When to move Acro?

[Miles Laughton]

Hi All,

Just a quick question, I am away from my tank next week and my Acros are growing at a increased rate.

Should I move these corals before I go ? They are just over 1/4 inch apart (7mm in our money).
I have recently changed my traces elements and feeds also lighting which has really given my SPS a kick in the rear

 

[ChiCity]

You should probably frag the pieces that are about to touch...
Otherwise you’ll come home to bare branches in those spots

 

[jda]

Nobody knows.... sometimes they will never really touch. Other times, they get nasty and one tries to kill the other one back. A frag might not be a bad idea to buy you some time.

 

[Miles Laughton]

To frag will be too many branches and its kinda not a massive colony yet so may move one...thanks

 

[happyhourhero]

I have a spot in my tank where 3 have encrusted into each other. Its interesting to watch. Sometimes one wins and then another overtakes the other two and then another surges. Cant figure it out.

 

[Miles Laughton]

So what i'm asking is will one kill the other or damage it in a week or so?

 

[Justfebreezeit]

No one can answer that really. You know the current growth rates and directions.

 

[Miles Laughton]

I have never witnessed growth like I have at the mo...my Alk uptake has tripled since introducing new lighting and supplements (Orphek/ Sustainable Reefs) which maybe just a coincidence of things finally getting to where I want them (nutrients/ traces)I think i'll have to thin out some SPS

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Thats a good problem to have my friend! I'm sure there are thousands of people who wish they could say the same!

 

[Miles Laughton]

I know I'm far from moaning mate just don't want to come back and find my two fav Acros brown bread;Nurse

 

[BigJohnny]

id frag what you can and let it ride. moving the colonies could kill them anyway, not to mention a PIA. No way to predict what will happen unfortunately.

 

[BantyRooster97]

Look at a lot of the TOTM tanks, they have acros that are right on top of each other (and touching). I asked a similar question a while back & most said they will work it out.

 

[tigé21v]

I'd be more concerned with having someone competent tank-sitting for you.
If you alk consumption has increased so drastically, chances are it will only continue to do so. I think chances of coral loss due to an alk swing while you are away are greater than a couple of opposing colonies possibly getting to know each other.

 

[Miles Laughton]

Tank sitter is a very, good Reefer who also is the supplier of the traces I use (Sustainable Reefs) so happy for him to look on a few times... alk has stayed the same now for a few weeks but has more than tripled in dose.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Most sps in the same family will just work it out and live side by side happily never touching. Some will grow into each other and one will slow over take the other but will never kill each other. Frag them back or let it ride.