Am I ready? I would like thoughts from everyone!

[BoneXriffic]

So I am looking at some acros. Admittingly from ebay. I would like to buy several, if the price is right of course!

So currently I have 4 monti caps that have been in my possession for 3 months or so. All growing. One even got stung by a chalice it fell on. White spot quickly turned green again.

A week ago I aquired a birdsnest. When it went into the tank it fell off of its frag plug! So i figured what the heck, fragged a branch and now have 2 birdsnest. Since in the last week they have had great polyp extension and look colorful.

The tank is 1yr 2 months old. Ive recently stabilized my calc mag and alk. That was a rollercoaster for a minute lol.

250w haldie. Tank is a standard 29gal.

Ihave many happy lps corals as well and a few softies. The softies will be taken to store soon except for zoas. I do like them.

Params are..

Alk 10
Mag 1450
Calc 420
Nitrates ...api says none. Lol
Phosphates..... .1ish
Ph 8.2
Salinity 1.026


Alll feed back is welcomed. Please be harsh if need be. Im not a cry baby!

 

[Tahoe61]

If at all possible stay away from maricultured initially. Try to acquire those sps that are well known for their hardiness, such as Green Slimer, Red Planet, a lot of the Millepora or some Stylophora, Montipora Setosa, Montipora Digitata. I am not a fan of Pocilliopora secondary to the corals ability to spread via polyp bail out. With that light you should get some really nice growth and coloration.

Personally I like my Alk around 8-9, 10 is too close to the higher norm value, little room for error.

Check for the usual suspects pest wise, red bugs, acropora and montipora eating flatworms, and dip new additions.

 

[BoneXriffic]

Thanks Tahoe! Ive got those names stored as I search. I will retest alk but was in the process of dropping from a spike, user error and lesson learned, with two part. I would live to grow out some nice acros. LFS near me rarley has them. If in time I get nice colonies to frag it could be used to my advantage in trade for supplies and funding my hobby.

 

[Tahoe61]

I am a huge fan of Kalkwasser, think about it. Once you get the dosing dialed in values stay pretty stable. There is a learning curve but it's definitely cheaper and easier to administer once you figure out method, I use it for top off. I gone both ways and used two part for many years, now I just use it to supplement if needed.

 

[BoneXriffic]

Ny Lfs reccomended this also but suggested I stablize alk before going this route

 

[Salty1962]

I believe that after you get your Alk under control you can "SLOWLY" add more acros. For the following reasons, from years of experience:
1. Add slowly to make sure your system is able to handle the additional bio-load.
2. Add acros that are hardy. There are many awesome corals that are hardy but beautiful. After you've kept the hardy ones, try a more delicate to hon in you husbandry practices.
3. Read up and ask questions about whatever it is you're wanting to add to your tank. Allot of experts on this site that have tried them all!
4. If in doubt, dip it twice!!! Then watch your corals very closely for any issues, RTN, STN, Red Bugs, AEFWs.
These will give you an opportunity to grow you tank with success and minimizes your losses, and stress, from jumping the gun to quick.
"Slow = "Success and Joy"
JMO. Good Luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[BoneXriffic]

I believe that after you get your Alk under control you can "SLOWLY" add more acros. For the following reasons, from years of experience:
1. Add slowly to make sure your system is able to handle the additional bio-load.
2. Add acros that are hardy. There are many awesome corals that are hardy but beautiful. After you've kept the hardy ones, try a more delicate to hon in you husbandry practices.
3. Read up and ask questions about whatever it is you're wanting to add to your tank. Allot of experts on this site that have tried them all!
4. If in doubt, dip it twice!!! Then watch your corals very closely for any issues, RTN, STN, Red Bugs, AEFWs.
These will give you an opportunity to grow you tank with success and minimizes your losses, and stress, from jumping the gun to quick.
"Slow = "Success and Joy"
JMO. Good Luck and let us know how it goes!

I agree with all this totally. That is why I started with the montis. But I know the acros are a whole new world. Due to shipping I hoped to aquire about 5 small frags, again dependant on price.

Think this is too much? 5 sub 1 inch frags, and I would ensure finding some of the hardier ones

 

[Scottsquatch]

I would talk to Adam @Battlecorals. He can put together a great sps starter pack that is full of hardy sps. Also, it doesn't need to be a giant pack. Just tell him your needs. He's awesome to deal with. I guarantee you will be happy with his product and customer service. Good luck.

 

[Wilsoni]

@BoneXriffic do you live in Michigan? If so you should hit up Todd (@CherryCorals) :D

 

[Salty1962]

Most of the vendors on this site are really good for healthy frags.

 

[zoomonster]

I would talk to Adam @Battlecorals. He can put together a great sps starter pack that is full of hardy sps. Also, it doesn't need to be a giant pack. Just tell him your needs. He's awesome to deal with. I guarantee you will be happy with his product and customer service. Good luck.

+1 hit up Adam. Just tell him basically what you want and how much you want to spend and he will get you a pack suitable to your needs.

 

[BoneXriffic]

I reside in FL lol. Have a few good lfs just not a great suppy all the time.. I live about 1hr and a half from WWC. So theres that option but it is still a drive. I visited them when I went to RAP but didnt feel i was ready to give acros a shot

 

[Wilsoni]

Oh man if I lived 1 hour away from WWC, I would gladly make that drive opposed to ordering on ebay/paying and waiting for shipping... Plus you get their killer 14 day guarantee and some of the healthiest corals in the business. :rolleyes:

 

[Wilsoni]

All of the best coral comes from your neck of the woods!

 

[BoneXriffic]

Well close to my neck. Lol finding the time for a road trip with three kids and a job that requires me to be somewhat readily available for emergencies lol

 

[Wilsoni]

That's undertandble

 

[Russ265]

if you can keep a birdsnest then you can keep acros imo.

 

[Seth401]

Agreed. I actually have a much harder time with Birdsnests than acros

if you can keep a birdsnest then you can keep acros imo.

 

[BoneXriffic]

Maybe in wwcs next auction i can make some winnings and go pickem up on a saturday...