Too much light? Too little? Or something else?

[reef_ninja]

I know this may be hard to answer, but I just got a bunch of pieces from Aquasd from Black Friday, they arrived about a week ago.

You can see the obvious bleaching/recession that developed on this tricolor acro. I know it’s gonna be hard to answer, but what usually causes this?

Mg 1350
Ca. 440
Al9.0 dkh
Salinity 1.025
PO4 0
Trates 0
Temp 77-78

My parameters are very consistent.

Having a hard time figuring out what the deal is. I feed heavy, just started using reef ro, flow is very decent (I have two Jebao wave makers). With my lighting, I’m having a hard time with this honestly, it’s a viparspectra 300w, and it seems pretty intense to me, so I have it down to 20% blue / 10% whites over my 40breeder.

Tanks 8 months old...

 

[terraincognita]

I know this may be hard to answer, but I just got a bunch of pieces from Aquasd from Black Friday, they arrived about a week ago.

You can see the obvious bleaching/recession that developed on this tricolor acro. I know it’s gonna be hard to answer, but what usually causes this?

Mg 1350
Ca. 440
Al9.0 dkh
Salinity 1.025
PO4 0
Trates 0
Temp 77-78

My parameters are very consistent.

Having a hard time figuring out what the deal is. I feed heavy, just started using reef ro, flow is very decent (I have two Jebao wave makers). With my lighting, I’m having a hard time with this honestly, it’s a viparspectra 300w, and it seems pretty intense to me, so I have it down to 20% blue / 10% whites over my 40breeder.

Tanks 8 months old...

What tank and what light?

based on the photo looks like super white light.

Is this a stock light from an AIO set up?

I took a peak at your build thread.

my bet is too little light.

put it closer to the top,

in the Sand bed you’re probably around >200 par

 

[reef_ninja]

Thanks, I changed the lights just for a moment to get the pic. I’ll move it up and see what happens. So this can happen when light is too much or too little? I always thought when there’s too little light, they just brown out?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Thanks, I changed the lights just for a moment to get the pic. I’ll move it up and see what happens. So this can happen when light is too much or too little? I always thought when there’s too little light, they just brown out?

That can happen from too little light or from not enough nutrition combined with high alk. All of this applies to your system. I honestly am not familiar with your light so I can’t recommend more or less. You should rent a par meter.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Inadequate lighting. A coral like this needs to be higher in the tank and receive adequate water flow. It’s likely lacking both being on the bottom

 

[reef_ninja]

Appreciate the input guys, truly. Kind of a bummer with this acro taking a turn like this, it’s a little discouraging. .

I didn’t think it would need to be raised to higher light so quickly, after just a week. I suspect the intensity of my lighting could be increased (I don’t get the PE from some of my LPS I would like either). I’ll raise the acros first, then work on the intensity. With the roids and heavy feeding, I didn’t think nutrients would be an issue.

 

[Ben FL]

Nutrients at zero, not good for corals.Try to raise them to acceptable levels

You are right to let them at bottom. Corals needs slowly acclimatization

 

[reef_ninja]

Inadequate lighting. A coral like this needs to be higher in the tank and receive adequate water flow. It’s likely lacking both being on the bottom

So I raised them about half-way up. Its been a week since I got them, and Ive read on here that many folks mount their acros in their final spots right after getting them, so I think there's a chance they will tolerate this OK. I also raised the lighting intensity just a bit to 30/20 (which I think is still on the low, conservative side).

Depending on how that goes, Ill continue to feed as I have been, but Ill put my skimmer on a timer. Might get some more PE from my lobo and acans as well by doing this.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So I raised them about half-way up. Its been a week since I got them, and Ive read on here that many folks mount their acros in their final spots right after getting them, so I think there's a chance they will tolerate this OK. I also raised the lighting intensity just a bit to 30/20 (which I think is still on the low, conservative side).

Depending on how that goes, Ill continue to feed as I have been, but Ill put my skimmer on a timer. Might get some more PE from my lobo and acans as well by doing this.

And increase a little more if needed

 

[Backreefing]

0 nitrates and 0 phosphate? Always troubles. Are you getting dinos to ? Get some nutrients just a little goes a long way. I have a feeling it’s to late by the time I’m replying. But hopefully your in time . Good luck

 

[reef_ninja]

0 nitrates and 0 phosphate? Always troubles. Are you getting dinos to ? Get some nutrients just a little goes a long way. I have a feeling it’s to late by the time I’m replying. But hopefully your in time . Good luck

Hm. I’ll be honest, not disagreeing with you guys saying the nutrients are low, but I think there’s more to it. I just don’t k ow how to feel about it. My nutrients have always read zero. In the beginning I was feeding very heavy for a low bioload..... nutrients measured zero. Then algae popped up everywhere, nutrients zero. Cut back on feedings, nutrients zero. Now I’m feeding three times as much I was compared to the beginning, same 4 fish, nutrients zero. Started using reef roids, no3 and po4 still zero, and algae’s just about handles....

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Hm. I’ll be honest, not disagreeing with you guys saying the nutrients are low, but I think there’s more to it. I just don’t k ow how to feel about it. My nutrients have always read zero. In the beginning I was feeding very heavy for a low bioload..... nutrients measured zero. Then algae popped up everywhere, nutrients zero. Cut back on feedings, nutrients zero. Now I’m feeding three times as much I was compared to the beginning, same 4 fish, nutrients zero. Started using reef roids, no3 and po4 still zero, and algae’s just about handles....

What test kits are you using?

 

[reef_ninja]

What test kits are you using?

API for nitrate, salifert for po4

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

API for nitrate, salifert for po4

I recommend the salifert for nitrate and the Hanna ultra low phosphate checker.

 

[reef_ninja]

I havent forgotten about this thread, got just a little bit of an update.

I've gone through everything I can reasonably think of to address the bleaching, except get a PAR meter and start dosing N and P. Im getting a PAR meter today, and I'll start dosing N and P this week.

After all my experience in the past, I absolutely cannot believe I have to start dosing these. Never even paid attention to these in past tanks, and my mixed reefs thrived well. My only export is a skimmer (no carbon, no GFO, no filter socks, no macro, not even live sand in the fuge). I do dose 4mls of Vibrant once a week (I believe Im on week 4 or 5 now), so Im not sure why this the zero N and P is such an issue in my tank.

But.....the bleaching continues to spread in the tricolor, but its not gone yet. Im also starting to see some whitening at the base on another small acro frag, and a bit of whitening developing on the edge of one of my chalice frags. Acans aren't as puffy either. So its obviously something systemic. Frogspawn, Duncan, and Poci seem happy though.

 

[JMAwoodworks]

.

 

[JMAwoodworks]

I have the same light and tank my setting are 30 blue and 1 white

 

[reef_ninja]

I have the same light and tank my setting are 30 blue and 1 white

Check out this thread, I just posted a ton of PAR readings:

Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?

Fantastic information mate. Thanks very much for that. Looks like a lot of work changing all of those LEDs out of 3 units!!! Fair play. I'm guessing it's not a difficult job lifting the diodes off the thermal paste? I've seen a few people struggling with it. Did you replace the paste and if so...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I havent forgotten about this thread, got just a little bit of an update.

I've gone through everything I can reasonably think of to address the bleaching, except get a PAR meter and start dosing N and P. Im getting a PAR meter today, and I'll start dosing N and P this week.

After all my experience in the past, I absolutely cannot believe I have to start dosing these. Never even paid attention to these in past tanks, and my mixed reefs thrived well. My only export is a skimmer (no carbon, no GFO, no filter socks, no macro, not even live sand in the fuge). I do dose 4mls of Vibrant once a week (I believe Im on week 4 or 5 now), so Im not sure why this the zero N and P is such an issue in my tank.

But.....the bleaching continues to spread in the tricolor, but its not gone yet. Im also starting to see some whitening at the base on another small acro frag, and a bit of whitening developing on the edge of one of my chalice frags. Acans aren't as puffy either. So its obviously something systemic. Frogspawn, Duncan, and Poci seem happy though.

The vibrant is killing your sps

 

[reef_ninja]

The vibrant is killing your sps

I suspect it may be part of the issue, I'm backing off on that as well