Top of Acro losing polyps

[mermster]

Just looking for input on a couple of cheap Acros I picked up from the LFS awhile back. It's a little hard to see from the picture, but the side facing the light fixture is almost completely devoid of polyps. They've been in the tank for about 4 months. Is this bleaching? Some sort of critter eating them? I haven't noticed any of our fish nipping at them, and everything else in the tank seems to be thriving. These are my first adventure into Acros and it's a little disheartening. Any input would be appreciated.

A. Total water volume ( Please include sump, etc.)
100g, 75 display 25 sump.

B. What are your parameters? ( CA, ALK, PO4,Salinity, etc.)
Ca 440, ALK 9, Po4 0, 1.025 Salinity, 5 ppm nitrate, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, 1350 mag

C. Type of lighting. Please include age, watts, and bulb/ballast name.
LED SB reeflight sbox 32, 210 par at the acros

D. Filtration method (Skimmer, GFO, DSB, etc.)
ReefOctopus protein skimmer, bio pellet reactor, live rock

E. What types of corals do you keep other than SPS?
Acans, scoly, zoas, euphillias, galaxea, trumpets, favia

F. How long has the tank been running?
18 months

G. What are you dosing? Dosing schedule?
10mL vibrant aquarium cleaner once weekly, remnant from a hair algae treatment

H. Which brand of salt are you using?
IO Reef Crystals

I. What brand of test kits are you employing?
Salifert

J. What are you using for CA/ALK supplementation?
Water changes

K. What are you using for flow? (Pump names, how many, placement, etc.)
Maxspect gyre 150, clockwise flow through the tank.

 

[dave57]

I have the same light and a similar problem try lowering your intensity, could also be critters wouldn't hurt to dip and lower frags or light intensity.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

could be caused by 0 Po4 . Also, that looks like birds nest not Acropora. Tose corals are a little more sensitive to the lack of po4 than acros. If it is not Po4, check your RO/DI filters.

 

[Y&Y Corals]

Feed a little more and slow down on wAter changes

 

[reefwiser]

Reef Crystals has a 12.2dkh While it should matter during a water change spiking alk 3 points can effect some corals. I always watch the SPS and adjust to the DKH that they like Tissue lost at the tips is a sign of high alk values. My tanks SPS like 7 to 8 dkh found this out the hard way.

 

[mermster]

could be caused by 0 Po4 . Also, that looks like birds nest not Acropora. Tose corals are a little more sensitive to the lack of po4 than acros. If it is not Po4, check your RO/DI filters.

I can assure you they are acros, they had a couple dozen of them in the frag tank. I guess I'll ease up on the water changes.

 

[mermster]

Reef Crystals has a 12.2dkh While it should matter during a water change spiking alk 3 points can effect some corals. I always watch the SPS and adjust to the DKH that they like Tissue lost at the tips is a sign of high alk values. My tanks SPS like 7 to 8 dkh found this out the hard way.

I not sure they're losing it at just the tips, it appears to be all on the side receiving direct light. Didn't know about RC being 12.2dkh, that's a bit absurd. Guess I'm going to start testing my replacement water more. Any suggestions for a new salt mix?

 

[Y&Y Corals]

I use fritz and i have good results its just my personal opinion

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

could be caused by 0 Po4 . Also, that looks like birds nest not Acropora.

I am also thinking that these don't look like acros.. any clearer pictures? Looks like digitata from the first pic

 

[mermster]

Ill snap another pic when I get home.

 

[mermster]

Found this one on my facebook, this was right after I got it. August 30th of last year. So they've actually been in there about 7 months.

 

[reefwiser]

Any suggestions for a new salt mix?

 

[mermster]

View attachment 498863

This is great! Just about out of RC, time to try a new salt.

Any strong opinions on Tropic Marine vs Red Sea vs Kent Marine?

 

[reefwiser]

I use Red Sea blue bucket mixes fast and haven't had it clump up. I have been happy with it.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Found this one on my facebook, this was right after I got it. August 30th of last year. So they've actually been in there about 7 months.

View attachment 498856

That's not an acropora, most likely some type of birdsnest.

 

[ReeferBee]

I can assure you those are NOT acropora

 

[TheLadyCrash]

Agreed. That is not an acropora but rather appears to be a birdsnest or a montipora digitata.

 

[mermster]

I can assure you those are NOT acropora

My whole life is evidently a lie! :/

 

[minus9]

Yeah, that looks like seriatopora to me, possibly s. caliendrum?

 

[Sabellafella]

Just looking for input on a couple of cheap Acros I picked up from the LFS awhile back. It's a little hard to see from the picture, but the side facing the light fixture is almost completely devoid of polyps. They've been in the tank for about 4 months. Is this bleaching? Some sort of critter eating them? I haven't noticed any of our fish nipping at them, and everything else in the tank seems to be thriving. These are my first adventure into Acros and it's a little disheartening. Any input would be appreciated.

A. Total water volume ( Please include sump, etc.)
100g, 75 display 25 sump.

B. What are your parameters? ( CA, ALK, PO4,Salinity, etc.)
Ca 440, ALK 9, Po4 0, 1.025 Salinity, 5 ppm nitrate, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, 1350 mag

C. Type of lighting. Please include age, watts, and bulb/ballast name.
LED SB reeflight sbox 32, 210 par at the acros

D. Filtration method (Skimmer, GFO, DSB, etc.)
ReefOctopus protein skimmer, bio pellet reactor, live rock

E. What types of corals do you keep other than SPS?
Acans, scoly, zoas, euphillias, galaxea, trumpets, favia

F. How long has the tank been running?
18 months

G. What are you dosing? Dosing schedule?
10mL vibrant aquarium cleaner once weekly, remnant from a hair algae treatment

H. Which brand of salt are you using?
IO Reef Crystals

I. What brand of test kits are you employing?
Salifert

J. What are you using for CA/ALK supplementation?
Water changes

K. What are you using for flow? (Pump names, how many, placement, etc.)
Maxspect gyre 150, clockwise flow through the tank.

The polyps arent gone they look to be just a little bleached, maybe retracted but imo not an issue. Just give it time, btw theyre both seriatopora