Bleaching yet growing???

[rovster]

Hi all. I have a couple of corals (red planet, and a yellow/green mille) towards the top of my aquarium that lately have been looking a little pale. I've had the mille for 3-4 months and the red planiet for 1 month. Both were fresh cuts, one from a reefer and one from a LFS. Both are encrusting like mad, the mille has thrown down a great base, and the red planet has about 1cm circumferential growth as a base. Polyp extension is great on both. Just wondering if I should be worried.

One thing to mention is that my tank is fallow right now (parasites). I've been compensating by feeding a lot of coral food, but I think I'm overdoing it.

So my ultimate question is can an SPS grow and bleach at the same time? I was thinking of turning down my light period.

Tank is 14 gallon, almost 2 years, mostly SPS and LPS, Cal 430, Alk 8+/- 1, Mag 1350ish. Top off Kalk, 2 part daily. I have a lot of other acros in the tank that appear happy and are growing. No pests that I know of. Thanks in advance.

 

[epicurus84]

I would agree with you too much light. However if the tank is already 2 years old thats kinda strange.

 

[NeilFox]

All corals change color when introduced to a new environment, or even as a result of tank placement. I wouldn't think they are bleaching given the growth pattern. Adapting more or less...

 

[jda]

Does the alk stay stable? 8 +/- one could be hard on SPS if it went from 7 to 9 and 9 to 7 all of the time.

I don't think the those two types of SPS can have too much light - my red planet is 5-6" under the water right between a pair of 14K phoenix 250W HQI bulbs that are as close together as you can get them... They might just need some more time - fresh frags can take a while to get back into action.

 

[premilove]

Millie's don't need that much light. I would bring both pieces all the way down. What light do you have? What lights did the reefer have them under? I
have had sps be completely bleached and still grow.

 

[ThorEffex]

I fragged my red planet about a month ago and the frags are growing with great color on the sand bed (18") deep. The mother is about 5" deep and the tips tended to bleach for about a 2 months before it re-colored but it was still growing. I wouldn't shorten the light period it's more about light intensity.

 

[rovster]

Does the alk stay stable? 8 +/- one could be hard on SPS if it went from 7 to 9 and 9 to 7 all of the time.

I don't think the those two types of SPS can have too much light - my red planet is 5-6" under the water right between a pair of 14K phoenix 250W HQI bulbs that are as close together as you can get them... They might just need some more time - fresh frags can take a while to get back into action.

Its a nano, and everything I do is manual, but for the most part, the fluctuations are stable. Parameters don't ever jump, but they slowly fluctuate. I try and maintain Alk between 7-9, although it usually hovers in the 7.5-8.5 range. It rarely goes down to 7, and up to 9. I check Alk 1-3 times a week, and make small adjustments to my dosing as needed. For example if it starts to creep up or down, I slightly adjust my dosing. Its very non-precise, but it seems to work. I look forward to setting up my larger tank. That said, montis, poccis, and all species of birdsnest grow very well in my tank. I've been experimenting with acros for about 6-8 months. All started as nubs, and a few have upward growth.

I have a LOT of LEDs, probably too much, and in a biocube, so some of these corals are within 5" of the light (no optics).

Like I said previously, polyp extension is great, and both the milli and red planet are throwing down bases and every few days I see new growth. This weekend I will change my timers and reduce my photoperiod some to see if that helps. Thanks!

 

[rovster]

Millie's don't need that much light. I would bring both pieces all the way down. What light do you have? What lights did the reefer have them under? I
have had sps be completely bleached and still grow.

Not much room in my jam-packed nano. Red planet was under LEDs, and mille was a LFS, I assume a wild or maricultured chop. It was literally mounted the day before I bought it, so I consider it a fresh cut. I've had the mille for a few months, and its shown a good amount of encrusting.



I appreciate all the responses. I will try and post pics tomorrow.

 

[rovster]

I fragged my red planet about a month ago and the frags are growing with great color on the sand bed (18") deep. The mother is about 5" deep and the tips tended to bleach for about a 2 months before it re-colored but it was still growing. I wouldn't shorten the light period it's more about light intensity.

Interesting. Last week, I dimmed down my colored and white channels. Not sure I've noticed a difference. I know new growth can sometimes look white, but most of the bast of the coral is whitish. The coralites and polyps still have some color.

Will post pics soon!

 

[rovster]

Couple of pics.

Red Planet....doesn't look too bad in the pic, the back side of it is almost white, but that is where the growth is....Excuse the Algae, I think its all the food I'm adding since my tank is fallow. I started adding the food, AFTER these corals started to look pale thinking they were starved....Phos level before starting the feeding (been going on 2 weeks, been fallow for 4) was 0.04 hanna



Mille, was bright yellow green when I got it. In a couple of months its developed a nice base. This was a fresh cut. Looks pale, but still good PE and continues to encrust and grow....THe frag was burried in a wad of glue, hence the bulky base.....


Thanks!

 

[trueblackpercula]

Looks like they will need to get acclimated to your lighting.