Acropora polyp retract

ashish

ashish

New member
I just got 3 very large colonies (2 staghorn and 1 tabling) from a guy moving this past friday. Initially I put them all on the barebottom for 3 days and they had very good polyps extension all day and night.. 3 days later I put them higher up (re-done aquascape)... No polyp extension on any corals placed higher up - very minimum. The tabling corals is back on the bottom and is showing more polyp extension since i was not happy with it's placement. I figured these corals where under the same MH 20k bulbs for 3 years; acclimation would be easier..

My first instinct...I am about to move them all to the bottom again. I feel the corals are receiving to much flow and light up there (even though i've tryed in-directing the flow). On the bare bottom they where receiving a good amount of flow from turbulents coming of the glass walls (turbulent but very very indirect).. Now they are receiving more (very very turbulent and slightly indirect)...Make sense? What I mean is the strong pump has less time before its path comes close to them.

Should I move them back to there original spot until I get my new controllable pump & wavebox? I don't want to keep stressing them out. Should I wait a few days before moving them? I The first picture was taken when the acros arrived. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated. thank you

Note: my parameters are always stable the tanks 7 years old.
The light is very good (MH bulbs 1 month old)
Flow needs to be better (upgrading to tunze wavebox and a controllable pump)


<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ashish0584/media/IMG_7261_zps1acef941.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u613/ashish0584/IMG_7261_zps1acef941.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_7261_zps1acef941.jpg"/></a>



The large staghorn is actually about 8'' lower now it's own rock. the tabling is on the barebottom (doing better).
<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ashish0584/media/IMG_5241_zpsbc0447a3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u613/ashish0584/IMG_5241_zpsbc0447a3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_5241_zpsbc0447a3.jpg"/></a>
 
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Nope these are the first ones in almost 4 years
<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ashish0584/media/IMG_1946_zps7391b147.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u613/ashish0584/IMG_1946_zps7391b147.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1946_zps7391b147.jpg"/></a>
 
I never had acros this large though. I find it difficult to provide them with good flow... he sold me all these for only $145 - I had no idea the staghorn was that large (It looked like 3 staghorns but it was 2).

The largest staghorn seemed the most comfortable for 3 days at the back right corner. soon as i moved it he's ****ed..or stressed =o
 
My MH just turned on and I am about to go check up on them. My fish are always around the new coral aswell..
 
T<a href="http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/ashish0584/media/IMG_2871_zpsce66bed1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u613/ashish0584/IMG_2871_zpsce66bed1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_2871_zpsce66bed1.jpg"/></a>hese pictures where taken just now with IP.

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Judging by the thickness of the branches, these colonies were exposed to a lot of flow in the other tank. Regardless, stags will take as much flow as you can give them. They probably did not like the type of flow that you provided them with. Try to move the powerheads around. I would move all three off the floor and place them higher up.
 
If they stay closed for to long Im sorry to tell you there goners. I dont think it has anything to do with flow sometimes they just werent meant for this world
 
If you just got them than I would not be too concerned about PE, let them acclimate.

I agree a lot of flow should help.

Very nice stuff though and especially for that price, congrats
 
MarinaP said:
Judging by the thickness of the branches, these colonies were exposed to a lot of flow in the other tank. Regardless, stags will take as much flow as you can give them. They probably did not like the type of flow that you provided them with. Try to move the powerheads around. I would move all three off the floor and place them higher up.
Click to expand...

They did have amazing flow in the tank they came flow so I have a lot of work to do. The tank was a 100gallon with 1 seaswirl return, 2 tunzes on each corner of the tank (both on seasweep), & 1 small wavebox. :headwallblue:

The flow in his tank seemed very gentle and random. strong and Random is the key here. IMO strong is very misleading..I actually moved my korlia (3200gph) further away from the waterline because it seemed too strong with less water pressure. When they where on the bare-bottom there was incredible amounts of gentle turbulence reaching them by crashing against the overflow box and entire glass panel. This was alternate for 3 minutes on and of while a second koralia which was shooting against the korlia at different times. The return line is also directed towards the large korlias path.

Today there was better polyp extension but certain sections of the colonies seemed closed. I know acros only thrive in captivity if you can provide them with the best location in the tank regarding lighting, rock placement, and flow (w/o messing around with it daily). I understand I have to give them a chance to acclimate but how long do I give them before I take action? I cant wait for them to start bleaching or dieing before I try to fix the problem. They did better when I first put them in then now (even with better flow/lighting)

I am leaning to all 4 methods to keep these acros happy (opinions are appreciated):

1. Get rid of the Korlia mag (3200gph) or use it as a back-up.
2. Add 1 seaswirl to the 950gph return pump (650gph with head psi). Position on the middle back glass pointing above the acros polyps).
3. Add a tunze wavebox comline to the left side (pointing to the front glass) on a small wave all day and night. I feel this is the best in making sure acro polyps are constantly moving at all time. Also, helps elimate any dead spots.
4. Add 1 Jebo wp-40 (on variable power supply) on w1 mode on the Left side during the day and its night sensor will reduce the flow at night.

Jebo WP-40 is a new product from fish-street which has same design features as a tunze but same pulse settings as a MP-40. So far they have great reviews and have seen videos of a it creating 2'' waves in a 180 tank w/o any other return or pumps on. Since I don't have $1000s to purchase multiple vortech or multiple tunzes/multi-controllers I have no choice but to try this product.
 
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If the exposed coral sections have no PE and the areas that are clustered together more densely have better PE, I would bet nipping angel
 
It could be a few things here.
1. Different water quality then were it came from
So it take time for it to adjust
2. Different light
Needs to acclimate
3. Angel fish sees new possible food source
Keep an eye out.
4. Bugs or AEFW
Did you dip the stags prior?
5. Water flow
I would check to make sure it's getting good flow as the stags you have are really big
6. Temp and salinity
Should be in check with other water parameters
7. Handing
Maybe handling may have caused so irritation?
This is a few that could cause this also how long has this Ben a reef tank as I don't see to much life or coraline alge?
Let us no your feed back on this.
 
Sit in front of the tank for a while and watch that angel. I do not think the angel will eat/kill them, but definitely hurt the PE during lighting period.
How is the PE when the lights are out?
IME when corals have good PE in my tank I can place them anywhere and get good PE.
 
trueblackpercula said:
It could be a few things here.
1. Different water quality then were it came from
So it take time for it to adjust
2. Different light
Needs to acclimate
3. Angel fish sees new possible food source
Keep an eye out.
4. Bugs or AEFW
Did you dip the stags prior?
5. Water flow
I would check to make sure it's getting good flow as the stags you have are really big
6. Temp and salinity
Should be in check with other water parameters
7. Handing
Maybe handling may have caused so irritation?
This is a few that could cause this also how long has this Ben a reef tank as I don't see to much life or coraline alge?
Let us no your feed back on this.
Click to expand...

Thank you for things to look at. I don't think it's the emperor I think it could be the hermit crab (which was caught on the branchs). Ultimately, I think it's the adjustment to Lighting and (mostly) flow. I am ordering a tunze wavebox today and paying for fast shipping; this is what grew these corals and I will give them what they want.

The tanks been running since 2007 and parameters have been stable for years.; some rock (40%) you see was actually bleached clean of aiptasia and re-aquascaped with good overhangs for sps. Also, my fiji tomato clown is a monster..I can't catch him!!!. He actually was attacking the smaller staghorn when i put them on the barebottom (knocking it over 3 times). Because of this fish i cant even put my hand in the tank to expoxy coral I have to literally take the coral out and epoxy rods to the corals base. This is also a big stress for the corals and myself but can be a good thing once they are settled in (I won't be able to move them around)
 
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Acronic said:
If the exposed coral sections have no PE and the areas that are clustered together more densely have better PE, I would bet nipping angel
Click to expand...

It seems that the polyp exposed to the most flow/light are the once retracted. they have a very large footprint and its hard to put them all in the correct spot. Most of them grew from frags and I am hoping they will be slightly more hardier than wild colonies
 
I am ordering a tunze wavebox right now and it will be here by Friday.
Does anyone have any suggestion regarding this for SPS? After seeing it on these corals previous tank I am convinced its a true-wavemaker; gentle yet movement in every area of the tank. Not JBJ oceans motion wavemaker i currently use (just a timer switch).
 
You haven't mentioned what levels your alk and calc are running - if those very large colonies were happy and the move didn't interrupt their growth too much they would strip the alk to dangerous levels very quickly and then start sulking, have you checked them since adding the acros. Just another idea to consider, good luck i hope things go well. :)
 
biggles said:
You haven't mentioned what levels your alk and calc are running - if those very large colonies were happy and the move didn't interrupt their growth too much they would strip the alk to dangerous levels very quickly and then start sulking, have you checked them since adding the acros. Just another idea to consider, good luck i hope things go well. :)
Click to expand...

calcium 450
alk 10-12
thanks, I am testing cal/alk/ph every 2 days...
This might be a rookie question....But is it possible for corals to have different rate of calcium/alk depending on polyp extension?

corals during acclimation (1st week) = less cal/alk consumption
Acros with good pe and are acclimated = ca/alk consumption will increase
Or is Cal/Alk just high soon as they hit the tank?
 
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