Acan question

[reefrf]

I don't understand why my Acans don't do well in my established 150g reef. I have these same acans in my solana with a lot less stable condition & they're fulling open. My parameters are fine. I will list below. I have huge colonies of sps, also a RBTA, Lps & softies thriving but for some reason the acans are not happy. Any ideas anyone?

Ph-8.0-8.2
Alk-8dkh
Nitrates-.01
Phosphates-unknown, tests say zero
Calc-480
Salinity-1.026

[Rskillz]

Spot feeding them? I had the same problem until I started spot feeding mine either Cyclop eeze, Brine, or Krill. A LFS isn't the best but they have an unreal selection of healthy acans, and the SW guy said the secret is feeding them "oyster feast" once a day. That may be extreme, but they do love to be fed.

[T Diddy]

Hey RSkillz, how is that Totoka pipe organ doing??

[T Diddy]

Oh yeah...+1 on the spot feeding

[kendaroo]

how much light and flow are they getting?

[beezer06840]

I have a similar setup in a 180 and I have 6 acan colonies that are thriving. I have very silimilar lighting 3 x 150 phoenix hqi. I have the colonies on the sandbed with unobstructed paths of light. i spot feed pe mysis 1-2x week. I have everything you have but no softies.

[reefrf]

I agree about spot feeding but if the heads are completely closed up i don't think they'll feed.

Oh yeah...+1 on the spot feeding

[Rskillz]

Oh yeah...+1 on the spot feeding

Pretty awesome. They are happy as heck and growing. Usually they give me good deals up there, but Ol Boy tried to give me 20$ store credit for all those frags today, haha. I sold them all locally for almost 100$.

You get anything?

[reefrf]

I have my large colony 1/2 way up. Maybe I'll try moving them down to the sand bed. My lighting is 2x150w halides with three T5's. They were originally under one 150w MH in the Solana.

how much light and flow are they getting?

[Rskillz]

They also prefer lower light btw. From what I've heard Acans and most Aussie corals are harvested in very murky conditions with not a lot of light. I had two that got bleached out mid-tank and then recovered when I put them in shade. My advice is stick them in low-light, low-flow areas and spot feed them when they open up.

[reefrf]

I guess what I'm trying to explain is that these same Acans were doing fine in my Solana & now there not. So i think regardless of feeding, it's only been three days in the new tank and if I put them back in the Solana they would be looking better during the same 3 days. So I'm guessing the issue has to do with the environment rather than a feeding issue.

[allsps40]

Spot feeding +1 again. The reason your acans do better in the smaller tank may be because of more nutrients in the solana that my be lacking in the larger tank due to better water quality of a larger system. I find that my candy canes and frog spawn do better in my 6 gallon nano cube that in my 40 gallon sps tank. Keeping other things in mine to look at is water movement. Is there my in the 150 than in the solana? What about lighting on solana?

[Rskillz]

I guess what I'm trying to explain is that these same Acans were doing fine in my Solana & now there not. So i think regardless of feeding, it's only been three days in the new tank and if I put them back in the Solana they would be looking better during the same 3 days. So I'm guessing the issue has to do with the environment rather than a feeding issue.

Ah, I see. Besides the fact the conditions were less stable, what other variables changed? Perhaps the water parameters are different drastically in one area? Flow? Light? I see the new params which look great but what about old? As long as they don't start showing their skeleton or don't recede I wouldn't worry too much. They might just need time to adapt.

[reefrf]

Thanks, that sounds like sound advice. I'll try that to start with.

They also prefer lower light btw. From what I've heard Acans and most Aussie corals are harvested in very murky conditions with not a lot of light. I had two that got bleached out mid-tank and then recovered when I put them in shade. My advice is stick them in low-light, low-flow areas and spot feed them when they open up.

[Fishamatank]

Light shock? Will probably take some time to adjust or you might need to light acclimate them with some screen over the tank.

[T Diddy]

Pretty awesome. They are happy as heck and growing. Usually they give me good deals up there, but Ol Boy tried to give me 20$ store credit for all those frags today, haha. I sold them all locally for almost 100$.

You get anything?

No, nothing today...Star is babysitting 5 corals for me as it is. I'm getting my tank running as we speak. Once I get my tank cycled I'll start shopping again LOL.

[Rskillz]

No, nothing today...Star is babysitting 5 corals for me as it is. I'm getting my tank running as we speak. Once I get my tank cycled I'll start shopping again LOL.

Sounds like a rational plan, haha. Here's to no leaks:beer:

[reefrf]

Your conversation has nothing to do with this thread.


Sounds like a rational plan, haha. Here's to no leaks:beer:

[Rskillz]

Your conversation has nothing to do with this thread.

You're right. sorry to hijack. I did try and give some good info though!:love1:

[reefrf]

Yes you did & thank you. :D

QUOTE=Rskillz;17691611]You're right. sorry to hijack. I did try and give some good info though!:love1:[/QUOTE]

[RokleM]

What's the magnesium?

[mandingCa]

What's the magnesium?

+1 here!
Recently I treated with Kent Tech M for Bryopsis and bleached a few acan colonies. Some Acans seem to br very sensitive to swings in Magnesium.

[ALH]

Make sure nothing's killing them. I had one colony next to a mycedium not realizing it was being killed off by it's neighbor's tentacles.