Favia? bleaching

blackstallion · Mar 1, 2021

Does the brown coloration in this coral signify the zooxanthellae is bleaching? What would typically cause this?

Right now, to try and combat some algae, I turned off all the white/red/green channels about 2 months agao on my Radion XR30 Gen 4's and only have the 4 blue channels on, with peak no more than 50% intenstiy overall.

Could the opposite be true, that not enough light is available?

vetteguy53081 · Mar 1, 2021

Receding. They do best in lower half of tank under moderate light and water flow.
Temp 77-79
Ph. 8.1-8.3
Salinity. 1.025
Nitrate < .04
Alk. 8-9
Mag. 1300
CA. 440

blackstallion · Mar 2, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Receding. They do best in lower half of tank under moderate light and water flow.
Temp 77-79
Ph. 8.1-8.3
Salinity. 1.025
Nitrate < .04
Alk. 8-9
Mag. 1300
CA. 440

What does receding mean?

Last I checked my parameters were as follows:

Salinity: 35ppt
Temp: 79.3
pH: 8.3
Alk: 8.9
Nitrate: 4.1ppm
Mag: 1420ppm
Ca: 419ppm

It's in the middle of the tank right now so I'd say light and flow are about right.

bday1335 · Mar 2, 2021

Receding meaning the tissue is dying off and the skeleton is exposed

vetteguy53081 · Mar 2, 2021

blackstallion said:
What does receding mean?

Last I checked my parameters were as follows:

Salinity: 35ppt
Temp: 79.3
pH: 8.3
Alk: 8.9
Nitrate: 4.1ppm
Mag: 1420ppm
Ca: 419ppm

It's in the middle of the tank right now so I'd say light and flow are about right.

RECEDING IS WHEN THE TISSUE PULLS BACK OR RETRACTS THAT IT APPEARS TO SINK IN.

blackstallion · Apr 24, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
RECEDING IS WHEN THE TISSUE PULLS BACK OR RETRACTS THAT IT APPEARS TO SINK IN.

It's dead. I'm also having issues with my green goni, although my other LPS are doing great ie. Hammer and other various, including my RBTA.

What would typically cause some to recede and die and other's to flourish?

blackstallion · Apr 30, 2021

I believe I found the reason some of my LPS are receding, and 2 have completely died.

My pH monitor was reading quite a bit off, and after I calibrated, found my pH was at 7.8 during the day, so probably 7.7 at night.

I'm guessing the CO2 levels in my house and subsequently the tank were elevating over the Winter and early Spring time, and my pH was slowly dropping.

I did a 30% WC today, and the pH rose to 8.0 almost immediately. I also cranked up the skimmer to help with gas exchange, and opened up all the windows to get some fresh air into the house.

I'm hopeful the pH will begin rising back up to 8.2-8.3, and some of my receding LPS will start recovering.

JCM · Apr 30, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Receding. They do best in lower half of tank under moderate light and water flow.
Temp 77-79
Ph. 8.1-8.3
Salinity. 1.025
Nitrate < .04
Alk. 8-9
Mag. 1300
CA. 440

Nitrate less than .04? Did you mean phosphate? Nitrate can be significantly higher than that without affecting your favia.

Definitely receding though, it'll be tough to salvage.

vetteguy53081 · Apr 30, 2021

JCM said:
Nitrate less than .04? Did you mean phosphate? Nitrate can be significantly higher than that without affecting your favia.

Definitely receding though, it'll be tough to salvage.

Yes- Phos, , , Oops

JCM · Apr 30, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Yes- Phos, , , Oops

Ah OK, I was wondering how you'd even test nitrate that accurately.

blackstallion · May 1, 2021

JCM said:
Ah OK, I was wondering how you'd even test nitrate that accurately.

My Nitrates are between 1ppm and 4ppm measured on the Hannah checker.

But like I said, I'm really honing in on the borderline low pH as the reason for the Favias death, and now receding of some other LPS. I will be focused on bringing it back up

blackstallion · Jun 2, 2021

Can anyone verify if pH of 7.8 over months would lead to the Favia dieing and also the continued unhappiness of my Goni?

I was under the assumption pH of 7.8 was acceptable in a reef aquarium?

TuxUrchin07 · Jun 2, 2021

Maybe it’s just lighting and flow or unstable parameters

Hydrored · Jun 2, 2021

I highly doubt it has anything to do with PH, more than likely a parameter swing and light change. How old is the tank?

blackstallion · Jun 2, 2021

Hydrored said:
I highly doubt it has anything to do with PH, more than likely a parameter swing and light change. How old is the tank?

Parameters tested on Friday. Tank is 2 years old, running 3 Radion XR30 G4 Pros. Running 2 Maxspect Gyres with adequate flow. Dosing BRS 2 part for Alk and Ca and Mg.

This started in the January timeframe, and I've been trying to get nitrates and phosphates up in that time as well between dosing and/or overfeeding.

Running Spectrapure 5 stage RODI, input TDS typically 60ppm and output 0ppm. Tested waste water for chlorine at 0.

Assuming though my parameters are fairly stable now, how long would it take for recovery?

Salinity: 34ppt
Temp: 79.3-79.8
pH: 7.8-8.0
Alk: 8.9
Nitrate: 1.3ppm
Phosphorus: 19ppb
Mag: 1280ppm
Ca: 415ppm