Bleached Coral Help

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Ok so I have had some trouble with ammonia lately. Im not sure why if this is why my brain bleached or not. I noticed it had been losing color and I couldnt figure why. Today I looked and I could see the skeleton through the inflated skin but it still has some color to it on the central disc. Any advice or is he just a goner. What would cause this. He is in a low flow area and is shaded from my lights so I dont know why he would do this.

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Bump

 

[scram2]

i dont know to much about brain coral.....but it would be helpful to put more info. Like your test readings,the type of lights you have and stuff like that. sorry i cant help you out on this type of coral.

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Well everything is within normal ranges other than calcium which is like 550 and ammonia was at around .25 but is gone now. Could bleaching cause ammonia spike? I have dual 250 watt MH.

 

[Aquarist007]

your placement might be a little low for the brain.
Have you tried feeding it?

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Well its a red brain which I read like low light and flow. I have it at the bottom where it was doing fine for like 2.5 weeks. Until now.

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Bump

 

[Aquarist007]

actually it can tolerate medium light. Look at it this way--even though it tolerated it for two weeks on the bottom--it is not liking it now--I would slowly start to move it up and give it more light
Even though they don't require spot feedings other reefers have brought them back by doing that
Take a plastic pop bottle, cut the next off, put a few small holes in it for water flow

Put a cube of mysis in there and invert it over the brain coral for 45 min or so twice a week

 

[BeesGoneWild]

how are your phosphates looking? if they are high they are also known to cause bleaching

 

[demonsp]

Why did you have high ammonia?
Do you have a skimmer?
Whats the stock?
Tanks age?
Any new substrate or LR added recently?
Water change scedule?
You say readings are normal except ammonia and calcium is high.So there not normal.
What do you test for and there readings?

 

[demonsp]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/coralcare/Reef_Corals_Care_Information_Profiles_Pictures.htm

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Well people on here told me calcium is fine it will just lower alk. I dont know why ammonia is high. I posted on here to see if anyone could guess. i do 10 percent weekly wc. I will try moving it up. I have a protein skimmer is an MR1. I might have phosphates but Im getting a reactor tommorow so that will be gone if theres any. the tank is 5 months old.
Sg 1.026
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
MG 1275
Alk 8.2
No new rock or sand. Its not fully bleached yet but its on its way. I do feed it about 2 days a week w/ a syring but I will try yout idea.

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: Bleached Coral Help

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12388484#post12388484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanMcLaughlin
Ok so I have had some trouble with ammonia lately. Im not sure why if this is why my brain bleached or not. I noticed it had been losing color and I couldnt figure why. Today I looked and I could see the skeleton through the inflated skin but it still has some color to it on the central disc. Any advice or is he just a goner. What would cause this. He is in a low flow area and is shaded from my lights so I dont know why he would do this.

BTW--the quickest way to reduce your ammonia level is a water change

 

[Flipper62]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12397909#post12397909 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
actually it can tolerate medium light. Look at it this way--even though it tolerated it for two weeks on the bottom--it is not liking it now--I would slowly start to move it up and give it more light
Even though they don't require spot feedings other reefers have brought them back by doing that
Take a plastic pop bottle, cut the next off, put a few small holes in it for water flow

Put a cube of mysis in there and invert it over the brain coral for 45 min or so twice a week

Capn...I also noticed.....I never checked for Iodine.... But now I do..I have always added Reef Solution, but that was not enough. Now that I add Iodine the corals look better...

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12399330#post12399330 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flipper62
Capn...I also noticed.....I never checked for Iodine.... But now I do..I have always added Reef Solution, but that was not enough. Now that I add Iodine the corals look better...

that's a good point--however--Randy and company always say you don't need to add it with regular water changes
I have never checked it, but I am going to now

 

[tmz]

You are right low flow and low light especially for a red trachyphylia. Bleaching can come from too much light quicker than too little. The zooxanthelae overproduce and release more oxygen than the coral can handle so it throws them out. Personaly,I would shade it and wait a few days. I would not move it since it is obviously in a very delicate condition and likely won't have the energy to adjust to new conditions. If it has lost much of it's zooxanthelae it will need another source of carbon.If it's open spot feeding can help at this point IMO. It may be a ble to regenerate some zooxanthelae or pickl some up fom the water column over time.