RTG Bling bling Cyphastrea

Care

• Difficulty: Easy. Beginner-friendly encrusting SPS.
• Light: Low to moderate, about 50–150 PAR. Color holds in lower light. High light often browns the base and can bleach polyps. If it goes tan, move it down.
• Flow: Moderate. The mat needs to stay clean. Low flow lets detritus sit on the tissue and the polyps recede. You do not need a wave maker blasting it.
• Placement: Lower rock faces, the side of a scape, under a ledge, or a frag rack. Perfect for filling bare dry rock. Give it a patch. It will slowly take over a small stone.
• Feeding: Mostly light. Powdered coral food or amino once or twice a week is optional and can speed encrusting. Broadcast feed is enough. You do not need to target this one.
• Temperament: Peaceful, but the mat does not stop at the edge of the plug. Don't start it next to a slow coral you want to keep, or next to zoas that will also try to own the rock.
• Water: Stable alk about 8–11 dKH. Salinity 1.025. Temp 75–78°F. It is much more forgiving of nitrate and phosphate than acro. You do not need to run ULNS for cyphastrea.
• Acclimate: Float, drip 20–30 minutes, place in lower light first. You can move it up later if you want more pop.
• Dip: Dip before the display. 1 cup tank water with CoralRx 1/4 cap, iodine 1–2 drops, or potassium chloride 1/4 tsp.
• Watch for: Pale or receding edges usually mean too much light or detritus sitting on it. A thin film of algae on the dead skeleton behind the growth line is normal as it advances.