Acropora

DHReef2154 · Sep 4, 2023

Hello! I have a question about acropora. I have a mixed reef with softies, lps, and sps. My lighting system is 2 AI Hydra 32s and a aquatic life coral cover hybrid led light. My flow consists of a gyre on pulse mode and a tunze streamline pump. I have a Walt Disney acro that is up high in the tank with high flow and the polps are not extended as much as they should be. I also have a solar flare milli that is in the same high light and high flow area and its fully extended and happy. Im just wondering if the WD is in the wrong spot or if it needs different parameters. Im open to any suggestions and opinions.

Thank you!

MoshJosh · Sep 4, 2023

Will likely need to know more about your tank, specifically your parameters.

Assuming your parameters are good, and no recent changes to the tank, then it is possible it's unhappy with the light.

dschuffert · Sep 4, 2023

Acro's can take a while to acclimate to a new lighting situation. I keep mine towards the top of the tank and around 300 PAR. I also have high-flow pulsing on and off with an MP60 on each side of the tank creating a wave motion.

DHReef2154 · Sep 5, 2023

MoshJosh said:
Will likely need to know more about your tank, specifically your parameters.

Assuming your parameters are good, and no recent changes to the tank, then it is possible it's unhappy with the light.

Hello: I keep my salinity at 1.025, my latest water test which was today Sep 5, 2023: Alk: 8.3, Cal: 435, Mag: 1330, PH: 8.0

DHReef2154 · Sep 5, 2023

dschuffert said:
Acro's can take a while to acclimate to a new lighting situation. I keep mine towards the top of the tank and around 300 PAR. I also have high-flow pulsing on and off with an MP60 on each side of the tank creating a wave motion.

Ok, its a pretty new frag so that could be a factor. Its in a high flow pulsating flow so it definitely gets a lot of flow.

jhadaway · Sep 5, 2023

Mine took about a year to color up and really take off. 2 hydra 32 with orpheks for shading. One gyre on each side of the tank and rfg’s on the return pump. I would say stable params and lots of random flow. More than i would have thought. Rfg’s a great for that. They cause disruption in the laminar flow of the gyre and create a little chaos. When i added the gyres they took off. Waterbox 100.3

billyocean · Sep 5, 2023

I wouldn't base everything on polyp extension either. If it's growing or encrusting then that's fine. Have you looked at it after lights out? Could have good PE then as well.