Why can’t I grow acros. So frustrated - perfect set up I thought

[acropora4u]

Acros grow very slow and some perish after 6 months or more , but for the most part they will survive. Keep most of their color, but just don’t grow at all. They spread very slowly over the year.


Tank is a 225 gallon peninsula

Lighting -x3 Ecotech Radion XR 15s
X2 Kessel a500x x2 orphek light bars x4 t5s.

For flow we have four MP 60s.

We are at NO3 of 12 ppm .

We are at .10 for po4.

stats for all else below. Par 250-550.

Lights on for about about 12 hours a day with full intensity at about four hours a day.

I run a calcium reactor , protein skimmer , co2 reactors, kalk reactor…

 

[crazyfishmom]

Many questions:

1) how old is the tank?
2) are you seeing coralline growth?
3) what types of corals are you able to grow?
4) what do you typically see when you add acros to the tank?

 

[twentyleagues]

You are right everything looks good. The 4hrs of peak seems a little weak to me for acros. I'd shoot for 6-8 peak. Work up to it slowly.

 

[acropora4u]

You are right everything looks good. The 4hrs of peak seems a little weak to me for acros. I'd shoot for 6-8 peak. Work up to it slowly.

Will do thank you

 

[acropora4u]

Many questions:

1) how old is the tank?
2) are you seeing coralline growth?
3) what types of corals are you able to grow?
4) what do you typically see when you add acros to the tank?

Tank is about four years old. All I keep is acropora.

It’s a bare bottom tank and it’s completely covered in coraline.

Don’t see anything they just grow very, very, very slow.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Tank is about four years old. All I keep is acropora.

It’s a bare bottom tank and it’s completely covered in coraline.

Don’t see anything they just grow very, very, very slow.

Have you ever sent in an ICP?

 

[acropora4u]

Yes. Always same results. Or very close. Pretty on par.

 

[acropora4u]

I will try and increase maximum intensity of 550 par and see what happens.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Acros grow very slow and some perish after 6 months or more , but for the most part they will survive. Keep most of their color, but just don’t grow at all. They spread very slowly over the year.


Tank is a 225 gallon peninsula

Lighting -x3 Ecotech Radion XR 15s
X2 Kessel a500x x2 orphek light bars x4 t5s.

For flow we have four MP 60s.

We are at NO3 of 12 ppm .

We are at .10 for po4.

stats for all else below. Par 250-550.

Lights on for about about 12 hours a day with full intensity at about four hours a day.

I run a calcium reactor , protein skimmer , co2 reactors, kalk reactor…

What does the trend of your big 3 and nutrients look like?

 

[Nate Chalk]

If your chemistry has been perfect and trend has been within reason. Perhaps you have an acropora toxic biological issue... A bacterial issue?

Or acropora eating hitch hikers


That would explain

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have halides with OR3 bars on 10 hours a day. Give your corals some more light.

 

[acropora4u]

What does the trend of your big 3 and nutrients look like?

Past 7 days - alkalinity 8.7. calcium 490 mag- 1420

 

[VintageReefer]

I feel a possible issue is lighting. those xr15’s have poor depth penetration, poor par, and poor coverage area. I don’t think they are contributing much. Have you par tested with just the xr15 at their current settings just to see what they are actually putting out to the rocks and sand ?

 

[rtparty]

I feel a possible issue is lighting. those xr15’s have poor depth penetration, poor par, and poor coverage area. I don’t think they are contributing much. Have you par tested with just the xr15 at their current settings just to see what they are actually putting out to the rocks and sand ?

They have 250-550 PAR in the tank. What do the Radions have to do with anything here? Why single them out when there is clearly plenty of light available?

Your hatred and bias against them is a little strange

 

[Dorsetsteve]

Can you post your last ICP?
Can you post some clear photos of the actual corals?
Do I see Montis there? Are they growing?

 

[twentyleagues]

I really dont think its par related with 250-550 being their range more likely how long its at that range. Honestly I have a mixed reef and my max par is less than 300 but it is at that for 6+hrs. The acros in my tank are growing some slowly others quite fast. As the tank matures I have been bumping up the max par time and the corals are responding well. When I hit 8hr of max I will stop bumping that up unless I see negative effects before then. Most acros dont need to be cooked at 400+ par to grow or look good imo but they do need enough time, kinda slow cooked. Some acros need that high intensity to look their best though. I have a rainbow loom that is puddling and growing taller it doesnt look any different from when I purchased it color wise though. I think from what I've read it is one that needs high intensity to look its best guess I will see.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

The system parameters look ok. I run my mixed reef w radion xr15 g5 pro w ab+ spectrum 100% intensity for a 12 hr cycle, hour ramps w a 10hr max PP. Mayb bump the max period up over time and see how they respond. Only try to change one thing at a time. So u can monitor results and see ya or nay. Good luck.

 

[rtparty]

1 hour ramp up, 10 hours at peak, 1 hour ramp down. Been using that schedule for as long as I can remember

 

[acropora4u]

I feel a possible issue is lighting. those xr15’s have poor depth penetration, poor par, and poor coverage area. I don’t think they are contributing much. Have you par tested with just the xr15 at their current settings just to see what they are actually putting out to the rocks and sand ?

I’ll try that.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Past 7 days - alkalinity 8.7. calcium 490 mag- 1420

Longer trend? Spikes anywhere