Bleaching questions

[clkwrk]

How can you tell if a coral is bleaching due to too much light or not enough light?

What is the difference in the visual of the coral?

TIA

 

[college429]

Corals will bleach for a number of reasons including too much light, too much UV, bad water quality, sudden change in all of the above...etc.

However, they generally turn brown from not enough light.

 

[AlgaeMan]

A rapid increase in temp can cause this, too. Unfortunately the worlds coral reefs are bleaching to increased water temperatures. At 86 degrees they start bleaching.

 

[NoSchwag]

FWIW I was told that from the tips down is usually too much light or alk. From bottom up is usually nutrients/bugs.

I never heard of not enough light bleaching a coral, just browning it.

 

[Kip]

hmm... way i figure....

not enough light=coral produces more zoox so it can absorb more light and produce more energy.

if not enough light continues=then the zoox cant even survive then the coral bleaches.

i think a nutrient source in the water goes into the equation somewhere

i have been wrong before..

 

[clkwrk]

Thanks Folks.

Anyone else?

I am trying to pinpoint some possibilities. I have a wild sunset monti that has always done great and had a deep rich orange color .

I moved it up 6 inches and after a week I notice a few areas lightening up .So I moved it back down to the bottom of the tank simi shaded by a large cap .Over the last few weeks it has continued to bleach with alot being white No temp rises or anything except that my phosban was at the end of it life (just changed last night) and I started using another skimmer 4 weeks ago .For a total of 2 on my 120 a G-3 and ER-8-2.

I am almost ready to pull the coral and put it into my prop tank which has more nutrients(po4) than my 120 does hoping the nutrients will help color it back up .

 

[DarkXerox]

I'm having the same problem with a cali tort frag. I really would like to see if your high nutrient test works out. Not running any phosban here though.

 

[clkwrk]

I have 8 torts and their all fine . High and low.

As a matter of fact the look almost identical to the ones in my prop tank .

 

[Wiskey]

From what I have been told while fighting the same problem is, a light tan is too much light, where a turd brown is too little light.

Wish I could be of more help,
Whiskey

 

[easttn]

Once the piece has been stressed to the point of bleaching there is not much you can do. Stability is the issue, moving it around is another variable the coral must compensate for. GL.

 

[clkwrk]

My tank is stable . I just plain moved it . It has been in my system for 6 months or so . I can see how more light could have stressed it but its is also weird that in lower light it continues to lighten.It also would be surprising that a single move to higher light for a 2 weeks max stressed it that bad.

Maybe I am just going to scoot it back under full shade. Although I have seen other montis turn white under low light .

Also my bulbs are near a year and I deffinately noticed a drop in intensity over the last month or so .

 

[Wiskey]

I have a lux meater you could borrow if you want to see how much they dropped off, I know you have readings already of when they were good.

Whiskey

 

[carib]

I will just live it in a place were it was doing fine-and live it alone.2 weeks is plenty to stress em up.It should recover from partial bleaching,just keep your hands away.