Acropora polyps not extending

[cellingson]

Question

I bought a dozen acropora frags one month ago.

The frags acclimated at the lowest portion of my tank for 1 week. During this time had great polyp extension and good color.

I then started moving them into more desired resting positions in my tank and since the polyps have not extended on any of the acro. Sometimes partial extension.

Lights 5 OREK strips. Par range 200-300
Flow provided by return heads with abyzz 400 and 3 octopuses 4 on the back wall

Sent a sample of water to ATI

Other then adding a bit of salt and iodine not sure what else to do with respect to water quality.

Do you think the lights are too strong? The par isn't that high?

 

[mtnbike101]

NO3 should be up a little.

I have had the same issue in the past. It seems that they get comfy initially and then once you place them, they become disgruntled. Do they have the same flow in the final spot as they did initially? Also, frags routinely (for me) will change color after they have been in the tank for a bit...not always for the good.

Par is not too high for Acros. My par is above 400 for Acro frags at the top portion of my rockwork and 250-300 on the lower portion.

Stellar pump, by the way!

 

[cellingson]

NO3 should be up a little.

I have had the same issue in the past. It seems that they get comfy initially and then once you place them, they become disgruntled. Do they have the same flow in the final spot as they did initially? Also, frags routinely (for me) will change color after they have been in the tank for a bit...not always for the good.

Par is not too high for Acros. My par is above 400 for Acro frags at the top portion of my rockwork and 250-300 on the lower portion.

Stellar pump, by the way!

Thanks
I'll try bringing the NO3 up.

Stay the course then?

 

[kharmaguru]

I'm not an SPS keeper but the low salinity is not a concern?

 

[reefing102]

I’m not huge into SPS (yet) but the low salinity, low nitrate, and high aluminum would concern me. From research, it appears white ceramic media and marine pure balls and blocks appear to be a main culprit in the aluminum, I don’t believe the level is high enough per an article by Randy Holmes Farley (but his test focused on leathers and not SPS if I’m understanding everything correctly)

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium

In this article I will give some details of aluminum in natural seawater, and will discuss the sparse literature on the toxicity of aluminum ions to marine organisms.

reefs.com

 

[JCOLE]

What fish do you keep? Do you have any angels or other nipping fish?

Pests? Have you checked for red bugs, etc?

What about stray voltage? Have you tested for that? I have seen polyps retract due to voltage leaking in the tank.

 

[cellingson]

What fish do you keep? Do you have any angels or other nipping fish?

Pests? Have you checked for red bugs, etc?

What about stray voltage? Have you tested for that? I have seen polyps retract due to voltage leaking in the tank.

Anthias and tangs. I have a 3/4” coral beauty. He doesn’t touch anything

I don’t think it is bugs. It only the acroporas and it’s all of them.

How do I test for stray voltage?

 

[Big E]

A lot of your trace metals and minor elements are too high. If you're dosing those I would stop.

Potassium needs to be at 400

 

[griss]

I’m not huge into SPS (yet) but the low salinity, low nitrate, and high aluminum would concern me. From research, it appears white ceramic media and marine pure balls and blocks appear to be a main culprit in the aluminum, I don’t believe the level is high enough per an article by Randy Holmes Farley (but his test focused on leathers and not SPS if I’m understanding everything correctly)

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium

In this article I will give some details of aluminum in natural seawater, and will discuss the sparse literature on the toxicity of aluminum ions to marine organisms.

reefs.com

I don’t know if they changed their formula, but if I remember correctly, SeaChem’s Phosguard is aluminum based as well as some other white phosphate reducers.