Star Polyp question

[cornetet]

I'm COMPLETELY new to saltwater.... I started my first tank just 4 weeks ago and put in a LiveRock.

I just added my very first coral just 3-4 days ago.... a 2inch-by-3inch chunk of star polyps.

I have a Coralife 50/50 96watt light....and when the lights are ON for 10 hours the star polyp tentacles are OUT and fully-extended....

....but when the light is OFF thru-out the night....by morning all the tentacles are fully retracted and hiding.

IS THIS NORMAL???????

[reef_noob]

Yep. Incidentally, 4 weeks is a rather short amount of time to be adding any type of livestock. 8 weeks is a generally accepted timeframe as the nitrogen cycle will be established by that point, mitigating ammonia and nitrite spikes, which are toxic to livestock. Luckily in your case, GSP are really hardy.

[tdwyatt]

Normal, they usually only open during the on period of the photoperiod.

Ditto to what RNoob said on the maturity of the tank; go slow, take your time.

[wharyat]

Agreed.

One word of advice; GSPs can grow very quickly and encroach on more valuble corals in the future (chemical warefare between corals is not fun; one dies, one lives), so try to keep them growing on 1 rock or on a surface that you can easily scrape them off for trading/selling. Having them grow on sand makes it even easier to frag.


Welcome to TRT!

[tims]

Welcome to TRT!

you have found a great place to learn adn ask just about anything!
here is some reading that might help you answer some questions and help you ask more..

[VWD]

Welcome to TRT!

[Brent Cone]

Oh well they gave you your answer so Welcome to T.R.T.