Restart a dormant acro?

[Daddi0]

It seems that I have a couple of acros that have gone dormant? Is this a thing? The growing tips have stopped and are now the same color as the rest of the coral. Is there a way to get them restarted? I am noticing this with a Shawn Bennett Yellow Tort, a Purple Rain acro, and a Miyagi Tort.
Cheers! Mark

 

[mcgyvr]

Sadly the answer is that it just isn't getting what it needs so its going to be trial and error to determine what that missing factor is for your specific situation..
Could be light.. could be nutrient levels.. could be a missing trace element(s).. could be something else..
Once corals learn to speak (shouldn't be long in terms of genetic modification/adaptation time frames) this process should be much easier..

 

[picoreef]

Are they frags or colonies? Sometimes frags will encrust first having little to no upward growth on the tips and then once a base has established they will shoot upwards and start branching.

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[Daddi0]

Are they frags or colonies? Sometimes frags will encrust first having little to no upward growth on the tips and then once a base has established they will shoot upwards and start branching.

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Both frags and colonies. So here is what I just did:

- Miyagi Tort - colony about the size of your hand. The coral had fully encrusted on a rock. The crust had some good color while the "tree" was brown and not actively growing. I cut the tree from the rock, gave the tree away and will try to restart from just the encrusting.

- Purple Rain acro - 2 inch frag. I got this 1 year ago. Mounted it upright on a frag plug. In 1 year it has encrusted frag plug but no other growth on the frag. It is a solid dark purple with no visible polyps. I cut the frag in half and mounted the top half on its side on a rock. We will see if either piece grows.

- Shawn Bennet Yellow Tort - frag the size of a childs hand, laying on its side . It has encrusted on its rock but is a dark/drab green with a tinge of yellow on just the tips. This coral was in a bit of shade so I moved it to the top of the rockwall under full light.

I guess time will tell if I can kick start some life into these corals.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers! Mark

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Check your Magnesium level.

 

[Daddi0]

Mag. is 1470

 

[picoreef]

Have you checked nitrates and phosphates? I read somewhere that elevated phosphate levels can inhibit the calicification process.

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[Daddi0]

Have you checked nitrates and phosphates? I read somewhere that elevated phosphate levels can inhibit the calicification process.

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Nitrates at 5 and phosphate is less than .1

 

[Daddi0]

On the flip side, my Walt Disney and Purple Bonsai are growing like weeds.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Sometimes there are corals that just do not like the tank they are in.
Could be trace elements. I know of 2 separate tanks where this happened.