Torch coral Bleaching

[rapid]

So my torch has been fine for about close to a year then i started to get alot of hair algae in tank so i went through water tests and all found that it may be my light which was one for over 13 hours a day so i reduced over a week to 8 hours a day. im guessing this is causeing my coral to bleach ? not enough light ? what do you think ?

 

[tsouth]

With the reduced duration, did the intensity increase or decrease at all?

 

[rapid]

With the reduced duration, did the intensity increase or decrease at all?

no

 

[rapid]

i think im going to go back to at least 10 hours similar to how it was running ?

 

[tsouth]

i think im going to go back to at least 10 hours similar to how it was running ?

That is a sound plan to me! Perhaps the jump was too harsh and should be eased into it. Would you please share your water testing results?

In particular, seeking out phosphates and nitrates. Also, let us know what your feeding habits are and what type of algae you're seeing. Keep in mind that flake and pellet foods are heavy on phosphates which induce more algae growth

 

[rapid]

Okay will post parameters later need to test tank tonight any way. also I feed once a day some flake food for clowns a couple pellets for the hermits crabs and bottom dwellers as well as the nem. Then i squirt about 3 little spoon fulls of BRS reef chilli onto the torch. Then about every other day i through in cube of some mysis instead of the flakes. usually split the mysis cube in half between the reef and a freshwater tank

 

[rapid]

brown hair algae

 

[rapid]

also run a over sized skimmer

 

[rapid]

That is a sound plan to me! Perhaps the jump was too harsh and should be eased into it. Would you please share your water testing results?

In particular, seeking out phosphates and nitrates. Also, let us know what your feeding habits are and what type of algae you're seeing. Keep in mind that flake and pellet foods are heavy on phosphates which induce more algae growth

my parameters are po4= .5 ppm which is defiantly high
nitrate = 50 ppm
ph 8

useing a salfreit test kit

 

[tsouth]

Get a biggo water change in the works, or large consecutive ones. Nitrates will be bright down to 25 with a 50% change.

Cut feeding down. Don’t do the reef chili anymore. That’s blasting your levels sky high. Once or twice week is plenty
Keep me updated!

 

[rapid]

okay that may be my issue reef chilli

 

[rapid]

just did a 50% water change on my 40 gallon tank with fresh salt water.

 

[tsouth]

This is a great step in the right direction!

Reducing feeding is going to help a lot. It's a hard habit to kick but it is tremendously helpful. Also, wanted to be sure to let you know that euphylia and lps should not be overfed. They need time to digest the food, and if there isn't any - then the food will rot inside their bodies and cause toxins to arise, ultimately hurting the coral. I suggest 2-3 times a week - something chunkier like Mysis from a turkey baster or tongs.

If you get a chance to check your levels again, let me know what you come back with later this evening once all the water has had a chance to mix up.

 

[Nick Steele]

What are your other water parameters?

I had a hammer bleach from low magnesium levels. Went from 1100-1350 over a week and everyday it’s getting brighter and brighter!

 

[Wasabi]

So my torch has been fine for about close to a year then i started to get alot of hair algae in tank so i went through water tests and all found that it may be my light which was one for over 13 hours a day so i reduced over a week to 8 hours a day. im guessing this is causeing my coral to bleach ? not enough light ? what do you think ?

Bleaching is due to light it’s because it’s too much light .

 

[Wasabi]

If Bleaching is due to light it’s because it’s too much light .

 

[Hydrored]

This is a great step in the right direction!

Reducing feeding is going to help a lot. It's a hard habit to kick but it is tremendously helpful. Also, wanted to be sure to let you know that euphylia and lps should not be overfed. They need time to digest the food, and if there isn't any - then the food will rot inside their bodies and cause toxins to arise, ultimately hurting the coral. I suggest 2-3 times a week - something chunkier like Mysis from a turkey baster or tongs.

If you get a chance to check your levels again, let me know what you come back with later this evening once all the water has had a chance to mix up.

I will add that I stopped direct feeding all coral and they do great, I feed via broadcast feeding oyster feast, rotifers, and AB+.All coral grows great and no bacterial infections since I stopped direct feeding. Take it for what it’s worth

 

[rapid]

Bleaching is due to light it’s because it’s too much light .

the weird thing is when i had my lights on full blast around 70 % for 13 hours it was fine look beautiful.

as soon as i changed my lighting to 8 hours in a week it bleached. just one spot. so i turned my lights back up to around 11 hours and gave it a sun rise and sunset ramp up ramp down.

So we shall see if it gets back to normal.

 

[rapid]

Parameters now are
nitrate 5-10 ppm
po4 is .25
Ph 8
Calcium is 450

 

[tsouth]

Very very nice. Huge improvement. Let's chip away at those phosphates. Calcification has been shown to slow or stop when po4 is greater than 0.20 ppm. I think that weekly 10% changes with the great feeding habits is going to give you great overall improvement across the board, for all corals.

Also, know that bleaching goes both ways - too much and too little light