Problems with Acropora

[Twistedpro]

Hi I am looking for some help, I am really struggling to keep acropora. The tank is 7 years old and for the first 2 years I had good results and good growth. However in the last 2 years I cannot keep Acropora. They last for about 1 month before dying. They start closing polyps then slowly brown and strip. This is a slow process and it looks as if the acropora just shutdown.

My montipora are growing well and show good colour, this includes encrusting and plating. I have some policiopora that is growing but very slowly.

My lps is generally OK with OK growth but nothing stunning. I do have problems with torch corals closing up and dying off randomly.

The tank has a total volume of 1000l run with LEDs and a water flow of around 50x. I run an algae bed on reverse lighting and rows reactor and carbon. Alk is maintained with a calcium reactor.

I did some tests today with the following results.

Salinity 1.025
Alkalinity 8dKh
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1350
Potassium 400
Phosphate 0.09

I really would like to keep acropora again and see good growth and any help anyone can offer would be fantastic

Regards

Peter

 

[KJ]

No3 #

 

[reeferfoxx]

Hi I am looking for some help, I am really struggling to keep acropora. The tank is 7 years old and for the first 2 years I had good results and good growth. However in the last 2 years I cannot keep Acropora. They last for about 1 month before dying. They start closing polyps then slowly brown and strip. This is a slow process and it looks as if the acropora just shutdown.

My montipora are growing well and show good colour, this includes encrusting and plating. I have some policiopora that is growing but very slowly.

My lps is generally OK with OK growth but nothing stunning. I do have problems with torch corals closing up and dying off randomly.

The tank has a total volume of 1000l run with LEDs and a water flow of around 50x. I run an algae bed on reverse lighting and rows reactor and carbon. Alk is maintained with a calcium reactor.

I did some tests today with the following results.

Salinity 1.025
Alkalinity 8dKh
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1350
Potassium 400
Phosphate 0.09

I really would like to keep acropora again and see good growth and any help anyone can offer would be fantastic

Regards

Peter

Are your phosphates always 0.09? Thats the only thing I see that could effect growth and polyp retention.

 

[Twistedpro]

My No3 kit was finished so I don't have that reading. My phosphate was due changing and will drop back to around 0.03

 

[KJ]

What brand of test are you using to test you water?

 

[SeaDweller]

Do you have a sand bed?

 

[Twistedpro]

Torch corals retracted and struggling

 

[jonh2765]

Are you running your LEDs max power? I have been reading around and there are people are turning down there LEDs because the par was too high.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Torch corals retracted and struggling

Definitely get a nitrate test and a more accurate or up to date phosphate test. A tank that old could have nutrient problems.

 

[Twistedpro]

Some pictures showing some corals. I use salifert test kits to test most and a Hanna checker for phosphate and I have a 1" sand bed.

LEDs are not 100%

 

[CodyRVA]

My phosphate was due changing and will drop back to around 0.03

What do you mean? How often are you testing your water?

 

[Twistedpro]

I normally test weekly, I am due to change my phosphate media as the levels have risen.

The problem with acropora has been like this for a long time. In that same time a 1" month cap is now over 15" with multiple layers whereas I have not been able to keep acros except for 1 frag that has not grown or based out in 1 year but has good colour

 

[CodyRVA]

I normally test weekly, I am due to change my phosphate media as the levels have risen

Need to be proactive, don't let it rise then change it. This attributes to parameter swings. Are your weekly tests consistent or are they all over the place? Example: if your ALK swings from 8-9 weekly, you have a problem.

 

[Twistedpro]

calcium, magnesium, potassium, salinity are all stable with no rises or spikes

I did have good success with acropora until I was working away and I lost most corals due to overheating.

This was in its prime

 

[CodyRVA]

calcium, magnesium, potassium, salinity are all stable with no rises or spikes

I did have good success with acropora until I was working away and I lost most corals due to overheating.

This was in its prime

So what's the temp now?

 

[Twistedpro]

26.2 a change of 0.5c over a day. The heat problem happened 2.5 years ago but I have not been able to keep acropora for the last 2 years

 

[Triggreef]

I always suggest a triton test to these types of threads. Think about how many 20 40 50$ corals you've lost. Whats $50 for a test to perhaps find some answers you won't get here or with hobby test kits.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

Hi I am looking for some help, I am really struggling to keep acropora. The tank is 7 years old and for the first 2 years I had good results and good growth. However in the last 2 years I cannot keep Acropora. They last for about 1 month before dying. They start closing polyps then slowly brown and strip. This is a slow process and it looks as if the acropora just shutdown.

My montipora are growing well and show good colour, this includes encrusting and plating. I have some policiopora that is growing but very slowly.

My lps is generally OK with OK growth but nothing stunning. I do have problems with torch corals closing up and dying off randomly.

The tank has a total volume of 1000l run with LEDs and a water flow of around 50x. I run an algae bed on reverse lighting and rows reactor and carbon. Alk is maintained with a calcium reactor.

I did some tests today with the following results.

Salinity 1.025
Alkalinity 8dKh
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1350
Potassium 400
Phosphate 0.09

I really would like to keep acropora again and see good growth and any help anyone can offer would be fantastic

Regards

Peter

Hi Peter,
I'm no expert but some thoughts come to mind so maybe one of them will catch your attention:
- how thoroughly have to cleaned the gravel? a 7 year old tank will accumulate a lot of toxins in the sand
- do you keep gobies and pistol shrimp? It is amazing how much gravel cleaning a single team will accomplish
- how frequently do you do water changes and what percentage do you change out?
- given the age of the tank, have you done a 40% water change in the past year?
- how pure is the water you are using for your changes? is it RODI water?
- are the LED's 7 years old? if so, they may be failing
- have you considered adding small T5 bulbs with the LED's? I added 2 to my LED system and the tank perked up. run them 4 hours / day
- what kind of tester do you use for salinity? has it been calibrated recently or compared to someone else's meter?

Hope something twigs. Good luck ... Shaun

 

[Twistedpro]

Thanks for your input Shaun, TDS of R/O is 0 and DI is replaced when it increases to 1.

The LEDs are about 1.5years old running a couple of t5 bulbs is a possibility.

I use a refractometer which is calibrated.

I am changing 150l every two weeks. I have not carried out a 40% change as I don't have the space to make 400l of fresh salt.

I don't siphon the sand bed but I do stir it before a water change and I have a couple of cucumbers to turnover and wrasse that bury in the sand bed

 

[ELChingonsReef]

Alk swinging and temperature swings are the worst. Especially for sps corals. Torches definitely will die like that.. but my opinion is its possible you have some bacteria issues. Not enough good bacteria.. and or your corals have a bacterial infection. I would get your tank stable first. Then I would consider doing a in tank antibiotic treatment. If stability doesn't help. Dose microbacter 7 from brightwell . If you can't do large water changes do a bunch of smaller ones more often until you have replaced most of the water in the tank. Thats my opinion