Help bringing back acropora

[RDCompton03]

Recently purchased what I was told was a purple acropora. I have only had my tank running for about a year and had not planned on adding acropora this quick but found a piece that a shop gave me a great price on so thought id give it a try. Tank params have been good for months. When I got the piece it was totally browned out which is why I got the good price. I placed it near the top of my tank under LED lights. So now I am two months later and most of the brown has turned to pale green and now some of the pale green is now beginning to turn to purple. All and all I think I it is doing okay, EXCEPT there is an area right in the middle of the piece that died and has a little hair algae growing on it maybe 1/16 of an inch long. The only hair algae in the tank. so I am not sure what to do. Can I just leave it alone until on of my little mexican redlegs finds it to clean it up? Does the dead spot jeopardize the rest of the coral? I am concerned that if I start trying to frag the good off the dead spot that I will end up loosing all of it. Just looking for options.

 

[Ratpack]

I think I would leave it alone. I have had corals that regrow over their skeleton and they just sort of pushed the algae away.

 

[jroovers]

If you can access the algae with tweezers or something like that, I would try and gently remove it. Depending on how big the spot is, you could also try and put some 2-part epoxy over the spot, with the epoxy contacting against healthy tissue (have it touch up from the receded part by a decent margin, say 1/4" or even a bit more), which might encourage the coral to encrust over the epoxy. This sort of approach is easier with acros with thick coralite structures, as opposed to something with fine braches.

 

[NaturalReef]

I agree with the above and will add if you can reach it with a very soft toothbrush, brush it lightly to remove the algae and then put a small dab of coral glue on it. It will prevent pests from bothering it and will help the acro encrust over it quicker. But agree that if it is healthy, it will repair itself.

 

[RDCompton03]

I appreciate the replies. Sounds like patience and time is the best fix.

 

[braaap]

Patience for sure. Nothing good in this hobby happens fast.