How to choose my first acro

yraveh

New member
I went today to buy my first acropora. They all look so colorless and dull relative to what I see in the reef magazine. The owner claimed that the one I see online are photoshopped. Is that true. aren't there acro with strong vibrant color ?
where or how can I purchase WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) acropora?
 
20k bulbs will help bring out the blues & purples. Just about all colorful frags I buy from my LFS are bland in my tank because I have 10k bulbs. When these are due for changing I'm going to at least 14k bulbs.
 
Also you have to think.... how good are they cared for at the LFS. Water chemistry, flow, nitrates, phosphates, Ca, Mag, Alk all have an effect on the acros growth and color. Id go with something like a green or purple slimer. Any of the ORA corals should look good when you buy them... and end up looking better in your tank. I have also gotten a lot of my acros from local reefers. This usually keeps the price low so if it doesnt work out you didnt drop a ton of cash. Just my 2 cents.
 
Buy from local reefers and have good water params and light. Corals will change depending on several different factors- keep what was said above about the care in LFS in mind as well. many of the online vendors are good- ORA is great, cherry corals, liveaquaria. You can find good deals in the for sale forum here too. good luck.

is your tank ready and set up for SPS?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14156913#post14156913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RedEDGE2k1
20k bulbs will help bring out the blues & purples. Just about all colorful frags I buy from my LFS are bland in my tank because I have 10k bulbs. When these are due for changing I'm going to at least 14k bulbs.
I have similar problem. I added 2*250 MH 10K to 4 PC bulb. The combined light is ugly yellow. I am looking for a reason to buy new bulbs.
How can I tell when it's time to replace the MH bulb?
 
ya my LFS is a great store but its just hard for a buisness to keep the water quality perfect to make sps look great. Its funny watching some of the corals either right when the shipment gets there compared to when they have been in the tank for a couple weeks.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14160222#post14160222 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Darkstar22
6-9 months is a general rule for replacement of MH Bulbs
Does this 6-9 months period depend on the number of daily hours the lights are on?
 
I suppose it does, but most of us run them for 6-8++ hours per day. So at that rate 6-9 months. Some people push it to 12 months, but it is beyond the prime of MH Bulbs IMO.
 
Re: How to choose my first acro

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14156748#post14156748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yraveh
I went today to buy my first acropora. They all look so colorless and dull relative to what I see in the reef magazine. The owner claimed that the one I see online are photoshopped. Is that true. aren't there acro with strong vibrant color ?
where or how can I purchase WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) acropora?
IMO, the best way to make sure you get healthy frags is to go with stuff from local reefers. You sometimes can actually visit the tank that the corals come from so you know it is healthy.
Check out the FMAS forum here on RC and you'll see people selling frags of their stuff for good prices. Then you know that WYSIWYG and also you dont have to pay for shipping. :D
 
I have also purchased some great corals from Coral Reef Farm off of I95 and Sterling Rd. in Hollywood. He receives ORA, Maricultured (Fiji), and gets a few pieces from fellow reefers locally. I also purchase from Live Aquaria and have never had any problems.

But I use a 250W 14.5k MH and not a 10k bulb. You might want to invest in a 14k since 20k is way too blue IMO.
 
very well. I will try to find local reefer selling frags.
I will also try the recommended stores.
 
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