red planet help

Wiz · Nov 2, 2016

Hey, I have had this red planet for quite some time. It started out as a 2-inch frag. The entire top flat piece with all the little Nubs coming off is new growth since it's been in my system. I moved about 4 months ago. When when I moved it was dark green with nice dark red tips. During the move it had become very pale and I thought it was going to die. It is almost entirely white now with some pink tips here and there. But the polyps are still out every night feeding. It has been about 4 months and has not colored back up. My other acros are doing just fine so I am not sure what's going on. It is in the brightest place that I have in my tank. Which is as bright or brighter than it was when I moved. Maybe to bright? I don't know can anyone help?

Tahoe61 · Nov 2, 2016

RP acclimated to the most intense lighting will turn pink to red and lose a lot of the green base. RP will thrive as you have already noticed in a lower lighting area (lower lighting relative to typical Acropora needs, not lower lighting as it relates to LPS). Your piece appears to have lost it's zooxanthellae. What lighting type are using?
Double check for RB just in case, my RP showed excellent PE even while infested with RP.
Has alkalinity been an issues of late?
I have found the best way to get vertical growth from RP is to prune it.

Wiz · Nov 2, 2016

Oh, I thought red planet being acro would enjoy the brighter light. That's upsetting actually. I now have to move my tank around and the red planet is on a very large Rock. But it did seem to be in a darker area before the move. It lost most of its color during the move. I am 99% sure there are no pests. Maybe the stress combined with the brighter lighting has just prevented it from reColoring. The red planet has always been under my two Reef Radiance 165p pluses. I added a 48 inch t5 when I upgraded the tank during the move. And yes my alk skyrocketed for a week. But I got it stable now.

Tahoe61 · Nov 2, 2016

Sounds like the perfect storm for Acropora bleaching, increase in lighting, move and alk issues.
You might consider fragging a couple pieces and different placement to fine a sweet spot, or just let it be and reduce the T5 lighting by a couple hours a day. The problem with adjusting the lighting is that your other corals are doing well so I would not want to rock the boat for one coral where the other sps in the tank are growing and coloring up well.

Wiz · Nov 2, 2016

Yeah . I might move the whole colony. But ill frag a couple just in case. Thanks tahoe. I really love my rp. I paid more for that frag than any other. Hope I can save it. The rest of my corals are doing great.

Tahoe61 · Nov 2, 2016

The tank is beautiful.

Wiz · Nov 2, 2016

I get such crazy glare on fts. :-(

Tahoe61 · Nov 2, 2016

Yeah I can not get a decent FTS if my life depended on it. I just need a better camera.

I am sure the image does not do the colors justice. Great LPS, is that an Elegance or a Sebae mid sand bed?