2 Year Tank - Growing Acropora 1/2021

[Jenuvio]

NO3: 4-8ppm
PO4: 0.12ppm
dKH: 8.0

First time keeping Acropora.
This post will be updated to track my success with these frags.
Running a Kessil 360WE @ 8" Height on a 60G Cube

 

[vabben]

Good luck! Look like some healthy frags.

 

[Stuartmercer]

Good luck! Im intrested to see how this goes.

 

[PatW]

Just to be contrary, I think your nitrates and phosphates are high for acropora. But if you frags grow, why listen to me? I suspect that every tank is a different system and a set of parameters that will work in one system will not work in another. Right now, your frags look pretty good.

 

[azazello]

Beautiful frags, but yes, maybe bring phosphate down a little bit. Third picture, got a name?

 

[newbie2014]

Very interested to see how this plays out......

According to BRSTV Investigate one a360 on a 60g cube will not emit enough PAR for SPS.

How high (off the bottom) are you mounting these frags?

 

[Jenuvio]

Beautiful frags, but yes, maybe bring phosphate down a little bit. Third picture, got a name?

No name.. store employee couldn’t figure it out. I am thinking it’s a Pearlberry. Running GFO right now and really keeping an eye out on these. Thanks

 

[Jenuvio]

Very interested to see how this plays out......

According to BRSTV Investigate one a360 on a 60g cube will not emit enough PAR for SPS.

How high (off the bottom) are you mounting these frags?

Yup. 6” Under the surface. Very optimistic!

 

[Rubberfrog]

Can we get a pic of the whole tank? No real reason, I just like looking at tanks.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

So there’s a few things that can affect Sps. First did someone look at them wrong? Lol. Water perimeter shock. Ph shock, alk, ca and mag. Make sure these are stable and at your target levels. What do you have for flow? Flow is just as if not more important than lighting. I will recommend an ATI water test. This will give you a baseline of tank parameters. Test alk daily, and keep a log or journal. It also can take time for sps to settle into a new tank.

 

[Jenuvio]

Can we get a pic of the whole tank? No real reason, I just like looking at tanks.

 

[Jenuvio]

So there’s a few things that can affect Sps. First did someone look at them wrong? Lol. Water perimeter shock. Ph shock, alk, ca and mag. Make sure these are stable and at your target levels. What do you have for flow? Flow is just as if not more important than lighting. I will recommend an ATI water test. This will give you a baseline of tank parameters. Test alk daily, and keep a log or journal. It also can take time for sps to settle into a new tank.

2 Koralia Pumps and return feed... Will look into the ATI water test.

Thanks!

 

[Rubberfrog]

That looks nice

 

[Shufflepig]

No name.. store employee couldn’t figure it out. I am thinking it’s a Pearlberry. Running GFO right now and really keeping an eye out on these. Thanks

Looks like Hawkins enchinata

 

[Jenuvio]

Week #2

Update: Acro's have not died!

These are the parameters throughout the first week.
NO3 - 8-16ppm
PO4 - .12ppm (Dosing Phosphate E)
dKH - 8.0-8.5

Enjoy the pics. One of the Acro's has not shown any polyps...

 

[Jenuvio]

Week #4

Kessil 360WE is just keeping them alive...
Do you notice any growth?

NO3-16ppm / PO4-0.12ppm / dKH-8.0 to 8.5

 

[Jenuvio]

Week #6

First Acro is completely bleached.
Not sure what is causing this. (Not enough/too much light?) - Using Kessil 360WE
Second Acro starting to bleach...

All parameters have been stable:
NO3 - 8 to 16PPM
PO4 - 0.12PPM
ALK - 8.0 to 8.5
SAL - 35

(2 week difference below)

Everything else thriving.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

I’m going to suspect you need more light. A t5 retro fit or an aquatic life hybrid fixture. Use your kessil and add some t5.

 

[zalick]

I had my sps originally under T5 and it grew like crazy. I then upgraded to 6 Kessil a360 on my 300g. kessil was 8" above water and SPS was maybe 12" below water. Not nearly enough light and the struggled to grow. Basically just hung on.

Lost all the SPS to a dino explosion. Replaced my kessils with metal halides.

Now I have two Kessil a360 over a 20 long. 30"x12" x12". They are 8" above water. Tank is full of hammers 6" below surface. Kessil are on 100% power and the hammers are growing like crazy.

All that was to give you an example of how I found my kessils to perform. I think you need far more units than they say and they don't penetrate as far as claimed. I think you need one Kessil per 15". Others may have different results....

 

[Kingston]

I thought if Acros are bleaching its due to too much light? I had the same issue with my beginner acros. A mixture of bleaching and browning.