Acroporas burnt tips recovery help

[Scope]

Hey guys, I got my first acros this month and I've been having some issues. I obviously expected that since the tank's barely 3 months old but I knew the risk and wasn't expecting much so I didn't get the most expensive frags out there.

My parameters are:

• Alkalinity: 8.5 dKH
• Nitrate: 7.8 ppm (Tested 26.05).
• Phosphate: ~0.08 ppm / 27 ppb Phosphorus (Tested 26.05).
• Calcium: 400 ppm (Tested 25.05).
• Magnesium: 1340 ppm (Tested 25.05).
• Salinity: 1.0262 sg
• Temperature: 26.0°C

I've been away for a few days between May 19th and 22nd and it looks like the acros I had purchased before the trip got hit the most. Basically, my PO4 dropped by half to 0.007 ppm while I was dosing kalkwasser. The drop probably happened because my wife was only feeding frozen food I left prepared but I wanted to make it easier for her so we skipped dry foods during those few days.
With lower po4 my growth rate must've slowed down because the dose I've set was keeping things stable but when I came back, it was past 8 dkh. Now I'm seeing burnt tips with algae growth and thinner-looking tissue. Should I do something about them or just leave them be, and they should recover?

After I got my phosphates back up (heavy feeding and adding more fish) I got some more frags. They're doing okay besides the fact that they mostly got their polyps tucked in even during the night (except for efflorescence), but some of them are showing mesenterial filaments, especially after feeding. I was thinking it could be because I'm adding a cube of frozen copepods to let corals grab something from the water column and I'm also not rinsing the "thawing juice". Should I worry, or is that normal when combined with no PE?



The new acros that haven't experienced a phosphate drop with filaments out.

 

[Gone Reefin’]

The filaments coming out after feeding is a normal response for some acros. If they are always out or “sloughing” mucus, that is another story.

I don’t see the burnt tips in your title, everything looks ok to me. Just a heads up that the first several months is a wild ride. I know you stated you knew the risks, but my experience has been strong acro performance while tank is still new, followed by a rough time when nutrients change and the biome changes. Things get better again when the tank finds its groove.

 

[Scope]

I don’t see the burnt tips in your title, everything looks ok to me

Even considering the "before" photo from May 16th and seeing what it looks like now?

I wouldn't notice anything either tbh, but seeing how algae keeps attacking the tips tells me something's wrong with the coral there. Considering algae doesn't grow on healthy tissue, I suspect some recession or die-off at the tips, which also aligns with the parameter hickup I've described. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it...

 

[Gone Reefin’]

I think I misinterpreted the photos. I do not see dates on the pics. In the second photo, where it looks yellowish, are you saying that is algae? Thought it was just a different lighting view. If that is dead and algae, something is wrong but that does not look like burnt tips.

As far as the phosphate, a drop by half from 0.08 would not be an issue, but you have cited a 10X drop to .0007, unless this is a misprint. That may be more of an issue as it is approaching zero, but as stated, expect these swings early as the biome rapidly changes.

 

[Scope]

As far as the phosphate, a drop by half from 0.08 would not be an issue, but you have cited a 10X drop to .0007, unless this is a misprint.

Sorry, I messed up my numbers when typing. My phosphate dropped by half from 0.04 ppm to 0.02 ppm a week ago. It read 7 ppb phosphorus at its lowest, hence my mistake. Now it's up again at 0.08 ppm.

 

[fish_collector]

The coral in the second photo is dead, no way to determine why but I'd have to guess it's in a tank not matured enough biologically to support them. 3 months is hardly enough age and stability to keep acropora. I did not look at your parameters because none of that matters in a 3 month old tank. Why are you dosing kalk at 3 months?

 

[Scope]

The coral in the second photo is dead, no way to determine why but I'd have to guess it's in a tank not matured enough biologically to support them. 3 months is hardly enough age and stability to keep acropora. I did not look at your parameters because none of that matters in a 3 month old tank. Why are you dosing kalk at 3 months?

To give it enough stability as it consumes 0.5 dkh daily. Which would amount to 5 dkh before the water change that wouldn't even bring it back up to target.

 

[Project1004]

Hello,

If I may give my opinion, I think your tank is too new and there isnt enough life forms to keep your tank sustainable and stable.

Being so new, your job is to simply keep your corals alive WHILE creating the best environment for your corals to settle.

Adding enough life forms like the bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, cuc and fishes. Feeding which creates cycle of life.

Having enough nutrients is one thing, but your corals need to be in suitable habitat for it to settle and grow and that takes time.

If your corals are bleaching at the tips and algae’s are growing, that likely means they are not happy. And in this case, the polys will not extend simply because your tank environment and the water isn’t fit for them. If you sow the polyp extend initially. That’s likely them checking out your water and they don’t want to come out til you get the tank suitable.