SPS Bleaching

Beats001 · Feb 4, 2019

I have just started my sps journey, unsuccessfully so far. Soft corals growing well, however sps bleaching within a couple of weeks.

Parameters are:
Nitrate 15
Temp 79
Ph 8.4-8.5
P04 .02 - 0.1
Ca 450
Mag 1350
Kh 7.5 - 8

Lights are Radions Gen1 and kessil 350
Par is between 100-150 with a Seneye meter.

What are peoples thoughts?

Gareth elliott · Feb 4, 2019

How were the sps taken in? Acclimation processes, were they dipped? Shipped or lfs? Wild or captive colonies? What type of sps? Sorry nothing about your parameters jump out so looking at acclimation lol Is salinity 36ppm?

Miami Reef · Feb 4, 2019

I’m pretty sure nitrates are suppose to be around 0-.5 , especially for sps. I think that’s the problem. You should lower feedings, use a skimmer, do more water changes, and find other things that may be degrading your water quality

jda · Feb 4, 2019

100-15o PAR is really low for SPS.

Photos of the tank and frags will help.

Charlie’s Frags · Feb 4, 2019

Are they truly bleaching? Meaning are they pale or paling but still have tissue with polyp extension or are they withering away with tissue necrosis?

Beats001 · Feb 4, 2019

Gareth elliott said:
How were the sps taken in? Acclimation processes, were they dipped? Shipped or lfs? Wild or captive colonies? What type of sps? Sorry nothing about your parameters jump out so looking at acclimation lol Is salinity 36ppm?

I have had shipped and from lfs, all ended with same outcome.

Beats001 · Feb 4, 2019

Miami Reef said:
I’m pretty sure nitrates are suppose to be around 0-.5 , especially for sps. I think that’s the problem. You should lower feedings, use a skimmer, do more water changes, and find other things that may be degrading your water quality

I'm thinking they would brown out if this was the issue

Beats001 · Feb 4, 2019

jda said:
100-15o PAR is really low for SPS.

Photos of the tank and frags will help.

Yeah I figured that could be it, so I tried a piece higher up and it ended up bleaching quicker. I am not sure my seneye is measuring correctly.

Beats001 · Feb 4, 2019

jda said:
100-15o PAR is really low for SPS.

Photos of the tank and frags will help.

Yeah I figured that could be it, so I tried a piece higher up and it ended up bleaching quicker. I am not sure my seneye is measuring correctly.

Beats001 · Feb 4, 2019

Chaswood79 said:
Are they truly bleaching? Meaning are they pale or paling but still have tissue with polyp extension or are they withering away with tissue necrosis?

The tissue is gradually peeling off them until only white sticks remain

Gareth elliott · Feb 4, 2019

15ppm nitrate should not bleach sps within hours in the tank or ever tbh. I would shoot for 10ppm as a max but if i missed and hit 15 i probably wouldnt do anything unless i saw algae take over.
Neither should par around 150. Shipped corals are often having no light for days and still have pe in the bag. This leads me to believe it was the intake procedure that caused them to be distressed.
I prefer to place in a holding tank for a day after acclimating then dipping. Also be careful which dip and how much. Some dips are more forgiving than others. Also how you acclimate can have a big difference if they die or have a chance to thrive.

Hemmdog · Feb 4, 2019

Beats001 said:
The tissue is gradually peeling off them until only white sticks remain

Yes that’s rtn not bleaching. How is your flow. Please include a picture of your tank so we can help you.

Charlie’s Frags · Feb 4, 2019

Are you using gfo or carbon dosing?

jda · Feb 4, 2019

The white LEDs on older fixtures can really burn coral. What are your settings on the Radion?

Beats001 · Feb 5, 2019

Chaswood79 said:
Are you using gfo or carbon dosing?

I am using agent green for phosophate control, dosing vinegar, and have a sulphur reactor. Could be one of these. I guess eliminating one at a time will help diagnose, though I haven't heard of anyone else having issues with these.

Beats001 · Feb 5, 2019

Hemmdog said:
Yes that’s rtn not bleaching. How is your flow. Please include a picture of your tank so we can help you.

I'm not sure what the difference is in cause.
I can post a picture later. I have 2 Jebaw 20k litres an hour but they are on pulse and they are alternating on and off every 15 mins, so 1 could be on, or both, or neither for a 15 min period.

Beats001 · Feb 5, 2019

jda said:
The white LEDs on older fixtures can really burn coral. What are your settings on the Radion?

I have them at 2 blues 100% the others are at 15%. I ramp up and down, total period of 9 hours. I measured the par with a seneye, and I wasn't getting over about 150-175 at most where corals were.

Aaron-A2 · Feb 5, 2019

I wouldn't worry about your nitrates unless they increased/decreased rapidly. Many acro/sps dominant tanks run 5-10ppm nitrates on purpose.

Hemmdog · Feb 5, 2019

Beats001 said:
I'm not sure what the difference is in cause.
I can post a picture later. I have 2 Jebaw 20k litres an hour but they are on pulse and they are alternating on and off every 15 mins, so 1 could be on, or both, or neither for a 15 min period.

Yea I’m going to hypothesize that’s your issue.