Am I burning them with too much light?

[Acros]

I added this cali tort frag about a week back. This was a test frag. The system is 4 months old, bare bottom.

It started bleaching from the areas where it would get direct light. It has this brown coat on the areas where there is no direct light. This happened over a week.

Am I just burning them with too much light or is it just that my tank is not mature enough?

Parameters:
Salinity - 1.025
Alk - 8.1
pH - 8.1
Cal - 470
Mag - 1440
Nitrate ~ 0 - 5 (API)
Phosphate ~ 0 (API)

Edit:
Light - XR15 G5 Blue (70% at 8” above water level. 9 hour peak photo period. 1.5 hours each ramp up and down).

29g tank. I have a favia and an acan that has been doing fine since I added them 3 weeks back.

 

[MFRANCO]

The tort is toast. You need some nutrients for the corals.
If you want to try another one dose some phosphates and nitrates to bring those levels up.
I like 5-10 on nitrates and at least testable levels of phosphates .01-.08
As far as your lighting goes, post what percentages and duration of light period and someone should be able to help you on that. I don't have that light so no help there.

 

[ScottR]

I wouldn’t trust API for nutrients but I wouldn’t blame nutrients if this just died recently after going in. The algae is growing on the underside that doesn’t get light. I’d start off with some SPS that are easier first and then work your way up. I know it’s debatable but I usually won’t put acros in a newer tank. Even 4 months is quite new... depending. Maybe try some Monti digi, birdsnest or stylophora first.

 

[Acros]

Looks like a tank maturity issue. My LPS is doing fine. Updated original post with light and tank details.

 

[old salt reefer]

I have a IM 50 lagoon(30x20x16) bare bottom that's same age as yours. It has 2 XR15 blues over it running at 45%. My N & P are at 0. My Acropora started to the same thing. I knew right away that it was either light or food. Right now I have to feed the tank everyday(some days twice) with RedSea AB+ mixed with ReefRoids but Acros are doing fine.

 

[melanotaenia]

I would also invest in better test kits for measuring Nitrate and Phosphate: Hanna for PO4 works pretty well.

You mention bare bottom; did you start your tank with live rock or dry rock?

 

[Acros]

I have a hanna phosphorous ulr on the way. Looks like I have to get the incredibly complicated hanna nitrate checker as well.

 

[Acros]

I have a IM 50 lagoon(30x20x16) bare bottom that's same age as yours. It has 2 XR15 blues over it running at 45%. My N & P are at 0. My Acropora started to the same thing. I knew right away that it was either light or food. Right now I have to feed the tank everyday(some days twice) with RedSea AB+ mixed with ReefRoids but Acros are doing fine.

That is very interesting. I will keep a close on my N & P and use a better test kit.

 

[MFRANCO]

I haven't used the Hannah nitrate as it looks like too much work. Red Sea or Salifert nitrate test kits are easy and provide good results imo.
Did the coral bleach out, it almost looks like tissue loss which could also be caused by Alk swings.
If your going to raise your nitrates and phosphate I think its easier to use neophos and neonitro verses overfeeding fish/coral food.

 

[Acroalan]

I agree on the tissue loss rather than bleaching. I've seen it often enough in the past in my own tank to recognize it unfortunately.

 

[jorwill]

0 po4 is no good. you must have anything reading above zero for nitrate and phosphate. Obviously don't have them high but they are required nutrients for corals. Without them they cannot do photosynthesis.

 

[Acros]

I haven't used the Hannah nitrate as it looks like too much work. Red Sea or Salifert nitrate test kits are easy and provide good results imo.
Did the coral bleach out, it almost looks like tissue loss which could also be caused by Alk swings.
If your going to raise your nitrates and phosphate I think its easier to use neophos and neonitro verses overfeeding fish/coral food.

I test once a day at noon and I have not seen any swings yet. I am not sure if that happens at night.

 

[DangerDave]

I bought the Hanna nitrate test kit. I opened it for the first test. Once I saw what was involved I put it away. Lol, it’s too much. I want my nitrates between 10 and 50 so I’m ok with api...

 

[IslandLifeReef]

What are you using to test Alk?

If your acan and facial are happy, it shouldn’t be to much light. Probably more of a stability issue. Smaller tanks are harder to keep stable, and mixed reefs add to the complications. I didn’t see any mention of fish.

 

[Acros]

I added a few more test acros form fellow reefer and LFS. None of them pulled through. I don’t know if BRS 4 month cycle is realistic. It might be a 10 month wait for the tank to get mature.

 

[Kayvon]

I've had similar issues after even a year of maturing. An ICP test revealed very high heavy metal content.

 

[ATAquariums]

Everything looks fresh and new from the picture. No korallin, which is a good indicator or tank health. I think you just need to add some more bacteria’s to diversify, as well as time.

 

[Hermie]

The thing about LPS is that they have a lot more wiggle room in a low nutrient environment because they have so much existing flesh. So even if your LPS appear to be doing "fine" they may not be doing as well as they could be doing, ie surviving vs thriving.

 

[Acros]

Lately I have been suspecting that something is wrong with my water. LPS are living, but not doing great. I dosed metro + focus in frozen food to get rid of stringy white poop from a fish. Not sure if I have crazy high metal levels. Is there any way to remove metroplex that might have seeped into the water/rocks?

 

[ZIGGY63]

you might want to check out the other videos from brs. after 10 months they compared both systems. one point they brought up was one tank used dry rock and the other used live rock from a previous tank.