Acro Colony STN from Tips

Alex114 · 03/21/2021, 11:19 AM

So I bought a maricultured acro colony about 5-6 weeks ago. For the first 3 weeks it was doing really well. Good polyp extension, kept its color, looked healthy overall. During the 4th week I had a mild alk swing at some point from about 9 to 10dkh. Everything looked ok but a single tip started to go white. I figured it was just a burnt tip but over the last two weeks it has spread to 8-10 tips and the original tip had STN about 1/2 inch. There’s about 20 tips on the colony so about half the tips are now burnt. I had to go away for a day and left Friday night. I just got back today (Sunday). Measured my alk before and after I left and it only fluctuated 0.2 dkh but several of the tips RTN’d another half inch if not more. I can’t figure out why and wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions on what to do

Onto the tank, it is a 75 gallon 100% sps tank. It is about 10 months old, lighted by two radion XR-15/reefbrite combo, and an mp40 set to 80% blue pulse mode. Every other piece of sps shows no sign of burnt tips or STN, even two other maricultured frags that are encrusting and coloring up well (I’ve had them for 3 months) I dose brs liquid alkalinity and calcium on my dosers and magnesium when needed. The tank also gets brightwell coral kolor, amino, and restor twice a week. I do regular 10 gallon water changes every week, sometimes two weeks apart. I do not run carbon or gfo.

I have tried slowly lowering the alk closer to natural sea water to see if that helped. After the alk swing from 9-10 it went back to 9 almost immediately. When I saw more burnt tips after a week I began slowly lowering alk to 8. It’s at 8.2, now, a week ago it was at 8.9. I am now going to cut off a few of the tips as I feel I have no choice since it began to RTN. if anyone has had this happen to them before and was able to save the colony please let me know. If not I guess the only thing i can do is keep my alk stable at 8 and hope it recovers

Alex114 · 03/21/2021, 11:22 AM

You can see where it had STN because the algae had begun to grow on it. And then in the last day or two it RTN below that. I will be cutting off the worst tips and dipping the colony in revive to see if that helps

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outssider · 03/23/2021, 05:32 PM

I'd definitely cut off the burnt tips. as far as dipping it ?....you may just **** it off more ! they don't like to be "molested"......being maricultured, it would be used to dkh at 7 or even slightly less......also used to intense sunlight, what type of light are you running ? my guess would be that halide would be closest to sunlight

rostato · 03/25/2021, 02:12 PM

If it’s the only one that’s ****ed, just cut the tips off and pray. Don’t change anything due to one coral sucking at life.

Alex114 · 03/25/2021, 03:40 PM

So I opted to not dip it like you said but cut the tips a few days ago. It looked like it was going to be alright but this morning I found it about 50% rtn. No swing in alk, I don’t think there’s much else I could have done. I saved two 4 inch pieces but that’s about it. Hoping they make it but I’m not optimistic at this point. Thanks for your replies, if they do survive I’ll be sure to post it

rostato · 03/25/2021, 05:07 PM

One coral stn’ing now and then is pretty normal. Especially from maricultured

03/21/2021, 11:19 AM	#1
Alex114 Registered Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 162	Acro Colony STN from Tips So I bought a maricultured acro colony about 5-6 weeks ago. For the first 3 weeks it was doing really well. Good polyp extension, kept its color, looked healthy overall. During the 4th week I had a mild alk swing at some point from about 9 to 10dkh. Everything looked ok but a single tip started to go white. I figured it was just a burnt tip but over the last two weeks it has spread to 8-10 tips and the original tip had STN about 1/2 inch. There’s about 20 tips on the colony so about half the tips are now burnt. I had to go away for a day and left Friday night. I just got back today (Sunday). Measured my alk before and after I left and it only fluctuated 0.2 dkh but several of the tips RTN’d another half inch if not more. I can’t figure out why and wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions on what to do Onto the tank, it is a 75 gallon 100% sps tank. It is about 10 months old, lighted by two radion XR-15/reefbrite combo, and an mp40 set to 80% blue pulse mode. Every other piece of sps shows no sign of burnt tips or STN, even two other maricultured frags that are encrusting and coloring up well (I’ve had them for 3 months) I dose brs liquid alkalinity and calcium on my dosers and magnesium when needed. The tank also gets brightwell coral kolor, amino, and restor twice a week. I do regular 10 gallon water changes every week, sometimes two weeks apart. I do not run carbon or gfo. I have tried slowly lowering the alk closer to natural sea water to see if that helped. After the alk swing from 9-10 it went back to 9 almost immediately. When I saw more burnt tips after a week I began slowly lowering alk to 8. It’s at 8.2, now, a week ago it was at 8.9. I am now going to cut off a few of the tips as I feel I have no choice since it began to RTN. if anyone has had this happen to them before and was able to save the colony please let me know. If not I guess the only thing i can do is keep my alk stable at 8 and hope it recovers

03/23/2021, 05:32 PM	#3
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	I'd definitely cut off the burnt tips. as far as dipping it ?....you may just **** it off more ! they don't like to be "molested"......being maricultured, it would be used to dkh at 7 or even slightly less......also used to intense sunlight, what type of light are you running ? my guess would be that halide would be closest to sunlight __________________ Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps

03/21/2021, 11:22 AM	#2
Alex114 Registered Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 162	You can see where it had STN because the algae had begun to grow on it. And then in the last day or two it RTN below that. I will be cutting off the worst tips and dipping the colony in revive to see if that helps Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/25/2021, 02:12 PM	#4
rostato Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 1,161	If it’s the only one that’s ****ed, just cut the tips off and pray. Don’t change anything due to one coral sucking at life.

03/25/2021, 03:40 PM	#5
Alex114 Registered Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 162	So I opted to not dip it like you said but cut the tips a few days ago. It looked like it was going to be alright but this morning I found it about 50% rtn. No swing in alk, I don’t think there’s much else I could have done. I saved two 4 inch pieces but that’s about it. Hoping they make it but I’m not optimistic at this point. Thanks for your replies, if they do survive I’ll be sure to post it

03/25/2021, 05:07 PM	#6
rostato Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 1,161	One coral stn’ing now and then is pretty normal. Especially from maricultured