Corals are bleaching, also replacing bulbs

SneakyPete · 06/26/2012, 06:12 PM

Hi all.

So I need some help here. I have a 40B tank and I also have a Tek 6 bulb T5 light. I have it on my tank with the brackets in the highest position possible which puts my lights about 12-14 inches off the water. I have some SPS coral in the top of half or so of my tank. I have a monte cap which is practically dead. Its glued to a rock that I cannot remove. It sloughed something aweful. I've all but written it off. I have a monte tree that is about at the same height and lost some color as well, but seems to be doing ok with a piece of eggcrate above it. I some sort of green sps that I picked up off the $10 rack at my lfs that seems to have colored up nice, but has also started bleaching around the edges. My frogspawn which is on the bottom doesn't fully extend anymore (but other than it won't go fully extended like it did with my last light, a cheapo 4 bulb Oddysea, it seems to have good color and does extend about half way). The eggcrate also covers the frogspawn. Under the Oddysea light, it was growing well, doesn't grow much. I have a handful of zoas that seem to be doing well. I have a yellow and green Acan that seems to love the light about mid way up the tank.

Anyway, I say all that because I think I have too much light. I currently run ATI bulbs. 1 Aquablue special, 1 Purple+ and 4 blue+. If I were to replace the purple+ and a blue+ with True Actinic, would that take some of the pressure off my corals? Current schedule: 2 blue+ from 12:00 to 10:00. Full strength: 3:00 to 7:00.

The bulbs are about 7-8 months old, so I'm thinking they need to be replaced (that and I had a massive algae bloom recently). If the acentics would ease up for my coral, I'd like to do that. Or maybe I should just run the 2 blue+ for a while? I'm kind of at a loss.

Water params are good. No Nitrate/ite/ammonia. DHK 8.5 (a bit low). Ca 460. 0.25 phos, but I'd bet that is from my top off. I have new di resin coming in the mail. Been almost 9 months since I replaced that :-(. I don't know Mg, got one of those test kits coming as well.

Vince272992 · 06/26/2012, 08:56 PM

how many watts is the fixture... and yes u need to get new bulbs ASAP haha but yes i think it either the fact that u have too much light to too old bulbs

SneakyPete · 06/26/2012, 09:01 PM

its a 36" light, so the 39 watt bulbs

Psirex · 06/26/2012, 09:16 PM

when you get the new bulbs shorten the light period then build back up....

sirreal63 · 06/26/2012, 09:27 PM

.25 phosphates with algae is a bad thing and high PO4 will do a number on corals. Your water params are not good, that high PO4 inhibits calcification. Knowing the mag will help, caps show stress easily with low mag. Poor water quality and stressed corals will make bleaching happen easier.

Has the tek been on the tank since the bulbs were new?

SneakyPete · 06/26/2012, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirreal63

.25 phosphates with algae is a bad thing and high PO4 will do a number on corals. Your water params are not good, that high PO4 inhibits calcification.

I know, its due to my di resin being spent, I have more on the way and will be able to fix this quickly. Also the .25 phos is as high of resolution as my test kit has, so it may not be quite there in reality.

Quote:

Knowing the mag will help, caps show stress easily with low mag. Poor water quality and stressed corals will make bleaching happen easier.

I have a mag test on the way as well. But I do fairly regular water changes, just my di resin was spent and I just didn't have the time to order new. The monte cap has been bleached out for some time though. Ever since I installed the Tek light.

Quote:

Has the tek been on the tank since the bulbs were new?

When I got the Tek, I put all fresh bulbs in it.

sirreal63 · 06/26/2012, 10:30 PM

So it has been over it for 7-8 months? And the corals have been bleached that long?

Run some GFO to help remove the PO4 in the tank.

SneakyPete · 06/27/2012, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirreal63

So it has been over it for 7-8 months? And the corals have been bleached that long?

Run some GFO to help remove the PO4 in the tank.

I don't remember exactly, but I think I bought the fixture in November. After putting it on, my monte cap started bleaching a bit, but it did seem ok. I lowered the lighting hours. It was running for way too long. It came back a bit, but never really regained it's color. Then for the last month or 2 it has gotten worse, and I've been too busy to do anything with it. My frogspawn has been acting weird ever since I switched lights. I couldn't get it happy anywhere I put it in the tank.

I will get some GFO to try and get the PO4 out. I pretty much have to order everything online though.

sponger0 · 06/27/2012, 07:34 AM

Lights are not primary when it comes to SPS. Your water husbandry should be.

And from your post about phosphates, Im assuming you dont have an accurate test but what you are saying. Sounds like an API test kit, which isnt accurate by any means when it comes to SPS, which IMO is very important, if not one of the most important things when it comes to SPS.

SneakyPete · 06/27/2012, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sponger0

Lights are not primary when it comes to SPS. Your water husbandry should be.

And from your post about phosphates, Im assuming you dont have an accurate test but what you are saying. Sounds like an API test kit, which isnt accurate by any means when it comes to SPS, which IMO is very important, if not one of the most important things when it comes to SPS.

It is indeed the API test. I didn't plan on having SPS coral at all, I just kinda ended up with it, if you know what I mean. I don't really plan on getting more either.

sponger0 · 06/27/2012, 09:22 AM

Well if you plan on keeping them, I would recommend getting a Hanna Phos Checker. 0-.25 is too wide of a range when determining phos in a tank with SPS. And if you lower your phos too low, it can stress the corals out. But with an API kit, you would never be able to tell how low they are going.

SneakyPete · 06/27/2012, 09:37 AM

Seeing as how I plan on at some time having a 125G tank, I will pick up one of those Hanna Phos Checkers. What should the phosphate levels read (I was under the apparently wrong assumption that you wanted 0).

Psirex · 06/27/2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakyPete

Seeing as how I plan on at some time having a 125G tank, I will pick up one of those Hanna Phos Checkers. What should the phosphate levels read (I was under the apparently wrong assumption that you wanted 0).

zero is ideal but anything less than .05 is workable imho...

sponger0 · 06/27/2012, 09:42 AM

Phosphates actually assist in the growth of SPS coral but too much can cause SPS not to do well. My SPS dom tank read 0 at all times. I do have small areas of hair algae, but nothing bothersome or that my starry blenny wont wind up chewing on.

They should be no higher than .04-.06 Thats a good range. I even overfeed and stil lcant read phosphates. Ever.

SneakyPete · 06/27/2012, 09:43 AM

Going back to the lighting question, do you think i should replace 2 of the blue+ with acentics?

sponger0 · 06/27/2012, 09:44 AM

Blue + is actinic, only better

SneakyPete · 06/27/2012, 09:57 AM

Thanks for your help guys! Hopefully I'll be able to get this turned around before things become a disaster.

06/26/2012, 06:12 PM	#1
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	Corals are bleaching, also replacing bulbs Hi all. So I need some help here. I have a 40B tank and I also have a Tek 6 bulb T5 light. I have it on my tank with the brackets in the highest position possible which puts my lights about 12-14 inches off the water. I have some SPS coral in the top of half or so of my tank. I have a monte cap which is practically dead. Its glued to a rock that I cannot remove. It sloughed something aweful. I've all but written it off. I have a monte tree that is about at the same height and lost some color as well, but seems to be doing ok with a piece of eggcrate above it. I some sort of green sps that I picked up off the $10 rack at my lfs that seems to have colored up nice, but has also started bleaching around the edges. My frogspawn which is on the bottom doesn't fully extend anymore (but other than it won't go fully extended like it did with my last light, a cheapo 4 bulb Oddysea, it seems to have good color and does extend about half way). The eggcrate also covers the frogspawn. Under the Oddysea light, it was growing well, doesn't grow much. I have a handful of zoas that seem to be doing well. I have a yellow and green Acan that seems to love the light about mid way up the tank. Anyway, I say all that because I think I have too much light. I currently run ATI bulbs. 1 Aquablue special, 1 Purple+ and 4 blue+. If I were to replace the purple+ and a blue+ with True Actinic, would that take some of the pressure off my corals? Current schedule: 2 blue+ from 12:00 to 10:00. Full strength: 3:00 to 7:00. The bulbs are about 7-8 months old, so I'm thinking they need to be replaced (that and I had a massive algae bloom recently). If the acentics would ease up for my coral, I'd like to do that. Or maybe I should just run the 2 blue+ for a while? I'm kind of at a loss. Water params are good. No Nitrate/ite/ammonia. DHK 8.5 (a bit low). Ca 460. 0.25 phos, but I'd bet that is from my top off. I have new di resin coming in the mail. Been almost 9 months since I replaced that :-(. I don't know Mg, got one of those test kits coming as well. __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock

06/26/2012, 09:01 PM	#3
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	its a 36" light, so the 39 watt bulbs __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock

06/26/2012, 09:16 PM	#4
Psirex Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 1,934	when you get the new bulbs shorten the light period then build back up.... __________________ SALINITY NOW....

06/26/2012, 09:27 PM	#5
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	.25 phosphates with algae is a bad thing and high PO4 will do a number on corals. Your water params are not good, that high PO4 inhibits calcification. Knowing the mag will help, caps show stress easily with low mag. Poor water quality and stressed corals will make bleaching happen easier. Has the tek been on the tank since the bulbs were new? __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

06/26/2012, 10:30 PM	#7
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	So it has been over it for 7-8 months? And the corals have been bleached that long? Run some GFO to help remove the PO4 in the tank. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

06/26/2012, 08:56 PM	#2
Vince272992 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 651	how many watts is the fixture... and yes u need to get new bulbs ASAP haha but yes i think it either the fact that u have too much light to too old bulbs

06/27/2012, 07:34 AM	#9
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Lights are not primary when it comes to SPS. Your water husbandry should be. And from your post about phosphates, Im assuming you dont have an accurate test but what you are saying. Sounds like an API test kit, which isnt accurate by any means when it comes to SPS, which IMO is very important, if not one of the most important things when it comes to SPS.

06/27/2012, 09:22 AM	#11
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Well if you plan on keeping them, I would recommend getting a Hanna Phos Checker. 0-.25 is too wide of a range when determining phos in a tank with SPS. And if you lower your phos too low, it can stress the corals out. But with an API kit, you would never be able to tell how low they are going.

06/27/2012, 09:37 AM	#12
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	Seeing as how I plan on at some time having a 125G tank, I will pick up one of those Hanna Phos Checkers. What should the phosphate levels read (I was under the apparently wrong assumption that you wanted 0). __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock Last edited by SneakyPete; 06/27/2012 at 09:43 AM.

06/27/2012, 09:42 AM	#14
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Phosphates actually assist in the growth of SPS coral but too much can cause SPS not to do well. My SPS dom tank read 0 at all times. I do have small areas of hair algae, but nothing bothersome or that my starry blenny wont wind up chewing on. They should be no higher than .04-.06 Thats a good range. I even overfeed and stil lcant read phosphates. Ever.

06/27/2012, 09:43 AM	#15
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	Going back to the lighting question, do you think i should replace 2 of the blue+ with acentics? __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock

06/27/2012, 09:44 AM	#16
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Blue + is actinic, only better

06/27/2012, 09:57 AM	#17
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	Thanks for your help guys! Hopefully I'll be able to get this turned around before things become a disaster. __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock