Acropora Dying????

[SteveA]

I am a newbie to acropora although I have kept several other corals for sometime now. I received two frags via Fedex on Monday and they looked to be in great shape. One is a dark purple and the other is white or pearl colored. On the pearl one, each of the tips were originally a fluorescent green. Both are small, about 2" high and wide, nice form.

What I am concerned about is that the branches of the pearl coral have started to turn bright white, almost bleached out, and the fluorescent tips are disappearing. At first it was just a few branches and each day, a little more. I am afraid it is dying off, and quickly.

The dark purple one appears to be doing fine. The polyps are open during the day (looks almost bushy) and closed at night.

I have both corals about 8" below the surface with a 2x55 watt super daylight PC, 1x40 watt super daylight normal fl., and 1x40 watt actinic. The water is very clean and supplemented with calcium, iodine, strontium, trace elements, etc. I have a 100gph powerhead directed at/near the pearl coral to provide strong current. No algae in the tank (75 gallon), 2 years old.

Diagnosis / Prognosis / Remedies will be appreciated!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dewman]

So you're saying you have 190 watts over the tank?

My 75 gallon has 660 watts of VHO over it and I am still leery of keeping acropora!!

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Since you have a 40 W NO, Your tank must be at least 4 feet long. The amount of light you have, IMO, is not anywhere near enough to keep Acropora.
From you describtion, the one Acropora was bleached in shipping. I think there is not much you can do about this.
BTW, in almost all case, the polyp on SPS expanded more at night than during the day.

 

[Digiman]

try this link http://www.aquarium.net/0597/0597_2.shtml

You most likely need more lighting. They say to have at least 4 times the amount of watts per gallon; 210 watts for a 55 gallon. And even at the minimum requirements can you keep large-polyp stony corals, soft corals, and polyps. Would not recommend SPS at that level. I personally have a 55 gallon also and I have 4 55 watt PC bulbs. 2 actinic and 2 10,000K. I am planning on adding probably 2 MH pendants to be able to acuire the SPS corals, but that will be a while.

Hope that helps...

-- Digiman

 

[SteveA]

I bought these sps the same time i bought a dual 175 MH retro kit, but the kit was faulty and the new part isn't due to arrive until Monday. When I am done with the MH upgrade, I will have 460 watts over my 75 gallon tank (2x175 MH plus 2x55 PC, the NO flourescents will have to go). Unfortunately it may be too late for the white sps. I feel bad for being reckless. Will be more careful in the future. Thanks for the posts.

 

[Sue Truett]

Acropora species do not come in white coloration. If you have a white acropora it has either bleached or expelled it zoo. due to stress of insufficient lighting. Did you say you recieved these frags via FedEx on Monday?? Were these frags in transit over the weekend??? I live in Houston and there is no way these had a prayer of making it with the temps we are having now. Wattage per gallon is not a rule of thumb used to guessimate the appropriate light intensity for keeping sps corals. SPS corals need intense lighting to thrive.

my 180 ecosystem sps/clam tank:
http://berlinmethod.com/suet/
my 120 ecosystem sps/clam tank:
http://suetruett.homestead.com/home.html