Polyp extensions non existent

[ShesEasy]

I got three acros last week Friday, in an attempt to try growing acros. I knew they where stressed out and figured it would take a couple days for them to open up to there be environment

But a week later and only one has a very very very faint sign of polyps coming out,

One of the acros was a green slimer but and I thought from his fast they grow that it would open first but it still hasn't

I'm still very new to reefing to bear with me on this all thank you.

Temp: 77.0-77.5
Salinity: 1.025
Calcium: 430-440
Alkalinity: 9.5
Magnesium: 1300
Ph: 8.1
Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates: un detectable

 

[scottwhitson]

Any fish that could be nipping at the polyps? Also do you have lots of random flow?

 

[ShesEasy]

I have a green clown goby that I know yes they roost inn sps but he thus far has hid in his caves and when he comes out its to eat pods of the glass

Three blue green chromis

One royal gramma

Some snails and hermits

And two sexy shrimp that love there doughnut coral lol

 

[ShesEasy]

As for flow I have lots as I almost knocked all my coral over with it lol had to turn it down

I have the power heads up higher (they point sorta downwards from worn out mounts) and on high but not so much that they bend my torch and green star polyps over which are on the bottom of my tank

Tank is 180gal 6x2x2

As for random flow....I dunno really how to set that with my power heads, there's a pulls rate and a setting for speed of what each pulse does, one is set for fast to slow on a high pulls rate and other is a more flat setting to just move water

 

[ShesEasy]

 

[ShesEasy]

Bump

 

[idisc]

Acros can make weeks to come around or even start to color up. I would raise the tank temp to 78.5 and bring your alk to between 8-9.

Also if you did not acclimate them to the light correctly the polyps will not show. If you just tossed them at the top bc they need strong light is not the way to do it.

Tonight check to see if there is any polyp extension when all the lights are off..use a flashlight. If you see decent pe, might be to bright for them in current location.

 

[ShesEasy]

Okay cool and no as for lighting the guy told me as the tank they where in had lower lighting that I should start off low and slowly increase so I was down to 30% intensity on my three xr30w radion lights and after a week now I bumped them to 40%... So I hope I'm on the right track with lighting

I'll try raising the temp and my alk is on its way down....I just did a water change so I don't feel like doing another to bring it down...it's slowly going lol

 

[horseplay]

Your water seems to be fine but I would lower the light back to 30% then leave everything alone for a few day. Just do nothing. How long has the tank been setup?

 

[twon8]

Most acros in the wild only extend their polyps at night

 

[Pokahpolice]

Do nothing...seriously, just relax and leave things alone for a while. If you start seeing them pale then make changes. Much too early to start trying to make a judgment on how well they are doing.

 

[ECreefer]

Make sure you are feeding the tank well too, there is such thing as starving the tank. Also in low nutrient tanks, 7-8 dkh is typically best. I wouldn't worry about temp or anything else. If they are coming from a lower light tank, I would definitely keep the whites on radions super low, 20%, blues you can keep around 30-40

 

[ShesEasy]

Thanks for the input, as I said I'm new to all this so I appreciate all advice

Thanks again

 

[StaghornE]

How stable are your parameters are they always the same when you test, in my opinion that's the most important thing for Acros.

 

[stiky]

Do nothing...seriously, just relax and leave things alone for a while. If you start seeing them pale then make changes. Much too early to start trying to make a judgment on how well they are doing.

This is the magical solution to all your problems. Acros are a very temperamental sps. Just relax, don't move them until you're absolutely positive they have to be moved, as in something is wrong. Sometimes dialing down lights works but generally I start them low towards the sand bed and let them acclimate while I decide the perfect spot to make them stay in forever, or at least till I hate my aquascape again and redo the entire tank. Start simple. There are no wonder products so don't go out buying this and that hoping to get PE overnight(I've done it, it doesn't work). Soon enough you'll be able to pinpoint what is wrong or not working and then you can start to chase levels and additives to give them what they need. All in time. 12 years I've been doing this and sometimes I still don't have patience lol. Don't fix what's not broken and Slow and steady is the best solution ever...and more tanks...always more tanks.

 

[ShesEasy]

Awesome advice stiky thanks

I'm gunna be as patient as I can, I have my lights low and Im just going to leave them yes....if they die so be it

I have one I aquired to try and save as my tank is a bit better set up then there's for acro, it's base is dead so I'm gunna let it sit and probably in the month if it lives on I'll cut it down to fresh flesh and re glue

 

[jasonandsarah]

+1 to slow and steady! Let them be and watch carefully.... But i would also say that just those 2 power heads without any kind of pulsing or wave action probably won't be enough in a 180, long term for Sps.
You can get a nice wave Pump pretty cheap these days. I think direct flow was knocking things over and not to much flow. Also if the mounts are worn on the circulation pumps then there not that safe.

 

[Zukari]

Be easy with raising those LEDs power too quickly! I lost some frags and had all kinds of issues with my Hydras. This last batch I cut the lights back to 20% (So about 30% across the board for LEDs) and the corals are thriving now, all of them. LEDs are powerful.