On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult is it REALLY to keep Acros?

[Reefahholic]

I find it fairly easy as long as the tank is over 1 year, the nutrients aren’t too low, and nothing is swinging. Of course you need decent flow and enough light.

It also helps to have your chemistry dialed in, and It’s a good idea to test the tank.

 

[Reefahholic]

Looks like you got rid of your spider problem too, great job!

Where is that rock from?

 

[hart24601]

Time makes sense but, "its not if you crash its, when", is about as far from the truth as it gets.
Systems dont crash, people crash systems, imo.
With that train of thought it will be very hard to grow in this hobby
You missed my point. Only 24% of the people who responded think they are average level to keep.
If you feel 5 is dilusional thats your opinion, its just not what others on this poll think.
Imo most make it way harder to do than it really is.
My 120 before I broke it down after 33 months.
Anyone can do this with a plan

Time makes sense but, "its not if you crash its, when", is about as far from the truth as it gets.
Systems dont crash, people crash systems, imo.
With that train of thought it will be very hard to grow in this hobby
You missed my point. Only 24% of the people who responded think they are average level to keep.
If you feel 5 is dilusional thats your opinion, its just not what others on this poll think.
Imo most make it way harder to do than it really is.
My 120 before I broke it down after 33 months.
Anyone can do this with a plan.

I respectfully disagree. The not if but when you crash, particularly keeping acros I think is about the best expectation one can give a reefer. Sometimes people crash, sometimes they don’t. So many acro deaths are totally unknown, the cause and mechanisms of stn are not even known nor are treatments. My 120 linked totm in my signature. It had plenty of acros growth, winning the 2014 growout contest, but plenty of mystery acro deaths too. Sure some acro colonies can make it 3 years but it’s few and far between especially if one isn’t actively fragging them from overgrowth.

notice how few people talk about how old their specific acro colonies are. Yeah they are easy to grow, but 3 years? 5? Same acro no losses not regrown from a frag? It happens but it’s rare. Now 5 year old lps? Pretty common with people on here compared to acros. Heck I doubt the average reef tank is even up 3 years….

 

[Tanglover1]

5 i.e, average.

 

[CrunchyBananas]

People online definitely make them out to be more difficult than they really are. I spend at most, an hour on my tank a week. It’s just about knowing how to set up a tank, and the discipline of consistency.

 

[i cant think]

People online definitely make them out to be more difficult than they really are. I spend at most, an hour on my tank a week. It’s just about knowing how to set up a tank, and the discipline of consistency.

Your tank is stunning! What size is it?

 

[CrunchyBananas]

Your tank is stunning! What size is it?

Thanks! It's a 60 gallon cube coming up on 2 years, my build thread has a just a couple posts, but has all my equipment and main changes

 

[X-37B]

I respectfully disagree. The not if but when you crash, particularly keeping acros I think is about the best expectation one can give a reefer. Sometimes people crash, sometimes they don’t. So many acro deaths are totally unknown, the cause and mechanisms of stn are not even known nor are treatments. My 120 linked totm in my signature. It had plenty of acros growth, winning the 2014 growout contest, but plenty of mystery acro deaths too. Sure some acro colonies can make it 3 years but it’s few and far between especially if one isn’t actively fragging them from overgrowth.

notice how few people talk about how old their specific acro colonies are. Yeah they are easy to grow, but 3 years? 5? Same acro no losses not regrown from a frag? It happens but it’s rare. Now 5 year old lps? Pretty common with people on here compared to acros. Heck I doubt the average reef tank is even up 3 years….

I could not disagree more with that train of thought.
You are entitled to your opinion so I respect that.

Honestly if you think the best info you can give a new reefer is your system will crash well im glad your not giving me advice.

I have a few acros I have had for over 6 years now. Yes you have to frag them, its part of the hobby.

Rare for over 5 years total disagree. I can point out a lfs that have large colonies for over 7 years easily. I have many frags from said system.

I get it that corals die for unknown reasons. I have had enough over 30+ years to understand trust me or not, lol.

People that keep sticks long term dont come to these boards.
They know what to do and dont need the experts telling them their wrong.

I come here with 30+ years of reefing and have helped a few with thier systems. Those who will listen have only enhanced their understanding of reef systems.

The people with long running stick tanks dont need to be here looking for advice. Their are to many out there to argue the point, imo.

If anyone wants help with their system PM me. Im retired and enjoy helping people that will listen.

 

[29galreefer]

On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult is it REALLY to keep Acros?

It seems like Acropora corals, sometimes referred to as Acros, have this mythical stature or aura that they are hard to keep and should be reserved for advanced hobbyists. I have heard this idea repeated online and in local fish stores (LFSs). Because this perception is shared throughout the hobby, there are those beginners that seemingly think – “When I grow up, I want to keep Acros!” as if it is something for them to aspire to in the distant future. So the question is: how difficult is it REALLY to keep Acros? While most Acros may not be starter corals, do they need to be left for advanced reefers? Tell us your thoughts about the challenge of keeping Acros and feel free to share any tips that you have for someone who is thinking about getting an Acro for the first time!

Photo by @Unique Corals

Just a matter of doing water changes and tweaks (adding buffer/calcium) to keep conditions stable. I have a 29 gallon and have used one to two ai primes and been successful. Just have a cheap filter, reef octopus skimmer, and a cheap pump for flow. Supplement a little feeding. Not for the lazy but also only 2 hours a week once things are stable will get you good results.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I think this is very subjective and dependent upon each tank. My 125 couldn't keep any acro. Or even LPS due to a leather's toxins I discovered (13" head irritated by 2 clowns) I Upgraded to a 240 with almost top of the line equipment, good rocks and good placement and flow and my acro growth has far surpassed my expectations.

I did get some higher end sticks. All browned out. 3 died. The rest - 6 of them- are slowly regaining color and are spreading/growing. I got them in July so it has taken many months for them to come back. I had 1 lobo that was dead. Or nearly. It has come back. Sometimes just waiting.

Last jan I got a thumb size piece of yellow tip tort. Showed very little growth for like 4-6 months. No life. Then just took off. It's now a hand size colony. Yet I also had part of a deep water acro die for no reason. Fragged it off and the rest of the colony is fine. Recently had most of a pocillipora die and on the same rock, a blue monti digitata that was really spreading die. Both almost overnight. Nothing else. I had another one do the same, along with a stylophora. Stylo came back as good as before but not the digitata. They were also entwinning each other

I keep my parameters stable as I can, keep my no3 and po4 good and I don't do water changes often. When I do it is small amounts thru awc. I dose elements. I found that even doing a "normal" water change over a week affected my stability so unless I use chemiclean (1x) I don't. 3 times I've had to deal with bryopsis--with no po4 or no3 (the algae consuming I believe) and used reef flux. Also don't do a water change after and just use boyds blue (carbon/purigen). My coral growth of all my mixed reef is outstanding thus far. Tank upgraded 15 months old. I dose AB+ also each night. Check out my build thread. I recently posted pics of my coral growth near the end.

Yellow Tort Jan 2022

Yellow Tort on left Jan 2023 and very happy tenius

240g 15 mo old

 

[USCfan]

I said 8 just because you really have to design your system for the coral and its very sensitive to changes in the system.

Also, they are a pain to trim back so keeping them long term requires more maintenance than alot of other corals.

 

[s_miles]

Just lost a half dozen after a year. To me, they were easy until they were not.

 

[92Miata]

I realize it's a hobbyist forum so we all skew towards "obviously you can do it just monitor calcium and alkalinity," but it feels pretty ridiculous to me that the board has given them a 5. That would indicate it is the exact midpoint of ease of care in the hobby which is just objectively untrue.

It would not indicate that at all.

If you were to ask me how difficult were it to keep freshwater fish, I'd have everything between a 1-3 with the exception of a handful of fish at 4 or 5 (discus, some riverine species, etc). Nothing would be a 10. The entire scale doesn't have to be populated.

I'd put the majority of acros at 4 or 5. Some are as high as 7. None are anywhere near as difficult as raising fry from clownfish, which aren't particularly hard.

Adequate light, adequate food, lots of flow, and stable alkalinity from 7-9, and the vast majority of acros will do fine. They're really not that hard - there's just a ton of awful advice out there.

 

[92Miata]

Sure some acro colonies can make it 3 years but it’s few and far between especially if one isn’t actively fragging them from overgrowth.

I'd guess that less than 10% of reef tanks make it 3 years. 3 years without fragging seems like a weird criteria. I don't know why anyone would keep a colony for 3 years and not make frags.

 

[Jeff Hall]

If you said 5 or less all your acros will probably RTN overnight….So I’m going 8.

 

[X-37B]

I'd guess that less than 10% of reef tanks make it 3 years. 3 years without fragging seems like a weird criteria. I don't know why anyone would keep a colony for 3 years and not make frags.

Well some of us like big colonies, lol.
In my old 120 I did not frag much and just let them grow.
But as always you just never leave enough room between them.
Mine grew into each other quite fast and that creates different issues. Then your not left with many choices but to frag.

Same thing happened with my 20g nano cube. Within 8 months I could not put my hand into the tank without breaking off pieces of colonies.

 

[i cant think]

I'd guess that less than 10% of reef tanks make it 3 years. 3 years without fragging seems like a weird criteria. I don't know why anyone would keep a colony for 3 years and not make frags.

Purely because we cannot stand having a huge colony that’s a slow grower shrink because of frags…
I grow my corals out intending to have large colonies but also in preparation to frag once they get too large

 

[hunterallen40]

I voted 8. I don't think I have ever struggled with a coral more than acros. Even with rock solid parameters, they sometimes succumb to bacterial issues, get poisoned by ostreopsis, or just sit there and do nothing for months. If 10 is "the hardest coral to keep in the hobby", I would say acros are definitely up there. Once you know what you're doing and have a mature system that can keep those pesky bacteria at bay, it becomes a lot easier, but they are definitely substantially harder to keep than other corals. I also think it's not fair to score all acros the same. Green slimers, tricolor validas, and most tenuis are quite resilient, and can survive in pretty awful environments.

 

[Cthulukelele]

It would not indicate that at all.

If you were to ask me how difficult were it to keep freshwater fish, I'd have everything between a 1-3 with the exception of a handful of fish at 4 or 5 (discus, some riverine species, etc). Nothing would be a 10. The entire scale doesn't have to be populated.

I'd put the majority of acros at 4 or 5. Some are as high as 7. None are anywhere near as difficult as raising fry from clownfish, which aren't particularly hard.

Adequate light, adequate food, lots of flow, and stable alkalinity from 7-9, and the vast majority of acros will do fine. They're really not that hard - there's just a ton of awful advice out there.

I really feel like this is just a disagreement on what the question is asking. If the care requirements are "average" at 5 in a poll, my read on that is that it means it's the average level of care required to keep something in the hobby. IMO if almost everything is a 1-3, that means on a scale of 1-10 those are 4-6. I agree that with reasonable care most things can be kept. That was my only point. In essence I am assuming a normal distribution

 

[uhgster1]

I voted 5. If you keep a mixed tank bump it up to 8. If you’re starting a reef 10. The more established your tank is the easier it gets. The name of the game is patience, if you don’t have it might as well bump it up to 20