How long can SPS stay exposed during WC?

[Sunny]

SO my SPS have grown ;D to the point where I can not do a big water change without exposing some of them (blue milli and tri color acro). I always takeout some water from the sump and rest from the DT. However my nitrates are a little high and I was planning to do a 30% water change (45 gallon).

How long can they stay exposed during water change? What do folks with those great looking tanks do where the SPS are almost growing out of the tanks??

Sunny

 

[panmanmatt]

A lot of times SPS are out of the water at low tide on the shallow reefs. I think you'd be fine for the short duration of a water change. There's a good chance they will slime up a bit as a means of keeping themselves from drying out.

 

[Sunny]

How short is short? Like 20 - 30 minutes?

 

[panmanmatt]

Well considering the tides changes can leave them exposed to the air for hours, remember a total tide change roughly 6 hours or so, you'll be fine with 20-30 minutes maybe even more.

I know some folks that ship their SPS corals wrapped in just a wet paper towel and they do just fine. That's anywhere from 12-24 hours out of the water. As long as they don't dry out they should be fine.

 

[magic]

The top 2 inches of my sps are exposed for 10 - 15 minutes during a wc. I do the changes when my MHs are off (only actinics).

Bob

 

[Nickjr000]

Just make sure your lights are off or they'll burn up. mine use to be out for 5-10 mins always were fine

 

[mr_X]

i know someone who left a piece of sps on the center brace overnight and it lived. it was even blasted with the halides for a few hours during that period.

 

[jimroth]

The top 2 inches of my sps are exposed for 10 - 15 minutes during a wc. I do the changes when my MHs are off (only actinics).

Bob

Agreed, probably hours but do turn off those halides...

 

[Sunny]

They are under T5 not MH. Either case, would turn them off.

 

[concept3]

I've had mine exposed for 2-3 hours, but that was in the summer when the ambient air was warmer- you should be ok for 20 or 30 minutes