Is my chalice getting to much light and bleaching?

[katsreef]

Just got this chalice two days ago. I noticed it is starting to go a bit white on the right side even though it's on my sand bed. Is that bleaching? Should I move it under the overhang so that it is literally in the shade?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

wow thats a really nice chalice. I doubt its bleaching, it looks too good to be bleaching, but I don't know what that is. Hope this bump gets more looks and comments

 

[katsreef]

wow thats a really nice chalice. I doubt its bleaching, it looks too good to be bleaching, but I don't know what that is. Hope this bump gets more looks and comments

Thank you! It’s been in the tank for 2 days and showed this bit of white. I put it in the shade now. This is my first chalice so if anyone knows let me know what’s up with that white spot!

 

[mtraylor]

Nice rainbow chalice. Where did you get it. Post your tank parms so that we can see whats going on if anything. Its only 2 days in your tank, so it may be unhappy a bit from ALK change. What is the PAR on where you have it?

 

[mtraylor]

Oh. Is this a new tank?

 

[katsreef]

Nice rainbow chalice. Where did you get it. Post your tank parms so that we can see whats going on if anything. Its only 2 days in your tank, so it may be unhappy a bit from ALK change. What is the PAR on where you have it?

temp: 78
salinity: 1.025
ph: 8
nitrate: 0
phosphate: 0
alk: 7-8
mag: 1320
calc: 410

I got it at a coral expo from candy corals. no idea the par but it was on my sand bed. I just moved it in the shade though. My tank is 6 months old

 

[lopez052308]

No nitrate???

 

[katsreef]

No nitrate???

I have lots of bubble algae and a bit of bryopsis that is soaking it up and causing a false read i believe. I have acans, torches, hammers, trachy, zoas, digi,

 

[mtraylor]

temp: 78
salinity: 1.025
ph: 8
nitrate: 0
phosphate: 0
alk: 7-8
mag: 1320
calc: 410

I got it at a coral expo from candy corals. no idea the par but it was on my sand bed. I just moved it in the shade though. My tank is 6 months old

If this 6month old tank was started with dry rock, then getting a measurable amount of phosphates can be difficult. That being said. If you have 0 nitrates. Then most of your corals will just slowly die off. Chalices are the most sensitive from what you have posted. Next are the trachy's and torches. I would think the trachy and chalice would be on a steady decline. How long you had the trachy? The torch will last a bit longer.

I would concentrate on getting the nitrates up first, or you will most likely see the rest of the chalice follow suite. Grab some nitrate from LFS and start dosing to get them up to at least 3ppm

 

[katsreef]

If this 6month old tank was started with dry rock, then getting a measurable amount of phosphates can be difficult. That being said. If you have 0 nitrates. Then most of your corals will just slowly die off. Chalices are the most sensitive from what you have posted. Next are the trachy's and torches. I would think the trachy and chalice would be on a steady decline. How long you had the trachy? The torch will last a bit longer.

I would concentrate on getting the nitrates up first, or you will most likely see the rest of the chalice follow suite. Grab some nitrate from LFS and start dosing to get them up to at least 3ppm

It was started with dry rock yes. I've had the trachy for 3 or 4 months now and it's happy. So are my torches. I'm not sure if I should increate nitrates if I am having bubble algae and bryopsis issues? Wouldn't it just soak them up more?

 

[mtraylor]

Well I see the cross roads here. Personally I don't know how you can successfully keep corals with zero nitrates and phosphates. So maybe you actually have some, but you can't detect.

So before you make any drastict changes. You have some sensitive corals growing for 3 to 4 months with no issues. Actually thriving.

What test kit brands do you use for nitrate and phosphates? What is date of product? Have you retested water from another test kit or lfs?

To answer your question. I would want some measurable amount of nitrates no matter what kind of algae problem I had. Bottoming out nitrates has always been bad news for me as far as corals. So I think you actually have nitrates.

Can you provide FTS and pics of trach and torches.

 

[Dburr1014]

Is it possible that it got stung by another coral?
Some coral have long sweepers and that looks like a sting to me, imo.

 

[katsreef]

Well I see the cross roads here. Personally I don't know how you can successfully keep corals with zero nitrates and phosphates. So maybe you actually have some, but you can't detect.

So before you make any drastict changes. You have some sensitive corals growing for 3 to 4 months with no issues. Actually thriving.

What test kit brands do you use for nitrate and phosphates? What is date of product? Have you retested water from another test kit or lfs?

To answer your question. I would want some measurable amount of nitrates no matter what kind of algae problem I had. Bottoming out nitrates has always been bad news for me as far as corals. So I think you actually have nitrates.

Can you provide FTS and pics of trach and torches.

Nitrate is from Salifert and phosphate is from nyos - both are still good and not past expiration. I don’t have a lfs. Closest is a few hour drive.

but yes my corals seem happy - the acans and zoas are growing. My one hammer is slowing growing too.
Here are a few pics:

 

[katsreef]

Is it possible that it got stung by another coral?
Some coral have long sweepers and that looks like a sting to me, imo.

I didn’t even think of that. It is next to a favia - although the chalice is to the right of it but maybe the favia decided to sting the right side and not the closer left side? It’s also next to my trachy but from what I just read the favia is more likely

 

[mtraylor]

Yeah everything looks good. I wouldn't increase anything as the corals look good and seem to be thriving. I'm on board with the possibility of it getn stung. Favia would be my culprit as well. Just move the coral several inches away.

If tank is stable and happy there is no need to chase any numbers even if you cant read them. I still read zero phosphates on my frag tank, but i dosed nitrate until I could get about 3ppm to keep my sps alive.

 

[Dburr1014]

It was started with dry rock yes. I've had the trachy for 3 or 4 months now and it's happy. So are my torches. I'm not sure if I should increate nitrates if I am having bubble algae and bryopsis issues? Wouldn't it just soak them up more?

Don't worry too much on the nitrates. If your feeding the fish a few times a day is not going to be a problem.
The biggest concern would be po4. Typically zero po4 leads to dinos but if you are 0 for 4 months, don't worry about it. The rock and sand is probably sucking it up. It will eventually come up a little.