Bleached SPS frags .... what to do now?

[madmike]

I orginally was running 3 Blue+, 2 aquablue, and 1 KZ fiji, but have recently switched out one of the aquablue for another Blue+ because I didn't need the extra par from the aquablue.

I only run my lights from 1:30 to 10pm with 1/2 hour on each side running 2 Blue+, so full power for less than 8 hours per day, I think that 12 hours with these fixtures is just too much. I have flanked my fixtures (I run 2 on my tank as it is really long) with 24 cree high power LEDs that I run from 10am to 11pm, so I have plenty of viewing hours and I get some of the shimmer back that I miss from halides.

The ATI fixtures just put out a TON of par. I have tested some tek fixtures for friends with similar bulbs with my par meter and none of them have even close to the amount of par as my ATI fixtures. A par meter is almost a must have for these fixtures as you can easily get too much out of them.

 

[jc-reef]

Interesting, similar experience here. Millies are all fine as are stags. Smooth skinned acros have taken things the worst of the frags.

Would like to know Madmike's bulb line up and photoperiod as well. I'm currently running the following.

ATI BLUE +
KZ FIJI PURPLE
KZ NEW GEN
ATI BLUE +
KZ NEW GEN
ATI BLUE +

Those KZ New Gen bulbs are really nice!! I recently took out my ATI AB Special and put in the NG and love the clean bright color it gives (no yellow wash out). I have a similar line up as yours (minus a NG for a super blue) and really like the 14kish look.

 

[keith sprague]

i dont wanna hijack.but i have similar circumstances. tank size lights ect.only had my one piece of purple monti digi bleach. i keep lights 6" off the water my problem seems to be alagea anyone have this problem w/ ATI SP i just got them so i figure its just new lights.and it would be interesting if someone could post a pic of a 40 BR with par readings at 4-6-8 inches w/ ATI SP. i would but dont have a par meter.my long polyp sps sorta fared better too

 

[Merfin70]

Hijack away as I'm sure I'll learn something from answers. What kind of algae are you having issues with currently? Have you kept the light at 6" above the water line?

 

[rutz81]

Hijack away as I'm sure I'll learn something from answers. What kind of algae are you having issues with currently? Have you kept the light at 6" above the water line?

My light is now about 6", alos. I ordered the hanging kit(the one I didn't use and threw away) that came came with the fixture yesterday. I'm going to hang it from the ceiling. I plan on raising the light to about 10-12" and see how it goes.

 

[fijiblue]

I have had tremendous luck with dosing iron to bring back bleached corals - might be worth a shot.

 

[Merfin70]

Interesting. What supplement do you use and how do you test for it

 

[fijiblue]

I am using this stuff:
http://premiumaquatics.com/store/me...roduct_Code=BW-FER250&Category_Code=bw-liquid

It worked so good that I just continued using it after bringing the corals back - good stuff. As far as testing goes, I am just dosing per instruction and not testing. I figured by the rate my fuge is growing that it is sucking up any unused iron.

 

[Merfin70]

Thanks Fijiblue I may give the Ferrion a try. Bit worried about doing so though as I don't run a fuge on this tank so don't have any macro to take up the excess iron.

As a general update, I moved my lights up to about 12" off the water surface earlier in the week. Since this hobby is meant to frustrate me, one of my previously fine Millies at the very top of the tank decides to STN shortly after moving the light up. Guess you can't make everyone happy.

 

[maysorum]

Lacking any other advice, think I'm going to move mine to 12"-14" or so off the surface today and try that for a couple of weeks. How long did it take to show some improvement so I can get a feel for how quickly they responded?

^ +1

I have a 8 x 54w ATI fixture and keep it 14" above the water's surface. They are really powerful lights. BTW, I'm able to grow SPS on the sandbed and my tank is 20" deep.

 

[Merfin70]

^ +1

I have a 8 x 54w ATI fixture and keep it 14" above the water's surface. They are really powerful lights. BTW, I'm able to grow SPS on the sandbed and my tank is 20" deep.

Thanks. I moved up to 12" above the water line on Monday. Will let things marinate at that height for a couple of weeks and see if colors improve.

 

[2006]

Update?

 

[rutz81]

I moved my light(ATI 10x54W Powermodule) up to around 11.5" from the water. I did this last Wednesday. I am getting a little better polyp extension and my LPS look a lot better. I think to see real color results it'll take longer, but, I defintely think the light being so lowas I had mine(5-6") was too low. Maybe because I have a shallower tank(20").

 

[2006]

Thanks for the update.

I'm running ATI Sunpower 10" from the surface on an 18" tall tank. Light schedule was 2 bulbs (12hrs) and 4 bulbs (10hrs). SPS lost color and looked beige. Since my fixture is already pretty high I reduced the photo period over two weeks to 2 bulbs (10hrs) and 4 bulbs (6hrs). Colors are returning.

 

[daveonbass]

I really think that in this case it is the amount of light. Too much. I use an Ati pm and if it's lower than 14" from the water then life gets tricky in the tank. It's a 36" light on a 36" tank. I will be upgrading to a 48" tank that is deeper...but will continue to use the same light. I'm hopeing that the fixture will be useable at lower heights...and will have less light wasted from spilling out of the actual tank. These ATI lights are beasts. Be careful with them.

 

[rutz81]

I really think that in this case it is the amount of light. Too much. I use an Ati pm and if it's lower than 14" from the water then life gets tricky in the tank. It's a 36" light on a 36" tank. I will be upgrading to a 48" tank that is deeper...but will continue to use the same light. I'm hopeing that the fixture will be useable at lower heights...and will have less light wasted from spilling out of the actual tank. These ATI lights are beasts. Be careful with them.

+1

When I was getting stuff together for my tank, I was between the 8x54W and the 10x 54W. I went with the 10 bulb and after using it, I know I defintey could have gotten the 8 bulb and been fine. In my next bulb changeout I'm going to shoot for a little less PAR(some more Actinic or something), if the raising of my lights doesn't help.

Sorry for going off-topic, just thought this might help someone else.

 

[Merfin70]

+1

When I was getting stuff together for my tank, I was between the 8x54W and the 10x 54W. I went with the 10 bulb and after using it, I know I defintey could have gotten the 8 bulb and been fine. In my next bulb changeout I'm going to shoot for a little less PAR(some more Actinic or something), if the raising of my lights doesn't help.

Sorry for going off-topic, just thought this might help someone else.

:lmao: Thankfully I saved some $$ and went in the other direction but yet still toasted some of my corals. I have a 24" wide tank and debated between the 6 bulb and the 8 bulb because of fixture width and coverage. Thank goodness I went with the 6 bulb as the 8 bulb might have caused nuclear winter in my tank.

As for my update, I've had the fixture at 12" off the water surface since my last post. I definately notice color improvement and better PE on many of my SPS. Not all but most are looking better. Not sure why but my Ultimates Rainbow Millie bleached when I raised the light but it seems to be settling back down. Otherwise things are looking better than before. Hopefully I see even more improvement in a couple more weeks. I'm almost tempted to go up a bit higher but think I will leave it at 12" for at least another 2 weeks before deciding.

Wish me continued luck in figuring out how to use T5s !!

 

[2006]

keep us updated.

 

[Merfin70]

Update and interested in opinions though honestly I'm just super happy things are coloring up nicely.....finally.

The tank just past it's 1 year anniversary. Over the past 3 months or so I upped the feedings on my tank to 2x a day (1x Pellets then 1x Roggers). Nearly all of my SPS have significantly improved over the last couple of weeks.

I wonder whether the tank just needed to age and mature or whether it's the additional fish feedings that really improved things. Even when I was feeding 1x a day, I had some algae so assumed I had adequate nutrients but who knows. Regardless I'm a happy camper.

 

[parkavenuereef]

The tank was started Jan. 2011?