Acropora in PC light

[makana]

is it possible to keep an Acropora sp. coral under PC at the very top of the tank? i got a pink Acro frag and it is at the top opf my 2x55w PC reef. it is all opened and seems like it is happy but i want to know if this will last. will it slowly die-off or just continue to grow but stunted? anyone have any PC acropora experiences??

TIA

 

[steve-s]

Depends on the species. I keep a few different types of montipora that do very well at mid level (12") as well as one blue tip stag. I just fragged a small bit off the stag and elevated it to about 5" from the surface to see what if any differences will occur. Mind you that's @ 4x96w PC and a total of 24" depth.

Many types of SPS can be successfuly kept under PC's, just not many Acropora's. With your tank I would suggest the higher the better. Especially if using the "aqua legs". If on your 29 gal, 2x96w would be more ideal in regards to placement options.

Cheers
Steve

 

[xxmoorishmanxx]

i had a montipora growing well under 2x65watt pc's as well.

It was near the top bout 8 inchs down from the surface

 

[makana]

yes we have a M. digitata that is doing more than well under our 2x55w at around missection but recently moved higher.
we dont use those aqua legs so thats not a problem.

so far the Acropora seems to be doing great! we will see if this keeps up...
thanks for the input!
more would be appreciated especially on what to look for as signs of distress.

TIA!

 

[steve-s]

Bleaching, excess sliming and browning for the most part. They can be corrected depending on cause. If RTN set in with a small frag, it's usually not salvagable.

How are the water parameters and chemistry?

Cheers
Steve

 

[makana]

params are the same as the tank the R. yuma (RIP) was in...same 29g.
sg: ~1.023
pH: ~8.3-8.4
nitrites/ammonia: 0
nitrates: LOW
calcium: ~420 ppm

the frag seems to be doing great but we will see. what is RTN? my mouse is broken so i cannot scroll over the text to see...

thanks steve!

 

[Thumper]

The key to keeping sps is plenty of flow, flawless water conditions and high lighting as your aware of. Most tanks with mixed sps and other corals are not running near enough current. My thoughts would be to put in where it gets as much flow as possible in the tank and as high up as well. Keep a close eye on it due to your lighting,it's a little low for what I would consider adequate sps lighting, but not every tank is the same and you have have enough to substain it but growth will be very slow regardless imo. They are some of the more difficult corals to keep so good luck and hopefullly it works out for you.

 

[steve-s]

Looks fine...

calcium: ~420 ppm

Alk?

what is RTN? my mouse is broken so i cannot scroll over the text to see...

Rapid tissue necrosis. Basically the flesh of the coral literally "melts" off the skelaton.

Cheers
Steve

 

[klam]

A little reading on RTN

http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/eb_jl_111598.html

 

[makana]

dear god thats horrible!
no my sps look great i think! they are right in the direct flow from the tanks powerheads and return pump. the branching M. digitata has been doing so well there, i put the branching Acropora on the same rock. is this okay> they are acroo the rock but still on the same chunk.
they are the highest thing in the tank and right in the flow (2x 300gph powerheads and the ruturn line pushes about 250gph). my tank has good flow i think but is this good enough for the sps?
i wish i could show a pic or two but i have no digi cam right now...
oh yeah, my alk is good but i dont test it regularly just whne i go to the lfs they test it for me. i must get an alk test asap - whats a good brand?
i plan to use charcoal for a day in the next few (once i buy some) is this good for the sps?

thanks so much!!

thanks!

 

[steve-s]

whats a good brand?

I personally prefer Salifert for ease of use and accuracy but Seachem is also good.

i plan to use charcoal for a day in the next few (once i buy some) is this good for the sps?

A low PO4 carbon is best. Don't buy the cheap stuff. As far as being "good" for the acro, it's an up in the air and ongoing discussion by many reef hobbiest but IME it goes along way to doing much more good than it ever could harm. I would also suggest avoiding Seachems Seagel. It's matrix carbon mixed with an aluminum oxide PO4 sponge.

Cheers
Steve

 

[makana]

the Acropora that i added a bit ago is doing great still. the guy i got it from gave me more frags some Montipora sp. and some Acropora sp. his tank is only PC and it seemed his SPS were doing great including his Acropora. he said the system is 5+ years old and maybe thats why theyre doing so well. they werent even at teh highest points in the tank, butjust midlevel!
anyway, he gave me a bunch of goodies and im excited. the xenia and anthelia and devils finger and colt and zoos will be recovering from their surgery today.
he gave me some green star polyps too! cool!

 

[makana]

the frags are still doing great! pics coming someday soon :'(

 

[revhtree]

Cool Pics Please!!

 

[makana]

sorry no digi camera at this point in life... but i can explain.
the polyps are extended nicely. the skeleton structure has as much and as vibrant a color as its mother colony had befor fragging. these are good signs right. no sign of RTN BTW.

thank you all for all the help!
i now have dozens of species of branching acropora and montipora frags that seem to be doing great! the montipora are growing extremely rapidly!
is it bad for the organisms to have a high Ca level (500+ ppm) b/c i added too much for a while and my levels are high...whoops...