when is a tank ready for acropora's?

[flobup]

tank is about 4 months old. have some zoas, a Duncan, hammers, and a brain coral. looking to buy some new coral and I really love acropora's! is my tank mature enough?

 

[abraha]

My tank is about 4 months with stable water parameters. I added some acroporas and they are not doing very well. I have enough light and flow. I have some diatoms (maybe dinos) so that may be the problem... but I’m sure I could use a couple more months of maturing.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Did you start your tank with Live Rock or Dry Rock? I'd say at least 8-10 months with Live Rock and at least 1-1.5 years with Dry Rock. Some people will disagree, but I strongly believe that a tank needs to be properly matured before acros. Start with some Montis and Birdsnest to tide you over. I didn't listen and killed a lot of acros the first year I had my tank.

 

[Joshua Mummery]

Did you start your tank with Live Rock or Dry Rock? I'd say at least 8-10 months with Live Rock and at least 1-1.5 years with Dry Rock. Some people will disagree, but I strongly believe that a tank needs to be properly matured before acros. Start with some Montis and Birdsnest to tide you over. I didn't listen and killed a lot of acros the first year I had my tank.

This is true.. Just like anemones, acros need a well established biological filtration with very very very stable water parameters. The slightest swing will kill your acros real quick. Just like anything in the Saltwater world, slow and steady and dont rush

 

[flobup]

hmmm alright guess im not getting any acros lol what about a torch?

 

[YumaMan]

Try accelerating the maturation process of your tank by adding Fiji Mud and live sand to your sump. Also add as much biodiversity of microorganisms as possible such as copepods to your tank and feed good quality phytoplankton daily. You can add biodiversity of bacteria by concocting your own fish food -- use as many Whole Foods containing their internal organs as possible, such as minced clams, mussels, and whole minnows. Try feeding your corals yeast. Maintain your Ca, ALK, and Magnesium as stable as possible, with your pH above 7.8 (shoot for a min of 8.10). If you have not tried a Calcium reactor, you might consider this approach as it has made a big difference in my reef (build your own and save money, but more importantly, learn firsthand about how they work). Wait until you succeed in growing purple algae on the rocks and on the sides of your tank. If you can sustain the growth of purple algae you are ready for the easier kinds of acroporas. Be patient, it is very much worth the wait!

 

[Hemmdog]

Did you start your tank with Live Rock or Dry Rock? I'd say at least 8-10 months with Live Rock and at least 1-1.5 years with Dry Rock. Some people will disagree, but I strongly believe that a tank needs to be properly matured before acros. Start with some Montis and Birdsnest to tide you over. I didn't listen and killed a lot of acros the first year I had my tank.

+1

 

[flobup]

Try accelerating the maturation process of your tank by adding Fiji Mud and live sand to your sump. Also add as much biodiversity of microorganisms as possible such as copepods to your tank and feed good quality phytoplankton daily. You can add biodiversity of bacteria by concocting your own fish food -- use as many Whole Foods containing their internal organs as possible, such as minced clams, mussels, and whole minnows. Try feeding your corals yeast. Maintain your Ca, ALK, and Magnesium as stable as possible, with your pH above 7.8 (shoot for a min of 8.10). If you have not tried a Calcium reactor, you might consider this approach as it has made a big difference in my reef (build your own and save money, but more importantly, learn firsthand about how they work). Wait until you succeed in growing purple algae on the rocks and on the sides of your tank. If you can sustain the growth of purple algae you are ready for the easier kinds of acroporas. Be patient, it is very much worth the wait!

I have miricale mud in my fuge along with a very large population of pods because my tank is fallow at the moment and I also add about 5 ML of oceanmagik from algebarn every 2 days. there is specs of purple algee all over my rocks and my PH is usually around 8.3. only thing really off with my tank right now is the ALK, its like 8.9

 

[flobup]

Did you start your tank with Live Rock or Dry Rock? I'd say at least 8-10 months with Live Rock and at least 1-1.5 years with Dry Rock. Some people will disagree, but I strongly believe that a tank needs to be properly matured before acros. Start with some Montis and Birdsnest to tide you over. I didn't listen and killed a lot of acros the first year I had my tank.

I started with LR

 

[Sallstrom]

There are no rules. Get a small and non expensive Acropora frag and try.

 

[bluprntguy]

Your tank is perfectly capable of supporting acros. As long as you have no ammonia and your phosphates, nitrates. Alk, ca, and mg are all in check, then your tank can support acros.

The big question is are you ready to support acros? Can you keep your tank stable?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

I added acros 3 months in. My tank was fallow during that period so my tank could thrive. I am dosing 3 part AF daily to keep Ca, Mg, & All in check. Using two Neptune WAV to keep flow strong who has worked out great! My acros look great and are growing fast. Also have mud in my fuge housing plenty of copepods.

 

[DarkSky]

I've always had the most success after the tank has been established for a year. I always seem to have issues until that point then everything just starts clicking.

There are no hard rules on acros, but you may struggle for a bit. Get some cheap ones and give it a try!

 

[cojo8888]

As soon as you see coraline algae

 

[Eldredge]

I think coralline algae is a good indicator. If you have stable conditions and coralline algae is growing well, I think your odds are pretty good.

 

[LIreefguy]

Try adding a red monti first. They are cheap and easy as for as sps go. In 2 months if you see good growth on the monti. Try a green slimmer. Very easy acro. Same thing wait for new growth.

 

[Coral Newbie]

check this out, it should help you but agree with everyone

If you can keep your system as stable as possible and grow coralline algae then you will be ready.

 

[LIreefguy]

check this out, it should help you but agree with everyone

If you can keep your system as stable as possible and grow coralline algae then you will be ready.

Growing coraline and growing acro aren’t even in the same ball park.

Just try with easy sps
Monti
Pocillipora
Birdsnest

If you can keep these alive and growing for 6 months. Then try easy acros

Like green slimmer

No other way to know your ready then to try

 

[Docdiggy]

I started a new tank with rock from my previous tank. I put an acro in on week 6 and it's doing fine. Coraline started on bottom glass at week 4. I guess all tanks are different. Flower nem is doing great also.

 

[DeWittTheReefer]

I have to disagree with most that have posted. I started my first SW tank in November. Used live rock, but dry aragonite. I rushed the cycle process using pure ammonia. Once it cycled, every day Id add a little more ammonia to try to bolster the biological counts. All in all, it took about 3 weeks before I started adding livestock or corals. About two months in, I added an elegance coral, and a couple weeks later added an amazing SPS frag pack from a loval private sellar. Hes now a very good friend, haha. It was loaded with stellar sticks: WD, Wolverine, PC rainbow, Tyree pink, The Vihn, Northern Sasquatch, Tierra Del Fuego, Pink Cadillac, Sunset Milli, etc. My tank had been extremely stable, so I felt comfortable and it worked out. Now, after 4 months, everything is not only still alive, but also thriving. For the record, I don't use reactors, a controller, a dosing system, or any other fancy gear. I have cheap blackbox lights and pretty much cheap everything else. I do target feed, test, and do water changes on the regular though.

I'll also add that I do not recommend this approach for everyone. I wasn't experienced, but my good friend has a marine bio degree and owns his own SW-only LFS. So I was given incredible insight.

 

[DeWittTheReefer]

I have to disagree with most that have posted. I started my first SW tank in November. Used live rock, but dry aragonite. I rushed the cycle process using pure ammonia. Once it cycled, every day Id add a little more ammonia to try to bolster the biological counts. All in all, it took about 3 weeks before I started adding livestock or corals. About two months in, I added an elegance coral, and a couple weeks later added an amazing SPS frag pack from a loval private sellar. Hes now a very good friend, haha. It was loaded with stellar sticks: WD, Wolverine, PC rainbow, Tyree pink, The Vihn, Northern Sasquatch, Tierra Del Fuego, Pink Cadillac, Sunset Milli, etc. My tank had been extremely stable, so I felt comfortable and it worked out. Now, after 4 months, everything is not only still alive, but also thriving. For the record, I don't use reactors, a controller, a dosing system, or any other fancy gear. I have cheap blackbox lights and pretty much cheap everything else. I do target feed, test, and do water changes on the regular though.

I'll also add that I do not recommend this approach for everyone. I wasn't experienced, but my good friend has a marine bio degree and owns his own SW-only LFS. So I was given incredible insight.

 

[DeWittTheReefer]

I have to disagree with most that have posted. I started my first SW tank in November. Used live rock, but dry aragonite. I rushed the cycle process using pure ammonia. Once it cycled, every day Id add a little more ammonia to try to bolster the biological counts. All in all, it took about 3 weeks before I started adding livestock or corals. About two months in, I added an elegance coral, and a couple weeks later added an amazing SPS frag pack from a loval private sellar. Hes now a very good friend, haha. It was loaded with stellar sticks: WD, Wolverine, PC rainbow, Tyree pink, The Vihn, Northern Sasquatch, Tierra Del Fuego, Pink Cadillac, Sunset Milli, etc. My tank had been extremely stable, so I felt comfortable and it worked out. Now, after 4 months, everything is not only still alive, but also thriving. For the record, I don't use reactors, a controller, a dosing system, or any other fancy gear. I have cheap blackbox lights and pretty much cheap everything else. I do target feed, test, and do water changes on the regular though.

I'll also add that I do not recommend this approach for everyone. I wasn't experienced, but my good friend has a marine bio degree and owns his own SW-only LFS. So I was given incredible insight.