Why can't I grow Acro's

[IslandLifeReef]

Ok, I love a challenge. I also love the look of colorful branching corals. So I have tried and tried to keep an Acro alive and have it grow. I keep my tank very stable and my parameters are what I consider to be good. Alk 7.6, Calcium 440, NO3 .2-.5 ppm, PO4 0.02-0.04 ppm, Sg 1.025 and Temp 77-78. I use a Hanna ULR checker for PO4, a ATO refractometer by BRS for Sg, and Red Sea test kits for the rest. I use a doser to keep Alk and Calcium stable.

I usually have success for about 2 months, with growth and encrusting on my Acro's. Then, suddenly, they start to STN from the tips. I have tried lowering my light levels, to the point that even my LPS weren't happy. I have found the sweet spot in my lighting were everything grows well, including montipora.

My most recent Acro even had some damage when I got it, but it recovered nicely and flesh grew over the wound. Now, I think that it is losing flesh at the tips. What am I doing wrong.

Here is a picture of my most recent Acro. The area in red is the part I am concerned about. The area in yellow was the area that had been damaged.

Here is a picture of the coral with the before the damaged are healed.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How old is the tank?

 

[29bonsaireef]

Doesn't look too bad. What light's are you using?

 

[IslandLifeReef]

How old is the tank?

The tank is 17 months old.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Doesn't look too bad. What light's are you using?

I'm using one AI Hydra 26HD. The Acro is 9" below the waterline and the light is 9" above the waterline.

 

[MTBake]

I'm also curious on what light you're using. Flow as well.

I keep my nutrients a bit higher than that for acropora. NO3 is at 10ppm and PO4 is at .13ppm in my tank. I also use MH for lighting and an Icecap 3k gyre set at 50% continuous mode.

Have you looked for pests?

 

[29bonsaireef]

Do they usually burn/TN from the tips or base? Hate to be the one to say it, but if all else is good.. Water chem, flow, tank maturity. I would add T5s to your LEDs. Sounds like a standard LED issue IMO, and T5's can help big time.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

17 should be good to go.
I kept my tester acros for a year or more , and honestly one day they just started growing.

 

[TexasTodd]

Are you sure that is tissue loss? Hard to tell but almost looks like white growth tips.

 

[Firemanreefkeeper]

Do they usually burn/TN from the tips or base? Hate to be the one to say it, but if all else is good.. Water chem, flow, tank maturity. I would add T5s to your LEDs. Sounds like a standard LED issue IMO, and T5's can help big time.

I have to agree. I had a hydra 26 and my acros were finicky. I lost about 50% of my acros. I added the aquatic life t5 led hybrid and they took off.

 

[MTBake]

More li

17 should be good to go.
I kept my tester acros for a year or more , and honestly one day they just started growing.

Agreed. It can take a year or more for some frags to really settle in.

 

[Syntax1235]

You'll typically see acros encrust before you see growth on the tips. I keep a lot of acros and have never experienced recession from the tips, it's usually from the base ime. That recession definitely looks like it was caused by a bite from a pest.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

I'm also curious on what light you're using. Flow as well.

I keep my nutrients a bit higher than that for acropora. NO3 is at 10ppm and PO4 is at .13ppm in my tank. I also use MH for lighting and an Icecap 3k gyre set at 50% continuous mode.

Have you looked for pests?

Yes, I have looked for pests. I haven't seen any. For flow, I have a gyre 230 set at 40% for a 40 gallon cube.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Are you sure that is tissue loss? Hard to tell but almost looks like white growth tips.

Not 100% sure, but it is following the same pattern as my past Acro's. I hope you are right. Since the other 21 corals in my tank are doing well, I don't want to make any drastic changes.

 

[Mattrg02]

What’s your par like? Unless you have some contamination, or a test kit that’s off, I’d look at lighting and flow.

I say this because I too couldn’t keep acroporas alive. I turned down my lights and had even less success. One day, my LFS sent me home with an Apogee meter to borrow. Boy were my eyes opened when I saw 50-80 par where I thought I had 200 par!

 

[MTBake]

Very similar to my tank and setting for the gyre. I would look into lighting and perhaps nutrients if that doesn't get you where you want to be. I was running Kessils only. I noticed an improvement once I added T5s. However, I now run only MH.

 

[TexasTodd]

If you get frustrated enough, sell your light and get an ATI T5 fixture. At least then you can rule out lights as an issue.
Try to get a better close up....like the original placement pic where we can really see the tips well.

 

[c.poindexter]

I used to run Radions on my tank and switched back to T5's. LED's can and will work. but you have to find a program that others are using as far as spectrum goes.

 

[x2uranium]

Also, the tip recession usually comes in most cases for me some form of alk swing, why are you dosing ca and alk? how many corals do you have to dose ca and dkh?

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Also, the tip recession usually comes in most cases for me some form of alk swing, why are you dosing ca and alk? how many corals do you have to dose ca and dkh?

I have 22 corals in the tank and a lot of coraline algae growth. I dose 3.2 ml per day of RedSea Reef Foundation B (Alk) broken into 4 doses of 0.8 ml. This keeps my Alk at about 7.6 dKh. I test Alk at the same time of day, but the few times that I have tested at a different time, i.e. 3:00 pm vs 11:00 am, the dKh was still 7.6 +/- 0.1.