(Long post sorry) first sps attempt is a rescue please advise

[semigodd154]

I was at my lfs for my weekly trade in of macro algae and was bringing home a few frags for my 2.5 nano when the owner says I got something for you I said hmmmm!!!! Usually this means a please i'm way over booked can you do a service on this tank for me type of thing so I said whatcha got? He says I got this purple acro (brown now BTW) that needs some help the whole colony is not gonna make it can you frag it and put it in your tank and see what happens? I being of soft heart and softer head said sure i'll give it a whirl. needless to say after much trimming to get rid of necrotic tissue i was left with three gorgeous pieces the problem is what do i do now because there is no way they can stay in my 2.5 nano when they start growing (if I should say) I'm not even sure they are alive so i need some advise on what to look for time for polyp extension after fragging and so on please help sorry for the long post.

2.5 nano
6lbs LR
2lbs LS
temp 81 degrees
calcium 475
ammonia, nitrate, and so on 0
lights
1 65k 10 watt PC
1 10k 9 watt PC
1 actinic 03 9watt pc
1 moonlight run 24/7
Hopefully this info helps and i can get an idea whats going on here Thanks in advance

Shaun

[Geoff]

if there is colour to the tissue than you prolly have live frags. keep your water quality high then you have a chance. hopefully you have a lot of current in the tank. put the frags as close to the light as possible.

you do not need to worry, they will not all of a sudden be 9" over night. they are slow grower, even the fast one. my acros will stay mostly closed during the day, but at night they will open up. as long as they open up at least some of the day you have a chance.

keep an eye on them. you will know in a couple of weeks if they are really happy or not. in a couple of weeks they should be starting to encrust the rock that you placed them on.

hth,

G~

[chewie]

Good info Geoff! also you might want to see if there's anybody around you to donate or trade a frag of it. You never know when you'll lose one or two of them. It's nice to know there are others out there with the same piece.

Keep your alkalinity in check as well, between 10-12.

[Sue Truett]

If the frags are keeping the color in the tissue, whether it is purple or brown then they are alive. Depending on the species of acropora this is you could see day and or night time polyp extension. Current is a must for sps corals and especially any newly fragged pieces. When I frag most of the frags are polyped out within say 30 minutes. I use super glue gel and glue them to a piece of LR rubble so I can move them to places I want later. If this colony was under like lighting then I would place the frags accordingly in your tank.

Keep the water chemistry as stable with calcium and alkalinity levels at or around 420+ppm and 10-12dKh.