No success with acros, need some help please

[pokegirl1332]

so I’ve been reefing for many years and had many tanks and many corals. Mostly successful just came back from a 4 day trip and it appears that our corals are bleaching, but it doesn’t make sense if anything our parameters are a little high as far as calcium and Nitrates are still decently low. Have aKessil ap700on a 100 gallon water box with a 40 gallon sump and an amazing deltec skimmer. Only 2 clowns and a melanarus wrasse right now. Any advice because my acros just won’t stay alive, also my chalices seem fine but they aren’t very vibrant. Been reading on some other threads about how low lighting can kill them but they appear to be bleaching after about a week.

 

[pokegirl1332]

Here is a pic of one of the dead acros, there were 2 and they both died within a week, idk I slow acclimated them and the water levels are pretty stable, maybe not enough?

 

[Highgrade]

Sounds like it could be either lighting (too intense) or Nutrients (too low). What intensity are you running the Kessil? Also what is your N03/P04? If you're loosing tissue you could be having Alk swings.

 

[jda]

Can you test a full-set of tank parameters? Kessil alone is not a great SPS light (they really need T5s to help them), but you should not be getting death and they ought to at least be OK. Low N and P are the same way - might impact the color slightly, but should still be alive.

 

[Aaron-A2]

Once we get more information to help you (params mentioned above), I would recommend the next time you try keeping acros, attempt it with a hardier coral such as a Green Slimmer. It's cheap, looks great, and might be a litmus test for keeping acros in your tank.

 

[OriginalUserName]

If you light was constant I don't think it was bleaching that killed it over a 4 day period, assuming the coral was healthy before you left. Based on my failures I'd guess more of an RTN due to parameter swings. What intensity and schedule is your light on?

 

[pokegirl1332]

If you light was constant I don't think it was bleaching that killed it over a 4 day period, assuming the coral was healthy before you left. Based on my failures I'd guess more of an RTN due to parameter swings. What intensity and schedule is your light on?

Right now it’s very low intensity and on for 6 hours around 20% power and lower. They seemed fine but had also just received them a few days ago from wwc

 

[OriginalUserName]

Right now it’s very low intensity and on for 6 hours around 20% power and lower. They seemed fine but had also just received them a few days ago from wwc

I'm pretty new to acros myself but I definitely had that happen with some newer corals due to poor acclimation or my tank just being unstable. Bleaching looks very different (from what I've seen).

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Right now it’s very low intensity and on for 6 hours around 20% power and lower. They seemed fine but had also just received them a few days ago from wwc

That’s probably not enough light or long enough photo period for acros. Lighting should be stable as well, meaning they came from WWC that probably uses way more light and then the low light of your tank probably stressed them out