Acropora color change

[Aquaman101]

I recently added a 3" Yellow / Brown Acropora frag.

It was under a single 250 MH light at the LFS.

I have a 6 bulb T5HO fixture putting out 324 W.

I thought as I had a T5 fixture that I should put the frag higher up on the rocks.

I'm trying to figure out if it's getting to much light.

During the day I notice the tips are less colorful, but at night it seems to regain it's yellow/brown color back.

I can't tell if my eyes are playing tricks on me or not. Is this normal activity for an acro?

I have some eggcrate and some window screen between it and the lights.

Is it possible it's getting to much light?

 

[Laddy]

Yes it's possible. How did you acclimate the frag?

 

[Aquaman101]

Yes it's possible. How did you acclimate the frag?

I gave it a dip for 10 minutes with CoralRx, then drip accilmated it for 90 minutes.

It's been in my tank for a couple weeks now. Polyps seems to extend normally.

I wouldn't say the tips are bleached...just more pale during the day.

 

[Laddy]

You probably wanted to start it lower in the tank. Without knowing what the lux is at the level your placing it, its hard to say for certain "too much light" or "too little light", however, when you introduce corals (especially SPS) its a good idea to err on the side of too little light for a few days.

Also, ALK swings, and not enough bio waste/food in the water column could be contributing factors as well.

 

[Aquaman101]

You probably wanted to start it lower in the tank. Without knowing what the lux is at the level your placing it, its hard to say for certain "too much light" or "too little light", however, when you introduce corals (especially SPS) its a good idea to err on the side of too little light for a few days.

Also, ALK swings, and not enough bio waste/food in the water column could be contributing factors as well.

I suppose it could be not enough bio waste / food. I do only have 4 small fish, one of which is a mandarin.

I feed mysis shrimp every other day and add a tablespoon of live phytoplanton to.

I figured by keeping the eggcrate and window screen over it that would reduce the light enough for a while.

 

[phenom5]

It's definitely possible it's getting too much light.

For future reference, always start newly acquired SPS low in the tank, and move them slowly up into place over the course of a couple of weeks.

Pic would help to determine if it's a lighting issue, or something else.
Water parameters would help also.

 

[Aquaman101]

It's definitely possible it's getting too much light.

For future reference, always start newly acquired SPS low in the tank, and move them slowly up into place over the course of a couple of weeks.

Pic would help to determine if it's a lighting issue, or something else.
Water parameters would help also.

Ok, I'll get the measurements tonight. I'm due to get them this week anyway.

I thought doing the egg-crate with layers of window screen, which you remove 1 layer every few days would be the equivalent of putting frag low in the tank and slow bring it up....is that not the case?


Here's the best pic I have. You can kinda of see the tips are a bit lighter in color.

 

[zooxanth]

Growing tips are almost always paler in sps nothing to worry about that I can see

 

[phenom5]

I thought doing the egg-crate with layers of window screen, which you remove 1 layer every few days would be the equivalent of putting frag low in the tank and slow bring it up....is that not the case?

Yeah, that works. I missed that in your original post.

Nothing jumps out looking at that pic. It's hard to say from that picture, but it doesn't look like it's in real bad shape. It may just be adjusting to your tank/ your lights.