Stylophora Bleaching

[Fotocha]

So long story short: I've discovered my Stylophora was bleaching this afternoon.

Can anyone figure out if perhaps they're sensitive to something I'm doing.

I just started dosing Red Sea 2 Part


My display Quad T5 4" from the water line and about 6" from the location on the rock where the frag was placed.

Ph 8.4 - Red Sea
Nitrate 5ppm - Red Sea
Cal 480 (I dosed this to 450, not sure why its higher than I wanted) - Salifert
Alk 9.5 - Hannah Checker
Mag (don't have a test atm)
P04 0. - Salifert
Sal 1.025

Ive been dosing in small increments to help my torch recolor. The Stylphora was fine before now. This both looked liked 4 days ago.

Today the Torch looks good as new over night, and the Stylo looks like this. Note that the light blue areas near the white are white as well. Is this truly bleached or is this perhaps new growth and I'm misreading it???

Btw I also kept a log from the dosing over the past few days if someone wants to know a bit more.

 

[Peace River]

Bump

#reefsquad

 

[JohnMzreef]

looks retracted - any recent adjustment in flow? Zero phosphate could be a problem. With alkalinity, the level can be less important than the stability of it.
Do you have any creatures picking at it?
I have had stylos bleach in the past when the whole tank was ugly, otherwise it really doesn't happen too easily. If your other corals are happy and the tank looks good then I wouldn't panic. See how it looks tomorrow.

 

[KrisReef]

Looks like you moved your calcium levels fairly quickly.

The stylo looks like it was starting to lighten up in the first picture where it is gone on the base in the second?

 

[kireek]

Does it happen to be within reach of the torch or another coral that may be stinging it?

 

[Fotocha]

looks retracted - any recent adjustment in flow? Zero phosphate could be a problem. With alkalinity, the level can be less important than the stability of it.
Do you have any creatures picking at it?
I have had stylos bleach in the past when the whole tank was ugly, otherwise it really doesn't happen too easily. If your other corals are happy and the tank looks good then I wouldn't panic. See how it looks tomorrow.

Some things look a little stressed. I have a Duncan that’s closed.

I was about to start dosing phosphates tonight.

 

[Fotocha]

Looks like you moved your calcium levels fairly quickly.

The stylo looks like it was starting to lighten up in the first picture where it is gone on the base in the second?

Nothing has been messing with it to my knowledge

 

[Fotocha]

Does it happen to be within reach of the torch or another coral that may be stinging it?

It was completely by itself on the top shelf. The nearest coral to it is a birds nest about 4" away

 

[Fotocha]

Looks like you moved your calcium levels fairly quickly.

The stylo looks like it was starting to lighten up in the first picture where it is gone on the base in the second?

Well before 4 days ago, the only thing I started dosing was Nitrate. Nitrates and PO4 were both 0 for weeks on end.

 

[Fotocha]

Anyone know if the white areas are just closed or it's actually dead? How am I able to tell?

For the mean time. I'm going to stop dosing. But I'm not sure if I'm just missing something.

 

[Fotocha]

@kireek what do you think I should do in the meantime?

 

[kireek]

Well for now just try to keep your parameters steady.Make sure that things don't fluctuate too fast.Continue to test for whatever you are dosing. If you can see polyps on the white areas then they are still alive. If not and if it begins to spread you may want to frag the coral to save the healthy tissue.

 

[Fotocha]

Well for now just try to keep your parameters steady.Make sure that things don't fluctuate too fast.Continue to test for whatever you are dosing. If you can see polyps on the white areas then they are still alive. If not and if it begins to spread you may want to frag the coral to save the healthy tissue.

Any idea of the potential cause?

 

[kireek]

It could be another creature damaging the surface.Or it could be a swing in the water parameters.

 

[Fotocha]

My emerald crab has been interested in the white parts, but I’m not sure it was before the bleaching. But I’m guessing it has something to do with the alk swing