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placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 5:24 am
by flwrbee
I just got a new Plate Coral and I'm not sure where to place it in my 75 gallon tank. I have a Radion XR15 light, 1.025 salinity, and keep nitrates around 5 ppm. Any advice on flow and height?

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 7:18 am
by Falcon9
Plate Corals do best in low to moderate flow, so avoid direct blast from powerheads. I'd place it on the sandbed or a low rock shelf where it can stretch out. They're not super light-hungry, so mid to low placement should work fine with your XR15.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 8:07 am
by pythona
Mine did well halfway up the rockwork in my 40 breeder. Just make sure nothing shadows it, and keep an eye on polyp extension to gauge if it's happy.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 9:53 am
by angelwras
yo, sandbed all the way! mine vibes there with like, zero drama. just don't let hermits mess with it, those little dudes are sketchy.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 10:18 am
by galenys
angelwras wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 9:53 am yo, sandbed all the way! mine vibes there with like, zero drama. just don't let hermits mess with it, those little dudes are sketchy.
Agreed on the sandbed, but watch for sand sifters too. My goby buried mine once, not cool.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 11:33 am
by fluxer
low flow zone for sure, they're gonna get pissed if they're getting tossed around. also, keep alk stable or they'll sulk.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:32 pm
by flwrbee
Thanks for the tips! I'll try the sandbed first and monitor how it responds.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 2:20 pm
by Falcon9
flwrbee wrote: Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:32 pm Thanks for the tips! I'll try the sandbed first and monitor how it responds.
Good call. If it doesn't open fully after a few days, try nudging it slightly higher. Sometimes they just need a minute to acclimate.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 2:34 pm
by pythona
Also, if you have aggressive feeders like Acans nearby, give the Plate some space. They can get outcompeted for food.

Re: placement for plate corals

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2025 3:18 pm
by angelwras
for real, my plate got bullied by a freakin' blasto once. now it's solo chillin' and way happier.