Acropora RTN

[birman]

anyone has experience to save the acropora from this? my acropora has been in my tank for about a month and the colour has been dull and i've observed slow RTN recently. i'm using T5 lighting and the acropora is placed near the water surface and is near an outlet from my filter where there's high water flow.
can anyone help?

 

[reefrunner69]

slow RTN

RTN = Rapid Tissue Necrosis. I think what you have seen is typical slow tissue recession, either due to irritation by other corals or from poor lighting, or improper flow.

What spcies of acro is it, how much T-5 lighting is it under in what size tank? Also what are your water parameters.

 

[birman]

it's a brown branching acropora. i've a T5 white 39W + a T5 actinic 39W light.
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 50ppm (reducing....)
phosphate 1ppm (reducing....)
alkalinity ~6dKH
calcium 500ppm

 

[Guest]

I am gonna say that I don't think that is enough light for Acropora Species...???

 

[ReefLady]

RTN = Rapid Tissue Necrosis. I think what you have seen is typical slow tissue recession, either due to irritation by other corals or from poor lighting, or improper flow.

I am gonna say that I don't think that is enough light for Acropora Species...???

nitrate 50ppm (reducing....)
phosphate 1ppm (reducing....)

I'd agree with Kevin & Timbo. IMO, this is nowhere near enough light to sustain an acropora. What you are experiencing is more than likely slow bleaching/failure to thrive - due to inadequate light and also because of the high nitrate and phosphate levels in the water. All of these could potentially contribute to the demise of the acro., however RTN is usually quite quick - consuming the entire coral in only a couple days, sometimes faster than that.

 

[cj10488]

RTN is usually quite quick - consuming the entire coral in only a couple days, sometimes faster than that.

nitrate 50ppm (reducing....)
phosphate 1ppm (reducing....)

I agree with this.. My acro started to go quick.. I was able to save bits of it Thanks to a few members on this board.. Man i love that color tan with hints of florescent blue.. Awesome acro.. lol was suppoesed to be an rare acro lol.. Any ways they need extreme light IME and pretty good waterflow.. The thinker the acro is the more waterflow.. RTN ate my coral about 1/2" per day at the least.. you nitrite is awefully high and makes me personally think that the tank has not been setup that long.. Acros are a pretty hard species to keep and should be in a well matured tank such as No nitrates ect...

HTH<
James