Bleaching / Color loss

[Phxkeller]

New and Stupid!

So I picked up some new frags (my first corals) a few days ago from justreefit, acclimated them, placed them. I have a 90g 24" deep, running MH 150w x2 ,110w actinics, 2x MJ900 in tank. I placed these all about half way down my tank in direct lighting (runs 6-7hrs) I got:

1 ORA poccilapora
2 Bali Slimer
1 Blue Tip tenuis
1 Orange capricornis
1 Purple rim
1 Hammer

most of them dont look so good.. maybe they are bleaching. I checked my water

salinity was 1.29 (very high for my tank) im fixing it (1.24)
Temp 77-78
Ammonia- 0
Nitrate - up very little (normally 0)
ph 8.3

Would the salinity have caused the tenuis to sluff off its color, I can see the blue starting to hang off the branches.. the orange capricornis looks like its loosing color as well....

Please help if you have any suggestions or info.... Its really appreciated!!!!!

 

[DJ88©]

I am going to move this here. The gang in here should be able to at least start pointing you in the right direction as to possible causes/solutions.

 

[peecook]

i would say that 1.029 could have been a shock unless you acclimated them for a few hrs. also, did you check your ALK levels?

 

[Phxkeller]

I did a acclimate them for just around 2 hours.

Im using the seatest alkalinity test and its at 4meq/L. I keep reading that people keep there alkalinity in a reef at 10-14?? but i think this measurement is in dKH?

I have slowly been adding fresh R/O water to the sump to dilute the salinity as of this morning...
Thanks for the reply

 

[twon8]

you need MUCH more flow, like ten times what you have, to keep sps, imo. the lighting isn't the best either, you should probably move them up, sps need brigth light.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

Would the salinity have caused the tenuis to sluff off its color, I can see the blue starting to hang off the branches.. the orange capricornis looks like its loosing color as well....

Sound's like tissue necrosis, not bleaching.

 

[Phxkeller]

Mike dose that mean its dead or dying ? or do I have any chance of saving it.. ??

 

[ricks]

What did you check the salinity with. Also what are your alk. and ca. at??? I agree with twon8, your lighting and flow are serious lacking. For long term care of sps corals....

 

[Phxkeller]

Sorry I left out some tank info. I have a in trickle filter w/bio balls to my wet/dry w/bioballs. I used a protein skimmer, 18 watt Uv sterilizer, and 10 gallon refugium with live rock rubbel and chemaphor about a handful. It is returned to my tank using a mag 12 pump.

Other water parameters
alk is 4meq/l
ca is 460ppm.

 

[Phxkeller]

salinity is checked with a plastic hydrometer. (working on getting a salinity monitor)

 

[ricks]

The plastic hydrometers are very inaccurate. Stay away from the monitors also. Invest in a good refractometer. Your reading of 1.029 could be much higer. And some of the cause of your troubles. SPS corals need very stable water conditions!!! How long has your tank been up and running????

 

[Mike O'Brien]

I'd go for a refractometer. My hydrometer read's high, who know's you're salinity might be fine. If you know someone with a refractometer you can calibrate you're hydrometer for now.

And yes if the tissue is sloughing off the skeleton it's dying. Sorry to say it, but if that's the case you probably won't be able to save them. Borneman'sadvice has worked for me in the past. Seperate tank with fresh ASW for the afflicted coral's and water changes and carbon for the tank.

 

[Phxkeller]

Ricks and Mike Thanks for the info and the help .. I am will work on fixing my shortcomings that I have now with the set up and my testing process.

This tank has been up for just about 8 months. It was an established tank already I got from someone else (up about 2 yrs with them) I added the live rock and lights.

Thanks for all the advise and help !