Aussie Tabling Acropora Coral

[Spdjnky]

Looking for help on the best way to go with the acclimation process of this coral I got from the
Diver's Den. I had the qt tank set up for a Orange Spotted Goby that I got from a local LFS.
I put the Acropora in my qt for light acclimation. Then I got to thinking that my water parameters were way off between the 10 gal qt tank and my main tank where the Acropora will go. So with that said I am looking for help with how to go about the acclimation process as this is a big purchase and hoping to be a focal part of my Reef Aquarium.
The water parameters of my main aquarium today are SG 1.026, Alk 9.5 Mag 1400 ppm and Cal 437 ppm
The 10 gal where the coral is now SG 1.026 Alk 7.4 ppm Mag 1380 Cal 380 ppm
Here are pics of the coral and where it's at now and my aquarium where It's going
I know I need to get the Acropora to where my reef is at just wondering the best way to go.

 

[speedstar]

IME that table will have issues if you don;t get it into the ideal flow conditions. I would have Dipped for bugs a couple times and straight to the display

 

[Spdjnky]

thx and yes I understand but this is where I am at now and can't go back and I have not dipped yet time to do that. and a water change

 

[Spdjnky]

Im just trying to come up with a plan of action

 

[mtraylor]

I totally agree. Large colonies especially if they are wild are the hardest sps corals to acclimate and adjust to aquarium life. Its basically a 50/50 shot at them. The quicker you dip it and stick it the better off you will be.

I personally dip my coarls and acclimate them to the new parms all at the same time over about 20 to 30 minutes. That is about it. Then glue them down.

Good luck.

 

[Spdjnky]

Boy I have to get this right I put it in the qt tank and did want to wait before I dipped it in coral rx and forgot but it's in qt so I can still do it tonite. But my ? is that I have the coral in parameters that need to be close to my main tank where it';s going right. I'm just trying to do the right thing right now I mean I know when I put in my main aquarium I will put it down the bottom . But right now it's in water that the Alk is way different will that mater?

 

[Spdjnky]

And that's my main question whats the best way to acclimate it now that In have screwed up

 

[TheHarold]

And that's my main question whats the best way to acclimate it now that In have screwed up

I have never seen someone "acclimate" an acropora colony by putting it into a separate tank before their display. This just forces it to adapt to two tanks after being shipped- your 10g, and then your larger tank. It is not acclimating if it is not the same water it is going to.

Like if you are "quarantining" for a month, it would make sense, but otherwise it just puts on unnecessary stress onto an already delicate and stressed critter.

I remove plug, dip, inspect, replug (if necessary), rinse (in my tank water), then put it in.



At this point, the options would probably be to get it into your display, or leave it there for a while if the 10g is stable enough and you think the coral can do well there.

Minor parameter difference (like that alk difference) does not matter much

 

[happyhourhero]

I would remove > dip > place in DT where you want it to be forever and cross fingers.

 

[jda]

You can drip acclimate it if will make you feel better, but I would not worry about it. Do you have any Bayer? It is less harsh on wild suff than CoralRx is.

The folks above are right... that thing will need a lot of flow... and light.

 

[TheHarold]

You can drip acclimate it if will make you feel better, but I would not worry about it. Do you have any Bayer? It is less harsh on wild suff than CoralRx is.

The folks above are right... that thing will need a lot of flow... and light.

When transshipping colonies from Fiji, I always had better success acclimating mariculture acropora colonies with medium light instead of the bright light that I would normally give my acros. An acro that browns out due to slightly insufficient light has a much better prognosis than one that bleaches from too much.

 

[jda]

I put my wild stuff under 6500k as fast as possible. ...about 750+ PAR. No doubt that many different things can work. I don't do mari, just wild.

However, my statement was more towards the eventuality of keeping the coral long term.

 

[ourcoralreef]

I know there are allot of opinions
I dip inspect then DT

Personally i would take it out dip inspect then into the display

Make sure there are no red bugs black bugs or nudibranches
Inspect for eggs too

Coral rx doesn’t get rid of these

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I put my wild stuff under 6500k as fast as possible. ...about 750+ PAR. No doubt that many different things can work. I don't do mari, just wild.

However, my statement was more towards the eventuality of keeping the coral long term.

Wild or mari I put in the highest and best light I can. They always do best this way, once one browns it takes a while to come back.
Op that's a wild colony and I agree with jda, just put it in your tank, the small qt tank will kill it in no time. Careful with the dipping as well. Lots of people treat these corals like tank raised frags and dip them strongly. Wild and Mari stuff won't handle certain dips as well, esoecially right after it's been shipped to your door.
Oh and make sure you mount it like a table in your tank, how it was growing naturally.

 

[Spdjnky]

Mabye should have at first but?
Now you would do that I mean just put it in my main aquarium where the Alk is 9.1 and right now the qt tank is 7.3 ,mag 1380 vs 1460 and cal 380 vs 440
I realize now that I should have dipped and put it down on the bottom of my tank. But now that it is where it is and been there for 4 days now and starting to get some color back I just think I should get the water parameters closer before shocking it again. But my problem is how to go about it. I tried a gal with 10 dKH and that did not change it much. And all I have is a coral in there so I should be able to change a little more of the 10 gallons to raise the alk?

 

[speedstar]

I dont want to advise any as there isnt a best solution and everything is going to be a risk at this point.

However next time use your water change water to fill your QT if you ever decide to go this route again (which I wouldnt) I feel the tiny tank is going to be more stress than the DT. The worse part is with acros a stress weeks ago can cause RTN. meaning nomatter what it looks like it is doing, can look healthy as could be, but then flash a few weeks later.

 

[MarinaP]

I bought a few of wc acros from dd. They all lived. They go straight into the tank from the bag. Place it in such a way that it gets flow from the bottom. Elevate the colony, so it has support but the bottom part gets flow, and do not mount right away, let it heal.
Here is my latest colony, about 2 months in, weekly progression pics.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Its wild caught for sure. I would dip it in Baer, check for pests and get it in your tank. Provide it with lots and lots of flow and strong lighting as near 6500k as you can, 10k would be fine also. I see you have black box led and T5 so you may be fighting the lighting some. Since you already have a bunch of corals that are alrway used to your lighting it may be best to just leave the lights be since you dont want to make them unhappy by messing with the light spectrum. As for your water chemistry differences I would really only worry too much about temp, sg and alk as for as acclimation. Personally I would lower the alk in your display, slowly let it drop. If you dose stop for a little while until alk comes down to 7-8, that wild acro will do a lot better near NSW alk levels. Cross your fingers, toes and eyes and hope it survives. Wild and maricultured sps are pretty hard to get adjusted to aqurium conditions.

 

[jda]

If anybody is going to QT their wild/mari stuff, I recommend not dipping them right away. Wait until they are getting some color back and/or growing - dipping can be harsh. There is no risk in the tank above since there are no other corals to infect.

 

[Spdjnky]

If anybody is going to QT their wild/mari stuff, I recommend not dipping them right away. Wait until they are getting some color back and/or growing - dipping can be harsh. There is no risk in the tank above since there are no other corals to infect.

Thx and I have not dipped it yet as it is by it's self and I am watching it close for color and overall health and I do have a power head in the qt tank.