Pale fast growing acro question

b4tn · Feb 14, 2019

I picked up a bleached frag some time ago. For the longest time it was very pale but growing extremely fast. The pic is one year of growth. As of today its just slightly more of a vibrant pastel green.

I broke a piece of cleaning one day and glued it to the top left of the rock and it is acting like the mother. Its nearly bone white with pastel green tips but grows very fast. To this day still no color but has doubled in size. Both of these acros have extreme PE at night. Any ideas why they act healthy but will not pick up any color? I do have low nutrients zero PO4 and NO3 but I am working on that. Right now too quickly raising Nitrates causes it to brown. I have it over Ocean Revive LED's Alk is 8.4 and calc is 430.

Hemmdog · Feb 14, 2019

Fast growing is good! Do you dose any trace elements? How often are you doing water changes and which salt?

b4tn · Feb 14, 2019

I dose BRS 2 part and have it pretty stable at 8.4 at any given point in the day. I use instant Ocean salt which mixes high so I bring the alk down closer to my target level with muriatic acid and an airstone over night in new salt mix. Right now I am doing weekly 10% changes but I am on the tail end of dosing vibrant to get rid of bubble algae. The coral was the same pre vibrant dosing so i dont think thats it. Its just always been very pale but fast growing. The frag that broke off is still literally white but has doubled in size and has PE at night.

csb123 · Feb 14, 2019

Put a name on it and sell frags for $$$

b4tn · Feb 14, 2019

csb123 said:
Put a name on it and sell frags for $$$

LOL

mtraylor · Feb 14, 2019

You answered your own question. You have no nitrates and phosphates. You will need some for good color.

DesertReefT4r · Feb 14, 2019

Bring up no3 and po4 for a while and see if it colors up.

b4tn · Feb 15, 2019

A few weeks back I dosed 5ppm of NO3 and the same acro started turning brown so I stopped dosing and started feeding heavier. NO3 was not going up but PO4 was creeping up. I decided to try dosing NO3 again but slower. Right now I am dosing 1.5 ppm daily and when I test the next day it is back to 0 ppm so I am going to up the dose to 2 ppm daily next week. I really need to get a better test kit. I am using API right now and its lowest reading is 5ppm. Right now I am going by the color of yellow getting just slightly darker than 0 but not Orange 5 ppm yet.

GabeM · Feb 15, 2019

I actually picked up a mini frag of what looks like the same acro for $15 at my LFS about a week ago - just to see how well acros will fare in the tank. I asked him what it was he said he didn't know.

Same deal - white with green highlights/polyps. His tank has other acros that are colored so I think it may just be the type.

The thing has grown visibly within the week. If it is new it should be named white lightning.

jda · Feb 15, 2019

Don't chase N or P unless you can confirm with an ICP test that they are truly at zero. If there is any at all, then you have a surplus and are fine. You likely have plenty or the corals would not be growing.

Most of the time, fast growing corals with so-so color is due to light spectrum issues. Add some T5s to your ORs. It could also be intensity, but only a PAR meter can help with that.

sfin52 · Feb 15, 2019

well maybe you two are sitting on a gold mine or a diamond mine. White lighting sound like a great acro name

b4tn · Feb 15, 2019

jda said:
Don't chase N or P unless you can confirm with an ICP test that they are truly at zero. If there is any at all, then you have a surplus and are fine. You likely have plenty or the corals would not be growing.

Most of the time, fast growing corals with so-so color is due to light spectrum issues. Add some T5s to your ORs. It could also be intensity, but only a PAR meter can help with that.

@jda I actually am in the process of either renting or buying a PAR meter I just have not pulled the trigger yet. When you say intensity do you mean to much or not enough? I am always so worie about bleaching corals that my lights are only at 60/40. I would think adding more light would cause it to bleach more.

jda · Feb 15, 2019

Too much usually bleaches with all light sources, but can kill with LEDs. Not enough usually means pale colors. OR is capable of some serious output... but spectrum is arguable when used alone.

Raising intensity on LEDs can be tricky since corals can get burnt tips if you do. This is not really an issue with other types of lighting, which is why adding T5s is so popular because the PAR goes up without death and the spectrum is better.

If you do rent a PAR meter, pay attention to the type/kind. Lots of them need an adjustment factor applied, but not all. Also, an Apogee will get you better results than a SenEye.

BestMomEver · Feb 15, 2019

I had frags like that. I ordered some Red Sea potassium, iron, iodine, and bioactive elements. All the SPS got lots of color and started growing fast. Note... I also bought Red Sea’s test kit for those things at the same time. I would suggest you test before adding anything.