions. I may consider a very bright leather coral and a torch or hammer would be cool. I've always liked those. Don't need a lot, but hate the bare rock on top.

Cheers!


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

what bare rock??


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

hehe. all the sps you see on top of the rock in my signature pic are gone  They grew like crazy for a while and then just faded away. no obvious reason. Although i do suspect the H2Ocean salt was giving me problems so i have switched to Tropic Marin pro now and hope it will be more stable


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## notclear (Nov 5, 2011)

May be the salt, but may be not. Every tank is different. I have been using H2O salt for many years now, OK for me.


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## mattdean (Oct 23, 2010)

notclear said:


> May be the salt, but may be not. Every tank is different. I have been using H2O salt for many years now, OK for me.


I used the salt for quite a while too, but the last 'version' of my tank, I found it near impossible to keep the calcium and all low enough. After I switched salts, it was much better. That being said, you have a more mature tank that would probably need the higher all/calc demands. Doesn't really matter. Just want to get it back to it's former glory


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## Nevek67 (Feb 27, 2015)

I have found that Duncan's do great up high, I also have T5 lighting and flow from high to low and all my Duncan's have great polyp extension (and are splitting like crazy) Also cup corals I think would do pretty good up. Mine is growing at a steady rate and it is also fairly high up in medium high flow.

hope this helps


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## cablemike (Jan 7, 2009)

Pagoda, Duncan's, torch, hammer, frogspawn, candy cane.. all these I've had under intense light.. flow is a different story.. 

Sent from my XT1563 using Tapatalk


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