Contributor to Bleaching Other Than Light??

[thebkramer]

I have 2 SPS corals that are bleaching :sad1:

I am wondering if there is anything else that can contribute to this???
I have both of them in my sand and they are still bleaching.. I'm lost

my lighting:

Current Orbit SunPaq dual day & actinic lighting fixture with
(2) 64W 420/460nm actinics
(2) 65W 6700/10,000K daylights
(4) Lunars total 260W

any thoughts? I'd appreciate any and all feedback! Thanks!

btw.. do you need pics?
and here are my water params:
trite, phos and ammonia 0
trate >5
pH 8.2
alk 9
Ca 450
salin 1.026
temp 78-80.2

need any other info?

 

[sporto0]

How long have you had them Rhonda? When did they start to bleach? Did you have to move them high to low? Magnesium test level? Calcium, Alk & Mag are crucial for SPS. One other thought, power compact lighting sometimes won't cut it for some SPS, I know, I know, we'll get 50 posts from people who keep them under flashlights, I get it. Corals are animals, I don't have to tell you that, so naturally they don't always act the way we expect.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

could be alk. I had an oopsie with dosing last week and my alk went to 9.4 and my chalice is bleaching now or did you change bulbs recently?

 

[thebkramer]

How long have you had them Rhonda? When did they start to bleach? Did you have to move them high to low? Magnesium test level? Calcium, Alk & Mag are crucial for SPS. One other thought, power compact lighting sometimes won't cut it for some SPS, I know, I know, we'll get 50 posts from people who keep them under flashlights, I get it. Corals are animals, I don't have to tell you that, so naturally they don't always act the way we expect.

I bought them about 2 weeks ago.. they started bleaching within a few days.. I immediately lowered them to the sand.. they are only getting worse I don't test Mag.. I know I need to now that I started with SPS?? I think we discussed this once before you & I lol I have no issues with keeping my Ca and Alk where they should be.. so I've never tested my Mag
power compacts?? is that what mine are?? I was told they are just below having MH.. its sad.. I know.. but I really know nothing when it comes to lights other than mine have been great over the past 5 yrs and I plan to switch to LEDs soon.. I did keep SPS once before and they did well.. but sadly they died in a tank crash almost 3yrs ago now
not only do they not seem to like my tank.. but the color is NO where near the same as it was at my LFS :sad2:

could be alk. I had an oopsie with dosing last week and my alk went to 9.4 and my chalice is bleaching now or did you change bulbs recently?

I changed my bulbs about 3mos ago.. and plan to switch over to LEDs within the next few weeks... my alk is/has been stable.. usually 8.9 to 9.1

Thank you both for your feedback!!

 

[sporto0]

Here's the thing about your lights Rhonda, your actinics are awesome, your daylight bulbs on ther other hand, not so much. The Lunars are for for your viewing pleasure, they really don't contribute to growth or coloration. When I first started keeping corals about 15-16 years ago, SPS were really difficult to sustain, especially for the beginners, well there was a LFS back then that had a fantastic mostly SPS display tank, this tank had Acro's reaching the water level, it had monti digita growing back off the glass, just amazed me, I bugged that gentleman for a year before he would disclose his secrets, know what it was? Proper Magnesium levels, he used Kent Marine Tech-M & I have been using it ever since.
I'm not going say that was a miracle answer, however before that I never monitored my Mag levels, once I began, I had much better sucess, even today SPS corals, although much easier to keep because of advances & knowledge in the hobby, are still kind of hit & miss. I have been able to have great sucess with them by providing pristine water quality & proper Cal, Alk & Mag levels, I do use MH bulbs but it doesn't mean they are a must, if you get a nice LED fixture you should have better luck, also I have found that the aquacultured specimens are far more likely to survive than pieces directly from the ocean. Good Luck.