SPS are bleaching, help!

Western_reefer · 09/04/2008, 01:08 PM

A few of my SPS are bleaching and aren't looking good. The SPS that are bleaching are: Desalwii, Purple Polyp Bnest, Incredible Hulk acro, and ULTRA green birdsnest. I had them for about 2 months. Everything els I have in the tank are fine. The 2 clams, torch, Hot Pink Birdsnest, Purple tip Acro, Miami Orchid, Tyree Blue chalice(its a bit brown for some reason but its not dieing), Pink and Green Chalice, green candy canes, Green Eye Chalice, SUPER PINK chalice, xenia, kenya trees, rics, all the diff mushrooms, diff encrusting Montiporas, bubble coral, leather, galaxy, zoas, margarita snails, palys, and I think that's it. The calcium lvl is 480(i know, its a bit high). I dose 50 mL of phytoplankton every 2-3 days, I have a skimmer, got chaeto in the back, there's 30 lb of sand in DT, 25 lb of LR in DT, there's a 150 watt HQI MH over the tank, the MH bulb is the same one that came with the tank when I first bought it, the tank was up for about 3 months, I do 10% water changes every week, I top off with RO/DI water, Only have one large female maroon clownfish. What could be the problem?? The only thing that I can think of is the bulb, should I get a new bulb? the currant bulb that's there is the stock bulb that's 14k. There are 3 powerheads that put out a total of 800 GPH. The sps that are bleaching are in a very good flow area. I already moved the bleaching sps everywhere, and they still don't like the spot they are in. The tank is a 28 gallon nano cube. Here is a link to my diary.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

PLEASE HELP!!

Reefer07 · 09/04/2008, 01:13 PM

What has the temperature been at?

Western_reefer · 09/04/2008, 01:56 PM

The temp is 81F at night and 83F in the day. Its always at those temps.

downhillbiker · 09/04/2008, 02:01 PM

i cant tell you what the problem is, but its not your light. bleaching from lighting would be due to too much light vs. too little (needing new bulb)

are the corals that are bleaching new? if so, what conditions were they in at the store? lighting and flow?

Western_reefer · 09/04/2008, 02:11 PM

I had these corals for 2 months. I got them from a reefer online.(got the corals from this board) The corals that are bleaching were turning brown during those 2 months, now they are starting to bleach.

downhillbiker · 09/04/2008, 04:22 PM

well as long as no flesh is coming off, i think you have done all you can do. i would just keep them in high flow areas, but other than that, i am confused.

Western_reefer · 09/04/2008, 06:41 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the MH lights are on 8 hours a day.

Tang Salad · 09/04/2008, 07:34 PM

That seems like a TON of phytoplankton for a 28g.

What are your Nitrate/Phospate and KH levels? Salinity?

09/04/2008, 01:08 PM	#1
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	SPS are bleaching, help! A few of my SPS are bleaching and aren't looking good. The SPS that are bleaching are: Desalwii, Purple Polyp Bnest, Incredible Hulk acro, and ULTRA green birdsnest. I had them for about 2 months. Everything els I have in the tank are fine. The 2 clams, torch, Hot Pink Birdsnest, Purple tip Acro, Miami Orchid, Tyree Blue chalice(its a bit brown for some reason but its not dieing), Pink and Green Chalice, green candy canes, Green Eye Chalice, SUPER PINK chalice, xenia, kenya trees, rics, all the diff mushrooms, diff encrusting Montiporas, bubble coral, leather, galaxy, zoas, margarita snails, palys, and I think that's it. The calcium lvl is 480(i know, its a bit high). I dose 50 mL of phytoplankton every 2-3 days, I have a skimmer, got chaeto in the back, there's 30 lb of sand in DT, 25 lb of LR in DT, there's a 150 watt HQI MH over the tank, the MH bulb is the same one that came with the tank when I first bought it, the tank was up for about 3 months, I do 10% water changes every week, I top off with RO/DI water, Only have one large female maroon clownfish. What could be the problem?? The only thing that I can think of is the bulb, should I get a new bulb? the currant bulb that's there is the stock bulb that's 14k. There are 3 powerheads that put out a total of 800 GPH. The sps that are bleaching are in a very good flow area. I already moved the bleaching sps everywhere, and they still don't like the spot they are in. The tank is a 28 gallon nano cube. Here is a link to my diary. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1 PLEASE HELP!!

09/04/2008, 02:01 PM	#4
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	i cant tell you what the problem is, but its not your light. bleaching from lighting would be due to too much light vs. too little (needing new bulb) are the corals that are bleaching new? if so, what conditions were they in at the store? lighting and flow? __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

09/04/2008, 04:22 PM	#6
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	well as long as no flesh is coming off, i think you have done all you can do. i would just keep them in high flow areas, but other than that, i am confused. __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

09/04/2008, 07:34 PM	#8
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	That seems like a TON of phytoplankton for a 28g. What are your Nitrate/Phospate and KH levels? Salinity? __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS

09/04/2008, 01:13 PM	#2
Reefer07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,090	What has the temperature been at?

09/04/2008, 01:56 PM	#3
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	The temp is 81F at night and 83F in the day. Its always at those temps.

09/04/2008, 02:11 PM	#5
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	I had these corals for 2 months. I got them from a reefer online.(got the corals from this board) The corals that are bleaching were turning brown during those 2 months, now they are starting to bleach.

09/04/2008, 06:41 PM	#7
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the MH lights are on 8 hours a day.