When Acros FAIL: What are the most common reasons that acros don't make it?

[GarrettT]

Fluctuations that come from not having a mature tank.

 

[Robs Reef]

Stability and adaptability is key long term, as long as your parameters are within a good growing range and not have any sudden changes. And dont chase any particular number, if your going to change anything, it has to be a long gradual miniscule change. Also keep variables to a minimum, just incase something does happen, you can pretty much pin point whats going on. Dont believe the hype on high PH, I grow Acros like no other at a PH of 7.7 and DKH of 7, all about adaptability. Just Keep IT Simple Stupid ...Water<Flow<Light

 

[Gary67]

i had no luck for the first year and a half trying to grow them then i worked hardeer changing water more often now i have a couple of acros that were brown first now are bright green waiting to get some other colors in them i enjoy working with them it's not that easy but well worth the work you put in for them to grow

 

[Susan Edwards]

I voted other, though in truth I'm doing pretty well and have some amazing growth. I bought a bunch of frags acro frags that arrived great but quickly turned brown in my tank. I'm seeing color returning now and polyps out and even some growth. 2 might not make it. I keep everything as stable as I can and haven't moved them around

I have a deep water acro growing like crazy, a very fuzzy tenius, a yellow tip tort that went from less than a thumb size "bit" to a fully branching coral. Yet, I had a birds nest growing like crazy that has mostly died overnight. Not sure if it is due to touching the deep water acro or what.

And a stylophora and blue digitata monti also both go--These were right after cleaning the mp40 behind them so it might have been change in flow. Waiting to see if they come back. Got tons of bits of birds nest on the sand to replace the other.

So some good success overall with some not so good

 

[kartrsu]

Ok. My 2 systems in the snake room run 82-84°f. This is because the snake room is 80°f year round. Never had an issue. I run my other system at 80°f in the family room.
The key is stability, imo, as the temp never varies more than a degree or 2 from day to night.
Most reef are in the 82° range in the ocean. I would not want anything over 84°.
Anyway thanks for the reply.
These are said systems for the record.

I’m amazed that you were able to achieve that with just 3 AI primes!

 

[homer1475]

I tend to think most peoples issues with acros, is just putting them into a young system that has yet to mature.

Sure it can be done, but you have to know what your doing, and know how to spot problems in a young system.

I also feel that quite a few people have issues because they are still trying to run ULNS systems that we now know don't work that great.

 

[hans4811]

Agree with the stability and nutrients, but for me it was tank maturity. For the first year and a half, everything just browned out. Even the simple sps…birdsnest, Pocillopora, stylis. That and once I got better lighting and added more flow, along with starting the Reef Moonshiners for dosing, then things really started to grow and color. Now anything I throw in there does well, even the higher end sps…Tenuis, Millis, etc.

 

[X-37B]

W

I’m amazed that you were able to achieve that with just 3 AI primes!

Well they were they lights that had me convert from halides. The 45 frag system was lit by 1 250 watt.

I may run another 16 for 4 but dont think its needed.

A pic after taking down the 120 and putting as many frags as I can in here. Its even more loaded today.
Last 2 pics I just took. Tanks almost 3 years old now.
I need to offload some frags to the lfs, lol.

 

[Charles Zinn]

Alk above 11.5dkh, Ca lower than 380 and Salinity false readings which hover above 1.028
So many the last few months will false readings especially those relying on APEX probe readings

Thank you very helpful in diagnosing what I have been going thru

 

[BradB]

For every Browns loss on Sunday, I've found it helps to drink 3 glasses of orange juice during the next waxing crescent moon, otherwise one of my colonies will RTN. It might be due to something else, but that's the strongest correlation I've found so far.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

For every Browns loss on Sunday, I've found it helps to drink 3 glasses of orange juice during the next waxing crescent moon, otherwise one of my colonies will RTN. It might be due to something else, but that's the strongest correlation I've found so far.

That's a lot of orange juice!

 

[john her]

Ok. My 2 systems in the snake room run 82-84°f. This is because the snake room is 80°f year round. Never had an issue. I run my other system at 80°f in the family room.
The key is stability, imo, as the temp never varies more than a degree or 2 from day to night.
Most reef are in the 82° range in the ocean. I would not want anything over 84°.
Anyway thanks for the reply.
These are said systems for the record.

Very nice dam like it.

 

[mannyhernz]

The correct answer is: im stable, for now.
Ive had successfully kept, grown and aquacultured sps since 06'ish. That road has not been smooth, encountered bumps, accidents, and mysterious acts of failure. There is a base we can run by, but to say we figured them out is something we can chuckle at. The key is not to give up and look at everything because you never know whats causing your sps to fade...(everything means water parameters, equipment, rodi, fish food, fish, inverts, pests..list could keep going)

 

[MnFish1]

What do you think are the most common reasons that acros don't survive in aquariums?

Rapid parameter change and over-thinking dosing, testing, etc.

How is your success rate with keeping acros in your reef aquarium?

Good - when my controller doesn't quit working

 

[Janet Belanger]

My success seems to depend if the frag was purchased locally or not. I have much higher success rates with acros purchased locally, than fresh cut frags shipped in a box from retailers.

I would venture it probably has to do with the stress of being clipped, and shipped in complete darkness, then dropped into intense lighting (even being on the sand bed or low in the tank).

 

[Aceone]

I have mixed reef, but mainly SPS dominant. I've had parameters all over the place from pH 7.6-9, No3 .01-25, po4 .01-2.0 and noticed that as long as parameters are stable they will survive. Optimal levels (pH 8-8.4, no3 5-15 or <20, po4 .03-.08) will defiantly make them thrive with better colors and growth. And also good flow and lighting.

 

[AlexandraDreadlocksPanda]

Had been doing great right up until I had an outburst of Aiptasia that I used F-Aiptasia against; tiny Alk spike opened the door to White Band disease on my Torts and Joker… many not affected and still happy though! Trials and tribulations of maricultured Bali colonies I guess…