Why does my Acropora look brown when it arrives?

Acros usually arrive darker than their listing photo. Shipping stress and 12-24 hours in low light cause symbiotic zooxanthellae to multiply, dulling color temporarily. Most pieces return to their photographed color within 1-3 weeks with proper feeding and light.

How long does it take for SPS to color up after shipping?

Plan on 1-3 weeks with proper feeding and light. Days 1-3 are recovery — polyp extension returning, mucus production, encrusting. Days 3-10 the brown tint fades as zooxanthellae rebalance to your spectrum. Days 10-21 the original color signature reappears. Patience beats tinkering.

How do I tell STN/RTN apart from normal acclimation stress?

STN/RTN: rapid, visible tissue recession (hours or a day), bone-white skeleton exposed, peeling tissue along the edge. NORMAL stress: dull or brown color, retracted polyps for 12-48 hours, light pale tips. If you see white exposed skeleton spreading, file a 72-hour guarantee claim immediately.

Do I need to dip new corals from REEF JASE before adding them to my tank?

No — never dip a REEF JASE coral on arrival. Every fragment is tank-conditioned 14+ days in our pest-free systems before listing. This guidance applies specifically to coral that has completed REEF JASE's QT protocol — do not apply it to coral from any other source. For coral from any other vendor, dip per their guidance.

Do I need to drip-acclimate?

For most reefers, no. A 15-20 minute float to match temperature is sufficient before placement. Only drip (2-3 drops/second for 30-45 min) if your tank alkalinity runs notably above ours — 8.4+ dKH — so the coral can adjust gradually.

How should I light-acclimate SPS under Radion, Sky, or similar reef LEDs?

Because our corals are grown under high light, they arrive already light-conditioned — you do not need a long shaded acclimation. Start the coral in a lower or moderate-light spot for a couple of days to recover from shipping, keeping your fixture on its normal program (do not change the schedule for the rest of the tank). Then move it up to final placement over the following days. The only thing to avoid is putting a freshly-shipped piece straight under full intensity on the first day.

When should I see polyp extension after shipping?

Most SPS shows partial polyp extension within 6-24 hours of placement and full extension within 1-3 days. Thicker-based and encrusting Acros can lag a day or two behind fine-branched tenuis. Zero extension after 5 days is a signal to recheck parameters and placement, not necessarily a DOA.

What if my coral has not colored up after 6 weeks?

Audit alkalinity stability (variance under 0.5 dKH/day matters more than the number), nitrate above 1 ppm, phosphate above 0.03 ppm, and spectrum stability. Color is driven by nutrient balance and light more than anything else. Email jase@reefjase.com with parameters and a photo for a second pair of eyes.

◆ ACCLIMATION · PROCEDURE · COLOR-UP ◆

ACCLIMATING NEW CORALS

The 4-step procedure, the parameter targets we ship from, and the 1-3 week color-up timeline you should plan for.

QUICK START: Float bag 15-20 min to match temperature → place it in a lower or moderate-light spot to start. No dip needed (we are pest-free), no drip needed unless your alkalinity is 8.4+ dKH. Our corals are grown under high light, so they only need a couple of days to settle before you move them up — just do not put a fresh shipment straight under full intensity in the first hours.

THE PROCEDURE

1
Float the sealed bag to match temperature
Float the sealed shipping bag in your sump or display tank for 15-20 minutes. This equalizes the bag water temperature with your system before the coral is transferred.
2
Place into a lower or moderate-light spot
Open the bag and place the frag in a lower or moderate-light spot to start. No dip needed — REEF JASE corals are tank-conditioned pest-free. No drip needed unless your alkalinity sits above 8.4 dKH.
3
Let it settle for a couple of days
Give the coral a couple of days in that lower spot with moderate flow to shake off shipping stress. Our corals are grown under high light, so they arrive already light-conditioned — they do not need a long shaded recovery, just a short settle.
4
Move it up to final placement
After those first couple of days, move the coral up to its final placement over the following days. The one thing to avoid is taking a piece straight out of a dark shipping box and putting it under full intensity in the first hours — give it that short settle first, then ramp it up.

WHERE TO PLACE YOUR NEW CORAL

Start new arrivals in the lower third of your tank for the first couple of days, then move them up. The diagram below shows the three light zones in a typical reef display.

New coral placement zones in a typical reef display. Start new REEF JASE arrivals in the lower third (cyan, bottom) for the first couple of days to settle, then move them up to final placement.

OUR SYSTEM PARAMETERS

What your coral has been living in. Match within reason and the transition is uneventful.

REEF JASE system water parameter targets for tank-conditioned SPS corals (2026).
Parameter	REEF JASE Systems	Notes
Alkalinity	7.5 - 8.0 dKH	Drip-acclimate only if your tank runs above 8.4 dKH.
Salinity	1.025 - 1.027 sg	Match by float, no drip needed if within ±0.001.
Temperature	77 - 78 F	Float bag 15-20 min to equalize.
Nitrate	5 - 10 ppm	Anything above zero is fine; SPS hates barren water.
Phosphate	0.05 - 0.10 ppm	Same as nitrate — measurable nutrients are required for color.

WHY YOUR CORAL DOES WHAT IT DOES

Why does my Acropora look brown when it arrives?: Acros usually arrive darker than their listing photo. Shipping stress and 12-24 hours in low light cause symbiotic zooxanthellae to multiply, dulling color temporarily. Most pieces return to their photographed color within 1-3 weeks with proper feeding and light.
How long does it take for SPS to color up after shipping?: Plan on 1-3 weeks with proper feeding and light. Days 1-3 are recovery — polyp extension returning, mucus production, encrusting. Days 3-10 the brown tint fades as zooxanthellae rebalance to your spectrum. Days 10-21 the original color signature reappears. Patience beats tinkering.
How do I tell STN/RTN apart from normal acclimation stress?: STN/RTN: rapid, visible tissue recession (hours or a day), bone-white skeleton exposed, peeling tissue along the edge. NORMAL stress: dull or brown color, retracted polyps for 12-48 hours, light pale tips. If you see white exposed skeleton spreading, file a 72-hour guarantee claim immediately.
Do I need to dip new corals from REEF JASE before adding them to my tank?: No — never dip a REEF JASE coral on arrival. Every fragment is tank-conditioned 14+ days in our pest-free systems before listing. This guidance applies specifically to coral that has completed REEF JASE's QT protocol — do not apply it to coral from any other source. For coral from any other vendor, dip per their guidance.
Do I need to drip-acclimate?: For most reefers, no. A 15-20 minute float to match temperature is sufficient before placement. Only drip (2-3 drops/second for 30-45 min) if your tank alkalinity runs notably above ours — 8.4+ dKH — so the coral can adjust gradually.
How should I light-acclimate SPS under Radion, Sky, or similar reef LEDs?: Because our corals are grown under high light, they arrive already light-conditioned — you do not need a long shaded acclimation. Start the coral in a lower or moderate-light spot for a couple of days to recover from shipping, keeping your fixture on its normal program (do not change the schedule for the rest of the tank). Then move it up to final placement over the following days. The only thing to avoid is putting a freshly-shipped piece straight under full intensity on the first day.
When should I see polyp extension after shipping?: Most SPS shows partial polyp extension within 6-24 hours of placement and full extension within 1-3 days. Thicker-based and encrusting Acros can lag a day or two behind fine-branched tenuis. Zero extension after 5 days is a signal to recheck parameters and placement, not necessarily a DOA.
What if my coral has not colored up after 6 weeks?: Audit alkalinity stability (variance under 0.5 dKH/day matters more than the number), nitrate above 1 ppm, phosphate above 0.03 ppm, and spectrum stability. Color is driven by nutrient balance and light more than anything else. Email jase@reefjase.com with parameters and a photo for a second pair of eyes.

SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH YOUR SHIPMENT?

Our 72-hour live arrival guarantee covers losses. File with a photo of the coral in the sealed bag and a second photo in your tank.

GUARANTEE DETAILS →