Acros stn

[brownjoshua475]

Hello there I'm having trouble with some acros stn at the base all my parameters are stable CA:460 Dkh: 10.3 no3: 5ppm po4: .08 ppm I have a icecap 1k gyre on gyre mode and a hydor nano wavemaker im also running an AI prime HD with the AB+ spectrum. Just not sure wants going on my bubblegum digitata look good and stylo's and zoas not sure what's going on I have them in a 32 gallon biocube on a frag rack for a week now about middle of tank

 

[Dennis Cartier]

It sounds like the only corals you are having issue with are Acros? Do you know what alk range they were accustomed to before you purchased them? The only thing that looks a bit on the high side (from common ranges) is you dkh. Not, that acros can't be kept at 10+, they certainly can, but if they came from a tank at 8.0 or even low 7's then a dkh of 10 is going to take them some time to get used to. Unfortunately the typical reaction of an acro that is unhappy is stn from the base.

When I finally was able to grow acros, I did nothing, and I mean nothing. I could not keep them long term, and then I could. What I attribute the change from failure to success was me avoiding changing things all the time. I also moved to a lower alkalinity target (8.0) and added an automatic alkalinity tester (Alkatronic). What I found in the past, was that the environment in my tank (before I tried to lower everything) was too far from the typical reef tank, and adding frags was like a race against time. If the frag was strong enough and was able to acclimate fast enough, then the frag would survive and thrive and be bullet proof, while other frags just stn'd, before they found their footing. It was really puzzling at the time.

The other thing that will be different in your tank (from where they came from) is light and flow. You could try putting them lower, like on the sand bed, and see if that helps. I usually try to put sensitive frags (like acros) as low as possible, preferably on the sandbed in frag rocks for a week or 2 and then start moving them up.

Sorry I could not be of more help. Good luck.

Dennis

 

[brownjoshua475]

It sounds like the only corals you are having issue with are Acros? Do you know what alk range they were accustomed to before you purchased them? The only thing that looks a bit on the high side (from common ranges) is you dkh. Not, that acros can't be kept at 10+, they certainly can, but if they came from a tank at 8.0 or even low 7's then a dkh of 10 is going to take them some time to get used to. Unfortunately the typical reaction of an acro that is unhappy is stn from the base.

When I finally was able to grow acros, I did nothing, and I mean nothing. I could not keep them long term, and then I could. What I attribute the change from failure to success was me avoiding changing things all the time. I also moved to a lower alkalinity target (8.0) and added an automatic alkalinity tester (Alkatronic). What I found in the past, was that the environment in my tank (before I tried to lower everything) was too far from the typical reef tank, and adding frags was like a race against time. If the frag was strong enough and was able to acclimate fast enough, then the frag would survive and thrive and be bullet proof, while other frags just stn'd, before they found their footing. It was really puzzling at the time.

The other thing that will be different in your tank (from where they came from) is light and flow. You could try putting them lower, like on the sand bed, and see if that helps. I usually try to put sensitive frags (like acros) as low as possible, preferably on the sandbed in frag rocks for a week or 2 and then start moving them up.

Sorry I could not be of more help. Good luck.

Dennis

You helped a lot. How I'm keeping my dkh stable is I'm dosing kalkwasser in my ato and it's been keeping it steady. Only thing I'm really having trouble with is ph which is weird because I'm dosing kalkwasser. My ph is normally around 7.8-8.0. And I've been using brightwell reef bio fuel to keep my nutrients in check

 

[brownjoshua475]

It sounds like the only corals you are having issue with are Acros? Do you know what alk range they were accustomed to before you purchased them? The only thing that looks a bit on the high side (from common ranges) is you dkh. Not, that acros can't be kept at 10+, they certainly can, but if they came from a tank at 8.0 or even low 7's then a dkh of 10 is going to take them some time to get used to. Unfortunately the typical reaction of an acro that is unhappy is stn from the base.

When I finally was able to grow acros, I did nothing, and I mean nothing. I could not keep them long term, and then I could. What I attribute the change from failure to success was me avoiding changing things all the time. I also moved to a lower alkalinity target (8.0) and added an automatic alkalinity tester (Alkatronic). What I found in the past, was that the environment in my tank (before I tried to lower everything) was too far from the typical reef tank, and adding frags was like a race against time. If the frag was strong enough and was able to acclimate fast enough, then the frag would survive and thrive and be bullet proof, while other frags just stn'd, before they found their footing. It was really puzzling at the time.

The other thing that will be different in your tank (from where they came from) is light and flow. You could try putting them lower, like on the sand bed, and see if that helps. I usually try to put sensitive frags (like acros) as low as possible, preferably on the sandbed in frag rocks for a week or 2 and then start moving them up.

Sorry I could not be of more help. Good luck.

Dennis

I got my acropora from aqua SD on black friday sale and when I got them I floated the bag In tank for about 30 min then i dripped acclimated them for about hr and half before I put them on frag rack at the bottom of tank. They been on the frag rack ever since and I have been slowly moving them up before I put them on the rock work

 

[Dennis Cartier]

You helped a lot. How I'm keeping my dkh stable is I'm dosing kalkwasser in my ato and it's been keeping it steady. Only thing I'm really having trouble with is ph which is weird because I'm dosing kalkwasser. My ph is normally around 7.8-8.0. And I've been using brightwell reef bio fuel to keep my nutrients in check

Ah, kalkwasser. A good method of dosing that does not disturb the ionic balance like 2 part does. It can be a bit challenging to keep your alk totally stable on it due to it weakening as it is exposed to CO2 in the air (after it is mixed and before it is dosed). When you are dosing it through your ATO, the amount you use will be dependent om your daily evaporation rate, and that can vary based on weather and time of year. Overall though, the rate of change (in kalk dosing) is usually slow enough for your tank to go with the flow, so to speak. Once your tank becomes well stocked, your alk needs may become too great for kalk to meet solely. Though that largely depends on the speed of growth. Some tanks on here with lots of SPS only use kalk, but I suspect they have slower growth to be able to do this.

As for the PH, that is odd. Are you sure about the measurement? Carbon dosing will lower your PH a bit, so the Reef BioFuel may be partly responsible for this. Your home may just have higher than normal CO2 in the air. Using an outside air line to feed skimmers, getting more ventilation, etc. will help. One way to test if this is the case is to open a window (if possible) near your tank for a few hours and see if the PH rises, or you can tank a cup of tank water outside and bubble it for an hour and then test its PH. If either one results inhigher PH, then you just have higher than normal CO2 in the water. Generally anything under 7.9 is considered a bit low.

I got my acropora from aqua SD on black friday sale and when I got them I floated the bag In tank for about 30 min then i dripped acclimated them for about hr and half before I put them on frag rack at the bottom of tank. They been on the frag rack ever since and I have been slowly moving them up before I put them on the rock work

It sounds like you did all the recommended things. How long has your tank been set up? Younger tanks generally go through 'stages' where they can more easily support coral familes (softy -> LPS -> SPS). Sometimes a tank just needs more time to become balanced enough to support SPS.

Dennis

 

[brownjoshua475]

Ah, kalkwasser. A good method of dosing that does not disturb the ionic balance like 2 part does. It can be a bit challenging to keep your alk totally stable on it due to it weakening as it is exposed to CO2 in the air (after it is mixed and before it is dosed). When you are dosing it through your ATO, the amount you use will be dependent om your daily evaporation rate, and that can vary based on weather and time of year. Overall though, the rate of change (in kalk dosing) is usually slow enough for your tank to go with the flow, so to speak. Once your tank becomes well stocked, your alk needs may become too great for kalk to meet solely. Though that largely depends on the speed of growth. Some tanks on here with lots of SPS only use kalk, but I suspect they have slower growth to be able to do this.

As for the PH, that is odd. Are you sure about the measurement? Carbon dosing will lower your PH a bit, so the Reef BioFuel may be partly responsible for this. Your home may just have higher than normal CO2 in the air. Using an outside air line to feed skimmers, getting more ventilation, etc. will help. One way to test if this is the case is to open a window (if possible) near your tank for a few hours and see if the PH rises, or you can tank a cup of tank water outside and bubble it for an hour and then test its PH. If either one results inhigher PH, then you just have higher than normal CO2 in the water. Generally anything under 7.9 is considered a bit low.



It sounds like you did all the recommended things. How long has your tank been set up? Younger tanks generally go through 'stages' where they can more easily support coral familes (softy -> LPS -> SPS). Sometimes a tank just needs more time to become balanced enough to support SPS.

Dennis

I've had the tank up and running now for over a year now