acropora question?
 

Hi there, I hope someone can help me; Yesterday was my first attemt at sps, I went to big als and purchased what look like a good species of acropora, it was a white color. I acclimated it and after about an hour I put it low bottom tank, I turned my lights on or about one hour. I just installed my new lights about a week ago. As of today I have not seen and polyps I believe that this species is dead; how can one tell if the coral is dead? I hope someone can give me some insights, I will alos leave my phone number for anyone to call me I'm in Edmonton on the southside, my name is Casaer at the number is 450-3103. thanks.

Unless you've bought a rare white acro, I'd say it's dead or severely bleached. Can you post a pic?
Do you have actinic lights? If so, see if it glows with just those on.

HI there, thanks for the prompt response. I have attinic lights and no it does not glow; it might be severly bleached, i just got off the phone withg big als manager he stated it was ble yesterday morning; when I purchased it , it was white, so I guess I'm going to return it tommorow.

I was at big als this morning (in calgary )
and they were also trying to pass on a dead, or severly bleached colony of acro, 2 as a matter of fact.

Very upseting :x

Hi,

Colonys from the ocean are not very hardy and they can RTN very quickly. I would try aquacultured frags from local reefers or some LFSes. These frags tend to be more hardy and a bit more forgiving to your mistakes. Montiporas tend to be more hardy than Acros-- something like a Montipora Cap. or Digit. grow fast and easily in proper lighting.

Hope that helps.

- Victor.

Hi everyone, just one give you an update on the acropora/ big als situation. I returned the almost dead white bleached coral yesterday, I was not received with white gloves, blaming me for the desmise of that eice of coral, I said listen go back to your tank and look at the corals your selling, they are all white bleached and almost if not dead, there was only one piece that was doing fine; so after the words exchange he finally gived in and said he would take it back, but only this time, I said you should't be selling dead corals to the public. This is the second time that I have a had issues with big als. Before moving back to Edmonton I lived in Vancouver, which then I purchased a metal hlide system made by corallife called solar system, it was a 175 metal halide which dimmed and simulated the sunrise and sunset, excellent system, no noone has anymore lamps for it, it went out of production; take that 500 dollars with of lighting useless. So I guess what I am saying buyer beware. The only good thing is that I got radium lighting from jason out of saltwaterconnections. If anyone in the Edmonton area would like to get together and check out my system and give me some advice please don't esitate givine me a call 4503103 my nae is casaer just like the salad, I'm on the sotuh east side of toen in fountain lake south just off of millwoods.

Hey Casaer just like the salad :lol: what size tank do you have? how long have you had it? and what all do you have?

FWIW, I've bought a bleached coral before, and it came back eventually. It was a pocillipora and is now a nice pink color. Corals will bleach if they go long enough without any light.... :x .
If you do wind up with what looks like a coral skeleton only, look very carefully at the skeleton and see if you can spot a layer of clear tissue about 1 mm thick (under water). If you can see it, you may be able to bring it back by acclimating it as you would any new coral. It would have to have SOME coloration in it though, probably at the base.
Maybe you can get a bleached coral at a BIG discount next time! :wink:

Mitch

OK, I'm going to drag this one up from the morass. I have a frag I got from Evan at the last Calgary get-together (November I think). It's that pink acro he has. In my tank it turned peachy within days of getting it home and it hasn't done anything since. I think I can see single polyps on the tip of each branch but I'm not certain... the piece is only about 1" tall and only has about five branches. I figure it's still alive and I'm crossing my fingers, what does everyone else think? All of my other acros are visibly growing/colouring up.

Quinn, generally they get covered in algae quickly once they die. Sounds alive to me.