Is 350PAR too high for acros?

[mbarber87]

I've rented a PAR meter because my acros have been really acting up lately. Two have completely bleached, while others are losing color quickly. At first I was thinking it was nutrients maybe? They dropped really low when I went on a 7 day vacation. Maybe even bottomed out for a day or two. So I started feeding more to bring up nutrients over the last few days and got my Phosphates where I want them .07. Nitrates are still a little low (1ppm) but I am working on bringing them up.

I have them at 350-400 PAR (where I ordered them says they keep them at ~400 so I figured it couldn't be that. Think it's my nutrients dropping? No other major changes took place.

 

[Xanthurum]

I keep several at well over 600 par so I would say that your par level is not the issue. Now it may be a lighting issue, what lights are you using and how high above the water do you have your fixture at? Also what kind if lights are you running and what lights were they being kept under?

 

[mbarber87]

I keep several at well over 600 par so I would say that your par level is not the issue. Now it may be a lighting issue, what lights are you using and how high above the water do you have your fixture at? Also what kind if lights are you running and what lights were they being kept under?

I have a T5 combo with 2 Kessil ap9x. The kessils are at about 30-35% intensity, 9in off the water surface. I've had these lights for 2 1/2 months, without changes. Every other coral is doing spectacular minus the SPS/Acros.

 

[jda]

It depends. Few can keep acropora under LED much higher than that, but some with good spread/blending and long acclimation times can. T5 and MH people can nearly always keep them at twice that, or more, if they want.

P at .07 and N at 1.0 is no issue. Residual levels are mostly fools gold for corals. If you stopped feeding when you were on vacation, then you could have truly kept available building blocks from them, which can be a problem.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Check for acro bugs.

 

[Hincapiej4]

marine coral reef PAR levels - Seneye

What PAR and kelvin do your aquarium corals need to thrive? Find out on our simple marine reef chart as a quick guide...

answers.seneye.com

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

some pictures can help us as well.

 

[Silent]

I've seen par levels up to almost 1000 growing acros in a well established tank. I also have had a red planet be green with red polyps growing happily in about 150 par.