What makes acropora need an established or older tank?

[pokegirl1332]

I’ve kept many corals over the years attempted an acro in a 100 gallon 1 year old tank a few years back and failed miserably just curious why they require an “established tank” as I haven’t really been able to find a good explanation other than stable parameters but if anyone that has long term success would like to share I just setup a new 30 gallon tank (with water from my 4 year old system) a few months ago trying to get started with some softies rn but I LOVE acros and would like some later on or some tips for some harder corals long term success. Flow lighting everything just what works for you guys? I mostly have scans and zoas with a few oddballs right now thanks

 

[JAIME_MTY]

There is a few key factors to consider , what has work for me having stable parameter is fundamental , specially alkalinity. A blanket of light and good strong flow is also key. and third, keeping within range of phosphates and nitrates, if you can keep them stable even better. Once that coraline algae appears and starts to multiply without dying is a good indication you are going the right direction.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I think there are a number of advantages that an established reef has for acros. A couple of those advantages are stability and established pod population (for food).

 

[92Miata]

They don't.

"Established tank" is code for 'ReefKeeper who has figured out chemistry and can keep a tank properly dosed and keep alive enough consumers so that waste is not a significant issue, and understands enough about coral biology to understand what stressed animals are communicating'


Moving water from an old tank to a new tank doesn't get you anything - move rock.

 

[Lovefish77]

By no means an acro expert. But they thrive on stability that is the punch line. Established tank or not I am not really sure, I have seen seasoned reefers add acros into 3 months tanks and they thrived. You just have to know what you are doing with these delicate species. It is like flying a plane really, you have to maintain your cruising altitude and dont keep going up and down otherwise your passengers (corals in this case) will black out (or white out in the case of acros).

 

[Reefs anonymous]

Can keep acros in a tank that’s 2-3 months no problem. I started mine and added quite a few at the 3 month mark and acros doing fine. They are colored up and growing a base onto the rocks. My rocks were put into the tank with the old rocks so the bacteria could populate the new rocks fast. I then removed the old rocks at one month in. Started adding sps at that time. Looking good so far and it’s now been about 5 months now.

 

[gig 'em]

It's my opinion that an established mibrobiome in the tank is critical. Bacteria, sponge, and other microbes that lay the foundation for life and the cycle of nutrients. There's a lot to it, but you can have stable parameters all day in a sterile tank and still not have great success with Acropora.

 

[Uncle99]

Just a stability thing, water, light, bacteria strains in sufficient quantity, just comes with time.

 

[bigjgmac]

They don't.

"Established tank" is code for 'ReefKeeper who has figured out chemistry and can keep a tank properly dosed and keep alive enough consumers so that waste is not a significant issue, and understands enough about coral biology to understand what stressed animals are communicating'


Moving water from an old tank to a new tank doesn't get you anything - move rock.

I agree completely. They don’t need an established tank, not years old anyway. As soon as I had coralline algae start growing in my tank I put in two acros that both did well. The tank was approximately 5 momths old at the time. I tested alkalinity almost daily and all other parameters weekly. I have since transferred tanks and all my livestock transferred over and has thrived. I now use a Neptune Trident which has helped greatly with parameter stability.

 

[old salt reefer]

I agree completely. They don’t need an established tank, not years old anyway. As soon as I had coralline algae start growing in my tank I put in two acros that both did well. The tank was approximately 5 momths old at the time. I tested alkalinity almost daily and all other parameters weekly. I have since transferred tanks and all my livestock transferred over and has thrived. I now use a Neptune Trident which has helped greatly with parameter stability.

As do I---I've put them in 2 week old cycled tanks with no problems( I sure as **** don't do that all the time though).

 

[OnPointCorals]

"Established" tank is a misnomer that people are catching on to now. It is not the tank that needs to be "established" it is the reefkeeper.

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

I’ve kept many corals over the years attempted an acro in a 100 gallon 1 year old tank a few years back and failed miserably just curious why they require an “established tank” as I haven’t really been able to find a good explanation other than stable parameters but if anyone that has long term success would like to share I just setup a new 30 gallon tank (with water from my 4 year old system) a few months ago trying to get started with some softies rn but I LOVE acros and would like some later on or some tips for some harder corals long term success. Flow lighting everything just what works for you guys? I mostly have scans and zoas with a few oddballs right now thanks

Had SPS from the 3 month mark at ten months now other than color being weak from low nitrates no issues.

 

[X-37B]

Patience if your new goes along way.
Live rock and experience can get you a reef in a short time frame.
You also need a plan before you start and then stick with it.
Pick your parameters and keep them stable.
From my experince many people make it harder than it needs to be.

 

[Creggers]

This is encouraging to read - I dialed in my chemistry pretty quick in my tank and started adding acropora after about a month and a half. I've kept DKH at between 9.0 and 9.3 (mainly depends on when I test) and coralline is starting to show up on all my rocks (even a shelf I added around a month ago). I test CA and NO3 weekly, both have been holding fairly steady as well. I have a lot of flow and started the tank with live rock from KP aquatics. Hopefully the Acros I've added continue thriving but they're all looking pretty healthy thus far

 

[pokegirl1332]

This is all super helpful thanks I’m definitely not new to reefing but haven’t kept much successfully long term other than some zoas yuumas and acans so it seems it’s about the bacteria population and stability combined the coralline seems too be a good rule of thumb appreciate all the advice I got a birds nest and styli from a friend I want to put in the new tank seems to be doing well also any recommendations on the parameters you guys have had success with it stick with baseline general recommendations seems alkalinity is more important than I initially thought been doing salt water for 10 years but only coral for maybe 4-5 on and off

 

[X-37B]

This is all super helpful thanks I’m definitely not new to reefing but haven’t kept much successfully long term other than some zoas yuumas and acans so it seems it’s about the bacteria population and stability combined the coralline seems too be a good rule of thumb appreciate all the advice I got a birds nest and styli from a friend I want to put in the new tank seems to be doing well also any recommendations on the parameters you guys have had success with it stick with baseline general recommendations seems alkalinity is more important than I initially thought been doing salt water for 10 years but only coral for maybe 4-5 on and off

Whatever parameters you decide on have a plan, stick with it, and keep them in range.
I prefer close to NSW parameters for the big 3.
Here is what I run.
I started alk at 8-8.5 but lowered it and now run 7-7.5.
It stays 7.2-7.3 due to my carx.
Stabilty is the key.

Temp 79-81
PH 7.9-8.1
SG 1.026
Alk 7-7.5
Ca 420-450
Mag 1350-1400
Po4 .02-.06
No3 <10
Strontium 8-10
Iodine .03-.06
My build thread has more info.

 

[Flameback Pair]

S = Stability
P = Promotes
S = Success

 

[Ciscodog]

I think in the end it can be very tank specific. I have had success with acro's in the past on my old established rock. I recall buying rock that came direct from the reef wrapped in newsprint and the biodiversity was amazing on it. Lots of sponge and macro algae including some pests but my corals would thrive after no time. I recently (2 years ago) set up with all new man made rock. I run dosers with esv, good equipment and dedicated maintenance. All parameters kept spot on and testing routinely. I could keep any LPS and softy but could not get acros to take. I spent multitudes of hours researching and finally found others that were having the same issue. When my tank hit the close to 2 year mark I was finally able to get acros to do well. Not sure what the missing piece of the puzzle was but my thoughts are that there were some missing bacteria or biodiversity with this man made rock. Tank is doing great now..... this is just my experience. Cheers

 

[brandon429]

Pico reefs do well here, no age requirement for sps.

when we select the nicest, most purple coralline cured live rock from a reef store display tank and move that home into a jar, we now have an aquarium as old as where the rock came from.

the nutrient profiles have changed, a brand new system vs aged and organic-laden agreed but we amend that issue by simply ramping up new lights and doing 2x weekly feed water change cycles so that clean protein cycles in and out but never compiles. Then we have a mini table top in the first three months

all reef rules were made to be broken then collected in long running proof threads. This won’t help every reefer, but nano reefers who have easy access to their complete water column for big feed + huge water changes with frequency at the start, using premium purple live rock from another reef tank, can literally skip the rules.

 

[EMeyer]

I'm gonna disagree with an idea that's been repeatedly stated here.

Yeah, its important that the reefer is experienced too. But an experienced reefer isnt gonna have success with SPS in a sterile glass box. We should stop conflating these issues. Completely separate things.

To answer the OP question, its the microbiome. Mature tanks have hundreds of kinds of bacteria (and Archaea) floating around, like natural reefs. Newly established dry rock tanks have very very few - bottles do nothing for this - neither dry rock or bottles have the kinds of bacteria found in live rock. This has all been measured and demonstrated clearly.