did i kill my new millipora with bad lighting?

herozero · 03/17/2009, 07:49 PM

I have an outer orbit 250W that is a few weeks old. Stock bulb, very white. I got a couple of corals from my local shop last saturday (3/140, a beautiful green stylo frag, some zoas and a really cool blue millipora. They acclimated fine and looked great. This morning my millipora had this weird fuzz on it and it blew right off and is now bleached white. No polyps once so ever. The other frags are fine, as are addition SPS and LPS. Fish are fine also.

My parameters are in line, my only thinking is the light. 20k 1000w radiums at the shop way up high vs. a leg mounted 10k 250w sunpaq. The millipora was at the top, but same level as my m. diji which has grown like a weed.

Did I kill this coral with the light change? I'd love to wait for the bulb to go before replacing it (with either 14k or 20k, 10k is just disgusting). Any other thoughts?

MileHighFish · 03/17/2009, 07:54 PM

My milli has done this when my salinity got a little too high, have you checked it? How is your Alk & Cal?

herozero · 03/17/2009, 07:59 PM

did it recover? it looks bleached and i'm really sad.

salinity is at 1.024 (just calibrated it with RO). Alk at 9, Ca a little low at 380, I just started putting kalk in my ATO and have been playing with the mixture.

MileHighFish · 03/17/2009, 08:04 PM

Yes mine did return.. Maybe it is a lighting issue.. Have you tried moving it?

herozero · 03/17/2009, 08:05 PM

not yet. i have a 7 day live guarantee from the place. i will move it lower tonight and see if something happens.

snorvich · 03/17/2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by herozero
did it recover? it looks bleached and i'm really sad.

salinity is at 1.024 (just calibrated it with RO). Alk at 9, Ca a little low at 380, I just started putting kalk in my ATO and have been playing with the mixture.

You do NOT calibrate a refractometer with RO water; use pinpoint calibration fluid. If you are not using a refractometer, you are consistent but probably not accurate.

herozero · 03/17/2009, 08:47 PM

calibration fluid i have puts it so far off the charts i can't even screw the level to 0

BrassMonkey · 03/17/2009, 09:11 PM

and that doesnt sound like a problem?

herozero · 03/17/2009, 09:13 PM

figured it out with the calibration fluid, my readings were still correct

herozero · 03/17/2009, 09:34 PM

helps when you find directions online that 53.0 mS fluid is 35.0 ppt or 1.0259 instead of 0. so no, its wasn't a salinity problem. any other suggestions?

ludnix · 03/17/2009, 11:38 PM

Where did you place it and what kind of flow was it getting?

herozero · 03/18/2009, 12:13 AM

Top rock, two tunze 6025 alternate with the streams running right past it. Have a diji on the same vertical level that grows like a weed.

Frick-n-Frags · 03/18/2009, 04:47 AM

sounds like it RTN'd from the environment change.

a strong light can bleach a coral, but the initial damagewill leave the parts that were shaded unbleached. the thing can continue to bleach all the way once it has been scrambled though, but this is a day or two long event

if the flesh blows away leaving the skeleton, that thing was dying already in transit or from the different water chemistry shock.

Blown76mav · 03/18/2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by snorvich
You do NOT calibrate a refractometer with RO water; use pinpoint calibration fluid. If you are not using a refractometer, you are consistent but probably not accurate.

Not to change the subject, but my refractor's instructions said to calibrate it with distilled water. I know distilled is not RO water, just checking to see if I'm doing something wrong.

This is a refractor from Dr. Foster's and Smith BTW. Just want to make sure since I am starting to get into Acro's and don't want to screw them up.

Thanks

herozero · 03/18/2009, 10:34 PM

i got the same reading from my tank when calibrating with RO/DI water at 0 and the calibration fluid (53.0 mS or 35 ppt). i am by no means an expert though. as much as i hate them, if you have a hydrometer around you can see if you are in the ballpark with both readings.

Blown76mav · 03/19/2009, 08:12 PM

My hydrometer is WAY off from my Refractor. My Refractor reads 1.025 and the hydrometer reads 1.032.

herozero · 03/19/2009, 09:16 PM

Kill it. And take a sample to your lfs to see how your refractometer measures up.

03/17/2009, 07:49 PM	#1
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	did i kill my new millipora with bad lighting? I have an outer orbit 250W that is a few weeks old. Stock bulb, very white. I got a couple of corals from my local shop last saturday (3/140, a beautiful green stylo frag, some zoas and a really cool blue millipora. They acclimated fine and looked great. This morning my millipora had this weird fuzz on it and it blew right off and is now bleached white. No polyps once so ever. The other frags are fine, as are addition SPS and LPS. Fish are fine also. My parameters are in line, my only thinking is the light. 20k 1000w radiums at the shop way up high vs. a leg mounted 10k 250w sunpaq. The millipora was at the top, but same level as my m. diji which has grown like a weed. Did I kill this coral with the light change? I'd love to wait for the bulb to go before replacing it (with either 14k or 20k, 10k is just disgusting). Any other thoughts?

03/17/2009, 07:54 PM	#2
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	My milli has done this when my salinity got a little too high, have you checked it? How is your Alk & Cal? __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

03/17/2009, 08:04 PM	#4
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	Yes mine did return.. Maybe it is a lighting issue.. Have you tried moving it? __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..

03/17/2009, 11:38 PM	#11
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	Where did you place it and what kind of flow was it getting? __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

03/18/2009, 04:47 AM	#13
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	sounds like it RTN'd from the environment change. a strong light can bleach a coral, but the initial damagewill leave the parts that were shaded unbleached. the thing can continue to bleach all the way once it has been scrambled though, but this is a day or two long event if the flesh blows away leaving the skeleton, that thing was dying already in transit or from the different water chemistry shock. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

03/17/2009, 07:59 PM	#3
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	did it recover? it looks bleached and i'm really sad. salinity is at 1.024 (just calibrated it with RO). Alk at 9, Ca a little low at 380, I just started putting kalk in my ATO and have been playing with the mixture.

03/17/2009, 08:05 PM	#5
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	not yet. i have a 7 day live guarantee from the place. i will move it lower tonight and see if something happens.

03/17/2009, 08:47 PM	#7
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	calibration fluid i have puts it so far off the charts i can't even screw the level to 0

03/17/2009, 09:11 PM	#8
BrassMonkey Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Palm Beach Posts: 950	and that doesnt sound like a problem?

03/17/2009, 09:13 PM	#9
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	figured it out with the calibration fluid, my readings were still correct

03/17/2009, 09:34 PM	#10
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	helps when you find directions online that 53.0 mS fluid is 35.0 ppt or 1.0259 instead of 0. so no, its wasn't a salinity problem. any other suggestions?

03/18/2009, 12:13 AM	#12
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	Top rock, two tunze 6025 alternate with the streams running right past it. Have a diji on the same vertical level that grows like a weed.

03/18/2009, 10:34 PM	#15
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	i got the same reading from my tank when calibrating with RO/DI water at 0 and the calibration fluid (53.0 mS or 35 ppt). i am by no means an expert though. as much as i hate them, if you have a hydrometer around you can see if you are in the ballpark with both readings.

03/19/2009, 08:12 PM	#16
Blown76mav Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lima, Oh Posts: 500	My hydrometer is WAY off from my Refractor. My Refractor reads 1.025 and the hydrometer reads 1.032. __________________ I thought that this tank was big enough, now I know I'm wrong. Current Tank Info: 240g in wall, 150g sump.

03/19/2009, 09:16 PM	#17
herozero Registered Member. Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 717	Kill it. And take a sample to your lfs to see how your refractometer measures up.