Another struggling with acros post

[InvaderJim]

So a little info about the tank before I get into my question. The tank is a seapora 80g shallow, running a 40 breeder for a sump. I'm running a clarisea sk-3000, simplicity 240dc skimmer and a return pump. Nothing else fancy down below. Lighting is a ATI 6 bulb T5 fixture ~10" over the tank (bulbs are all new), and water movement is 2x MP40s set to anti-sync lagoon mode plus the vectra return. Tank has been up for 2 years this month. Included a recent ICP test that showed everything within normal levels except iodine.

Parameters:
DKH - 8.2
CA - 430
MG - 1350
Po4 - 0.08
No3 - 14-15 (pretty steady)

I have tried a handful of acro frags from different places, and a milka stylo as well and I nothing seems to do well except montis. Some will do fine on the frag rack, great polyp extension and what not, then as soon as I move them to the rocks they shed tissue. Usually death within a few days. I have a red monti cap that looks great, monti spongodes that looks good, and recently added a green cap that's showing growth already. What am I overlooking here?

 

[Garf]

So a little info about the tank before I get into my question. The tank is a seapora 80g shallow, running a 40 breeder for a sump. I'm running a clarisea sk-3000, simplicity 240dc skimmer and a return pump. Nothing else fancy down below. Lighting is a ATI 6 bulb T5 fixture ~10" over the tank (bulbs are all new), and water movement is 2x MP40s set to anti-sync lagoon mode plus the vectra return. Tank has been up for 2 years this month. Included a recent ICP test that showed everything within normal levels except iodine.

Parameters:
DKH - 8.2
CA - 430
MG - 1350
Po4 - 0.08
No3 - 14-15 (pretty steady)

I have tried a handful of acro frags from different places, and a milka stylo as well and I nothing seems to do well except montis. Some will do fine on the frag rack, great polyp extension and what not, then as soon as I move them to the rocks they shed tissue. Usually death within a few days. I have a red monti cap that looks great, monti spongodes that looks good, and recently added a green cap that's showing growth already. What am I overlooking here?

I looked at your build thread expecting to see a tank full of softies because my old tank had the same kind of thing going on. It would not accept new acros, and I concluded the softies were to blame. Do you use activated carbon?

 

[InvaderJim]

Funny you say that because the tank did have a ton of softies but i recently removed most of them to make room for sps. I was running carbon but I pulled it off when I removed the softies.

 

[saltyfins]

Funny you say that because the tank did have a ton of softies but i recently removed most of them to make room for sps. I was running carbon but I pulled it off when I removed the softies.

honestly you might want to put it back. I run carbon consistently, and have acros. have you done any water changes? May be helpful.

 

[InvaderJim]

honestly you might want to put it back. I run carbon consistently, and have acros. have you done any water changes? May be helpful.

I haven't done any since I removed the softies but mainly because I've been trying to keep the nutrients consistent. I will also try putting the carbon back on.

 

[InvaderJim]

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[Ancient Mariner]

The fact that they do well on a rack shows that your tank can sustain acros. I would think lighting may be the issue if the frag rack gets higher par than the rock structure.

 

[LOVEROCK]

are you blasting too much on your rock with flow ?

 

[InvaderJim]

The fact that they do well on a rack shows that your tank can sustain acros. I would think lighting may be the issue if the frag rack gets higher par than the rock structure.

This is entirely possible and has crossed my mind. I’ve been meaning to grab a par meter from the LFS but it’s an hour out of the way. I will test for par next and go from there.

as far as the rocks being blasted with flow I have one mp40 on the left side blowing across the front of the tank and one on the back blowing across the back. Nothing should really be getting directly blasted but I do have a Millie down kinda low that isn’t getting a ton of flow that does look very content.

 

[homer1475]

Might be on to something with the flow.

Millies usually like quite a bit of flow. So if the one you have that is down low, and doing good, you might just be blasting everything else up higher with too much flow.

Par could be an issue, but unless you have them way to high, most things will just turn brown(think of yourself baking in the sun. You turn a nice golden brown).

 

[InvaderJim]

As far as I can see nothing is getting blasted with direct flow, the pumps are in the upper corners of the tank one is running 30% and the other 20%. I have 4 frags on the left side of varying heights, two are doing well two aren't. four on the right side 3 of them don't look great, one looks ok. I'm just at a complete loss

 

[InvaderJim]

 

[LOVEROCK]

Is that deep blue 80 ?

 

[InvaderJim]

Is that deep blue 80 ?

Sure is

 

[LOVEROCK]

Sure is

Nice ! I got the little bro 60 what’s the deal with the Ati fixture what’s hanging it ?

 

[InvaderJim]

It's just mounted to the ceiling using the ATI hanging kit.

 

[Pistondog]

Try a green slimer, after montis, the easiest.

 

[InvaderJim]

Try a green slimer, after montis, the easiest.

I actually ordered some but UPS delayed my shipment so all of the SPS were DOA.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Get a par meter.
How many hours are your lights on?

 

[InvaderJim]

Get a par meter.
How many hours are your lights on?

Planning on grabbing one today. 2 bulbs run 1130-930 and 4 bulbs on from 1-9