Staghorn bleach white a goner?

[geaux xman]

I had gotten a 4" staghorn from an online vendor. It came in looking tan color then after a week, overnight it turned about 75% bleach white. Then the next day it was all white. I have a birdnest and a pocillo that came with it and they still look okay.

33g 24x18x18", 2 150w MH 20K. Its the old JBJ hob metal halide, so the spread and reflector on it isnt great, thats why I use two.

Also have a hammer x2, frogspawn, and duncan. All the LPS/SPS are about 4-5".

1.026, nitrate ~10ppm, phos I dont know(just got the test kit in the mail).
Ca ~440, Alk 9-10. About 2 month old tank.

I'm at work and cant put up a pic right now.

Thoughts?

Also, maybe I fried it? there was a few days where I was at 10-12hrs lighting. I usually aim for 7-8hrs.

[hollister]

Nitrate not good. Also if you didnt turn light out for 24 hours and reduce the time a few days then this could have dont this. Though it seems to have went bad fast.

Also a 2 month tank is to new for and stoney coral. They like a more mature tank. I would wait around 8 months before adding SPS.

Sounds like the tank might still be cycling.

[geaux xman]

5-10 nitrate would kill a staghorn?

The lights never stayed on for 24hrs. Most days were about 8 and a couple of days it was on for 10-12hrs.

I thought staghorns are a little more resilent.

[hollister]

No i said turn lights out for 24 hours after adding new coral or fish and then reduce time used for a few days.
Stoneys also like more mature tanks with good steady water readings.

I think its a combanation of things from tanks age to water readings.

[geaux xman]

I think I ran it for 3-4hrs the first day. That was after a couple of hrs entering the tank. Then the day after I started the lighting period of 8hrs. Then after ~3 days, my buddy had suggested I added the 2nd 150w MH. Then about on a day 7, I noticed the bleaching.

I guess like you say, its a combination of things.

Anycase, 100% bleaching, the staghorn is definitely gone and just go ahead and remove it? I've left it in there for 3 days now.

[hollister]

Its a goner.Sorry.

[geaux xman]

Gotcha, I'll take it out when I get home.

Btw, thanks for the feedback

I'll let the tank sit at its current state for a few months.