SPS Experts, Opinions please

[Bello]

Hello experts,

I'm pretty new to sps and I'm hoping you guys can help me with a problem that I've been having with an acro. Here goes.....

I've had the coral for about 4 months now, first placed on the bottom of the tank, and moved higher gradually.

The problem with it is ..... everything.

1. Colors are really light
2. Tips that I cut off to induce growth are covered with algae
3. Tissue receeded from the base but has stopped off late, once I got my alk between 7-8 dkh.
4. No growth whatsoever.

Surprisingly, polyp extension seems ok. I'm actually wondering if this is too much light?
The formosa in the rear of the pic bleached when I replaced bulbs from my150W MH, but has colored up nicely.
Now running a 160w led setup, much brighter than the old MH.

45gal, Alk 7-8, Cal 420, Mag 1350, No3 0, Po4 0, SG 37ppt (was higher earlier, maybe part of the problem)

I'm not running carbon, and don't dose anything apart from alk and cal.

Fishload and feeding is very low. Using AA's hasn't really helped.

Also, my mistake, I'm not even sure what species this acro is? Any ideas?

Its pretty difficult for me to acquire coral, and as such would really like to save this one.

Thanks for your help!

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1628/dsc01162qi.jpg

[cwegescheide]

I can't see the picture at work but if a lot of your acros a pale and you have been keeping your parameters stable and within acceptable range I would look at adding more fish to your system and feeding more.

[tibob32]

I see the pic and the colors looks okay. The STN was probably due to alk. As for growth, it can take a long while before it starts. I've had a small mille frag that took 3 months before it started to encrust. Keep PO4 low with GFO and they should grow in time. You don't mention slow either; that could be a factor

[Bello]

Thanks guys!

Things definitely improved after I got the alk and salinity in order. STN has stopped. Growth is virtually non-existent. Have been running GFO from day one.

Any clues on its ID?

Thanks again!!

[returnofsid]

4 months is not long enough to really see Acropora growth. The cutting of the tips, to induce growth, is, at best, a theory. Cutting the tips also exposed the skeleton, which gives algae somewhere to get a foothold. Sometimes, it'll take Acropora up to 6 months to even acclimate to a new system. It needs as little stress, as possible, during this period. The low Alk was most likely the cause of the STN and no growth. Alk might even still be a lil' low, though I forget how to translate dkh into meq/l.

[Bello]

During the time that the alk was unstable, I was forced to frag the formosa, however, it the exposed main skeleton grew back pretty quickly, which is why I tried it on this one.

I'm not expecting rapid growth or anything. But at the least, I expected the cut area to recover, without letting the algae take a foothold. I am battling cyano right now.

Thinking of shifting it lower down, but don't to stress it anymore. Suggestions???

[Ocean Hugger]

if u r battling cyno, that means there is an excess of nutrients and/or low flow. what r ur flow rates? Try to cut down on ur nutrient import or try vodka dosing to bring ur nutrient levels down.

[Bello]

Thanks Ocean Hugger (nice!!)

when you mentioned cyano, i realized that it had been a while since i changed the GFO, just did that now. P04 tests 0 with salifert, but it seems like worth a try. Maybe the acro situation will improve. N03 also tests 0.

Thanks

[smokenax]

how old is your system?