Acropora polyp extension

[onetootreefor]

Can anyone tell me why my polyp extension is never as nice and long as when I first get a frag?

My acropora grow steadily and color nice but my polyps never seem to extend as much as when I first receive a frag.

It usually takes a couple weeks to a month for the polyps to recede sometimes 2 months...and they never disappear but they just get significantly smaller.


Do I have too much flow? Not enough? Is it my nutrients?

My parameters are as follows:
Ph: 8.2
Temp: 26 c
Salinity: 1.026
Nitrates: 10-15
Phosphates: .03-.06
Alk: 8.7-8.9
Calc: 480-500
Mag: 1400+

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

What is your flow set up? Also, what kind of fish do you have? It's possible something is nipping at the coral and keeping them closed. Sometimes even tangs will do this...

FWIW, you don't see a lot of polyp extension on wild acros during the day. They really only open at night, so that they don't get shredded.

 

[onetootreefor]

What is your flow set up? Also, what kind of fish do you have? It's possible something is nipping at the coral and keeping them closed. Sometimes even tangs will do this...

FWIW, you don't see a lot of polyp extension on wild acros during the day. They really only open at night, so that they don't get shredded.

My flow is an mp10 on reefcrest most of the day 90% tank is only 22 long in my 30 gallon tank.

My fish get rotated a lot with some of my other tanks but for the last 6 months it was only 2 clowns 1 fairy wrasse and 2 orchid dottybacks. Currently it only houses 2 orchid dottybacks.

I do see *some* longer extension at night and i get that they come out at night more...but when I get frags they are long and out all day and all night and usually they are longer in the day when then after they settle into my tank at night.

 

[onetootreefor]

I wanted to update this post to say I’m growing off an radion xr-15 pro gen 3 in this tank. Recently tested par to be around 280-300 at peak right on my frag rack.

Any tips suggestions to try are welcomed!

 

[FMF0331]

i feed my SPS dominate tank a mixture of reef roids and reef chili

 

[onetootreefor]

i feed my SPS dominate tank a mixture of reef roids and reef chili

I have both...
I only feed about once a week though. How much do you feed of each and how often?

 

[Neo Jeo]

Following...

Past few weeks Im only getting PE at night... Maybe my flame turned naughty? I also feed reef roids once a week.

 

[jda]

When you get the frag, it it has been in a bag for a while, or transported. It needs more gas exchange. Once in your tank, it does not need much gas exchange, especially when the lights are on. Probably, you have a fish that nips... no big deal since most people do. Since a acro only needs PE for gas exchange, then why risk getting nipped when the lights are on the zoox are creating all the gasses needed.

I have massive PE in my frag tank with no fish... and nearly none in the display... same lights and same water.

 

[Neo Jeo]

When you get the frag, it it has been in a bag for a while, or transported. It needs more gas exchange. Once in your tank, it does not need much gas exchange, especially when the lights are on. Probably, you have a fish that nips... no big deal since most people do. Since a acro only needs PE for gas exchange, then why risk getting nipped when the lights are on the zoox are creating all the gasses needed.

I have massive PE in my frag tank with no fish... and nearly none in the display... same lights and same water.

Do they grow the same in your frag tank vs DT?

 

[jda]

Mostly. The colonies grow faster, so where ever the coral is larger, they will grow faster. They do get the same amount of energy (lighting) in each place. I have never had any personal experience nor seen any evidence that PE will do anything for color nor growth.

 

[Neo Jeo]

Mostly. The colonies grow faster, so where ever the coral is larger, they will grow faster. They do get the same amount of energy (lighting) in each place. I have never had any personal experience nor seen any evidence that PE will do anything for color nor growth.

Good to know

 

[onetootreefor]

Mostly. The colonies grow faster, so where ever the coral is larger, they will grow faster. They do get the same amount of energy (lighting) in each place. I have never had any personal experience nor seen any evidence that PE will do anything for color nor growth.

Hmm I always assumed good polyp extension made for better/quicker growth. Is that not how they feed? I saw where you said it was just for gas exchange but don’t they use polyps to feed too?

 

[jda]

SPS get their "food" from the light through the zoox. There is no evidence that an acro in captivity can effectively catch any critical mass of food...and even if they do there is also no evidence that there is enough energy in it to balance the energy expended. If you want to feed your corals more, then higher quality and more light is a better approach.

When we were in the coral sea near some distant sps reefs, the water was very clean there with zoo or phytoplankton for any coral to eat. They thrived. The biologist at the facility said that food is only really abundant near shore and in atolls and lagoons. However, all locations have tons of light.

 

[FMF0331]

I feed my tank 3x a week ( Monday Wednesday Friday )
I use the tiny spoon that comes with the Salifert test kit.
2 spoonful of reef roids and 1 spoonful of reef chili.

 

[jda]

Feeding the tank can help some acros, but probably not how you think. It is unlikely that they can catch anything that we feed, but other organisms can. Those other organisms can send that stuff into the N cycle and the corals can probably catch some nitrogen on the ammonia that these organisms generate. This is probably better than dosing N on the back end since ammonia is the preferred place to get N for most coral. You can also feed your fish more and do the same thing.

For the most part, today's hot "I swear by it" supplement is tomorrows punchline. Acropower, Reef Roids, Reef Chili will probably be laughed at in a few years like Cyclopeeze, Marine Snow, DT Phytoplankton, etc. are now.

Back to PE - don't sweat it at all... color and growth is the best indicator of acropora health.

 

[onetootreefor]

Feeding the tank can help some acros, but probably not how you think. It is unlikely that they can catch anything that we feed, but other organisms can. Those other organisms can send that stuff into the N cycle and the corals can probably catch some nitrogen on the ammonia that these organisms generate. This is probably better than dosing N on the back end since ammonia is the preferred place to get N for most coral. You can also feed your fish more and do the same thing.

For the most part, today's hot "I swear by it" supplement is tomorrows punchline. Acropower, Reef Roids, Reef Chili will probably be laughed at in a few years like Cyclopeeze, Marine Snow, DT Phytoplankton, etc. are now.

Back to PE - don't sweat it at all... color and growth is the best indicator of acropora health.

That’s some really good information. Thank you for sharing and explaining!

 

[Rakie]

FYI, I had a pair of MP10's on a 29g Biocube.. It was NOT enough flow, even at max. Not because the GPH is bad, but specifically, because the flow pattern is needle narrow. Which, IMO, means the flow is worthless.

I would suggest a pump with a wider flow pattern. It makes a huge difference, IMO. And pumps which can be aimed.

On the cheap -- Add a Tunze 6045 (1100gph) and put it in near the bottom pointed straight up at the surface. This will make a HUGE diffused flow pattern. It will alleviate most your flow issues in conjunction with your MP10.

I know, it seems expensive.. I also know 1100gph seems like a LOT... but pointed at the surface making indirect flow -- it isn't.

There's a million ways to do things, I think more flow is typically best, especially as most people struggle to get varied flow. In my 20x16x10 frag tank I'm running a 1600gph Sicce, and honestly I could use some more flow.

 

[SeaDweller]

FWIW, I get crazy mad PE at NIGHT when the lights are off. Booya!