What are some of the brightest, clearest blue Acroporas (or other corals?) (1 Viewer)

[capman]

I feel my big reef tank in the lab should have a disclaimer sign on it for students because it looks a little bit like a crayon box with all the brightly colored corals (most corals in most reefs are brown, so I'm sort of misrepresenting what real coral reefs usually look like...).

But...

The colors are cool, everyone enjoys them, and it makes students and visitors look.

So, I'm embracing the colors, and I would really like to create a blue and pink combination in the middle of the reef, by pairing up the hot pink birdsnest coral (that I now have again thanks to Gary!), and a pinkish Acropora I have, with one or several Acroporas (or maybe other non-Acroporas?) that are REALLY blue.

If I want the ultimate in blue Acropora corals, with really nice bright blue, clear blue (not muddy) color, what would you suggest I look for?

Thanks to the recent EXPO, I now have small frags of Cali Tort, and "Aussie ultra blue" Acropora. These have not fully taken off yet and are not fully colored up, so it remains to be seen how they will end up looking in my tank with my conditions.

Are there other corals I should be looking for? For example, is the Oregon tort a brighter blue color than the Cali Tort? Are there other obvious (and available) choices?

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(Super expensive corals are not going to be on the table here though! And I'd prefer a coral that is not a super difficult, super fussy Acropora to keep happy.)

My light levels are high - two 400 w metal halides (6500K), plus two Radions running at full intensity, some blue Reef Brite LED strips, and two T5 blue bulbs over a 6 foot x 3 foot area (the tank actually has a 6 foot x 4 foot footprint, but the rear fourth of the tank is behind a 3 foot wide free-standing polycarbonate/epoxy/rock wall).

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Thanks!

 

[capman]

This is a photo of my big tank in the lab, taken about two months ago. Some things have changed since then, and some of the corals you see here have grown a lot since this photo was taken. This photo was taken with just the Radions and blue T5s running:

 

[AsianReef]

There’s only 2 true blue sps I know of are Oregon tort and Palmer Blue Millie. Maybe there are more out there, but not sure if they’re that blue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[spsick]

Look up Big E on Reef2Reef. His navy tort is the bluest thing I’ve ever seen.

 

[RSnodgrass]

The Bluejay I got from Reefking is brilliant. It is mostly the tips and edges with the extra blue but that's likely true of most.

 

[Reefking]

The Bluejay I got from Reefking is brilliant. It is mostly the tips and edges with the extra blue but that's likely true of most.

I actually think the Reefking signature blue jay acro is the bluest acro in existence. You have to see it to believe it.

 

[reefsponge]

I would agree with the above posts. I know some of these carry a bit more blue under certain bulbs. That original Palmers milli was shot under 12k reflux I believe.

Peng’s Heart of the Ocean

Navy tort

Reefking

Oregon tort

Palmers blue milli

 

[reefsponge]

This was a pretty good side by side comparison shot by boom corals.

 

[capman]

Wow, some of these are incredible (even taking into account the possibility of things being enhanced a bit in photo processing).


I really need to be looking for a Palmer's blue millepora. I want to get an Acropora millepora or two regardless for other reasons (for the long tentacles) - other than the goal of having some nice blue corals, A. millepora has been one of my last remaining must-find corals. That blue one is remarkable, and would accomplish two things at once.

The Oregon tort also seems like something to be looking for.

And it sounds like that Bluejay Acropora is worth trying to find.


(Actually, any of the corals shown in the posts above would be great.)

 

[spsick]

FWIW I’ve NEVER seen a palmers that blue other than that photo (that’s been floating around for years)

 

[capman]

FWIW I’ve NEVER seen a palmers that blue other than that photo (that’s been floating around for years)

Thanks.

Indeed, that photo looks a bit enhanced.

What do you think of the accuracy of the colors in the last photo posted by reefsponge of all the little frags?

 

[reefsponge]

That original photo of the Palmers was taken under 400w reflux 12k. If you ever seen this bulb lit in person, it makes blue pop like nothing I’ve ever seen. Highly doubt you can pull those colors out without it. Still a nice blue milli though. Oregon tort wins the blue contest in my book.