SPS Frag looks bleached?

[Joshua Abbott]

Hello, Im relatively new to the SPS side of reefing so still learning

I've had this frag of what I think is Monti Capitata for about 4 months now and it arrived a similar colour to what it is now. Im not sure but it looks bleached. It has not grown much in height but it has encrusted the plug and has now started to encrust onto the rock and even the new growth has this colouration. The frag is about 12inches below my 30w DIY LED fixture and is at the same height as frag of monti digitata which is growing faster and not bleached looking. All of the other corals are thriving. I also feed once per week with Reef Roids and dose 2 part.



Tank Parameters:
Nitrate 10
SG 1.026
Alk 12.6
Ca 450
Mg 1660
Temp 26c

Thank you

 

[Flippers4pups]

Hello, Im relatively new to the SPS side of reefing so still learning

I've had this frag of what I think is Monti Capitata for about 4 months now and it arrived a similar colour to what it is now. Im not sure but it looks bleached. It has not grown much in height but it has encrusted the plug and has now started to encrust onto the rock and even the new growth has this colouration. The frag is about 12inches below my 30w DIY LED fixture and is at the same height as frag of monti digitata which is growing faster and not bleached looking. All of the other corals are thriving. I also feed once per week with Reef Roids and dose 2 part.



Tank Parameters:
Nitrate 10
SG 1.026
Alk 12.6
Ca 450
Mg 1660
Temp 26c

Thank you

What’s your P04?

 

[ihavecrabs]

What’s your P04?

Same question I was going to ask. Potentially starving it.

Good news is the polyps are as still out so it can make an easy comeback given stable parameters that meet its needs.

 

[Flippers4pups]

@Joshua Abbott! Welcome to Reef2reef!

It is possible that with a dkh of 12, N03 of 10 and P04 at 0, that it’s starving.

Your magnesium is high as well. Are you dosing anything?

 

[Joshua Abbott]

Thank you for your replies, I don't test for PO4 and don't have a test anymore. I wouldn't have considered that to be the issue, I use a Chaeto reactor for nutrient export and growth of the Chaeto is considerable, I presumed if algae growth was occurring it would be high enough for SPS? I also feed alot, reef roids, chopped fish for my BBA and flakes and pellets for 2 small chubby clowns.

Yeah Mg is rather high, I want it to be around 1390 but it never gets that low, I have never dosed Mg because of this. I currently dose 5ml of Ca and Alk per day.

 

[Dimmy007]

Welcome to R2R. This is way over my head. But the first 2 members will definitely help you out.

 

[Joshua Abbott]

Welcome to R2R. This is way over my head. But the first 2 members will definitely help you out.

Thank you for the welcome

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Pale sps is either too much light or not enough nutrients. What par is the coral getting and report back with a po4 level using a qualiry test kit. Yeah your mag is pretty high as ismyour alk if your po4 is really low. Do some small sized water changes over the next few weeks with water that is lowee in alk and mag to balance out and reduce the 2. A normal salt mix ei not a "reef" salt will have lower alk,cal and mg so whater changes will slowly drop the high levels. If you dose and your tank is consuming alk, cal and mag just reduce or stop dosing to decrease levels.

 

[Joshua Abbott]

Hi, so I took the advice to to feed the corals and tank more and I can confirm that it seems to have been the issue. Only after a week did I see the coral start to colour up quite nicely with some metallic greens. However now there is a new issue with this coral, soon after my last post on here the coral was accidentally broken into two. The piece that broke off was then glued to a new rock and all seemed well, as both frags coloured up. But just recently over the past week or so both frags have been suffering from STN which is occurring at random sites across the entire coral; it has not seemed to have originated from the base or tips. All tested parameters have remained stable and the flesh which have not yet succumb to the STN is actually looking healthier than ever with much greater polyp extension and colour than I have seen in this specimen. So I am at aloss as to what the cause is, and I was hoping for any suggestions.

Many thanks

 

[Blackice615]

Any updates pics?

 

[Joshua Abbott]

I cannot at the moment take a photo today, I do however have a picture from 1 week ago when I first noticed the STN. The patches have progressed across the coral and only patches of tissue remain. I initially suspected the aiptasia to be the culprit, although not touching the coral it has been dealt with regardless, but the coral has continued to die off. Also note that the colour here is not vibrant as it is today