Digitata bleaching in the middle?

Hellion179

New member
I lost a small frag from the coral below last week. Small white spot formed on the edge and it slowly turned all white.

Today I noticed my large digi is lightening up in the middle, I've had some algae issues so I've cut the MH to 2° per day. Otherwise nothing has changed.

180g total volume. A lot of rock. 4 fish, largest is 2". I run a huge ball of cheato in the sump. Skimmer is an ES2 rated at 300g. I have bags of phosguard and carbon in my sump. Twice monthly 25g water changes.

Nitrates 0
Ca 550
Dkh is 8.2
1.027
Temp at 80.5-81.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1377830196.581552.jpg
 
It may be the high Cal.
My digi gets patches of tissue lost when cal goes over 520 with all other para stable. Other sps are not affected at all.
 
Ive had a digi fall over and get stung by a neigbor sps. The digi grew over stung area. I had a small hairy crab on a digi that was doing the same thing, it was hard to find at first ,but once he was removed the digi grew back.
 
What do you guys suggest I do? How can I drop the Ca? I stopped kalk dosing probably 2-3 weeks ago and even then it was 1/2 tsp per gallon. This is just from water changes.
 
What do you guys suggest I do? How can I drop the Ca? I stopped kalk dosing probably 2-3 weeks ago and even then it was 1/2 tsp per gallon. This is just from water changes.
 
Whats the calcuim level of your salt mix? You could try water changes, or just let the calcium level drop as other corals use it up.

Its possible there are other factors at play other than high calcium. Do you know what your phosphate level is?
 
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I really don't know. I have a test kit and it read 1, but that's way too high. All other corals look fine. But the red/orange and my forest fire digitata look pale.

There is some algae in the tank but its minimal. Sand bed looks clean.
 
Sorry, forgot. I haven't checked the salt mix recently but I wanted to say it was around 600. I could be wrong. Due for another change Wednesday so ill know then.
 
Happened to look from a back angle of the tank and the whole back of the coral is white. There's still polyp extension everywhere. Is it possible it's lightening up because the photoperiod has been cut?
 
Maybe nudibranches eating coral. If you can dip in Revive or Bayer and see what comes off.
Maybe side of coral is being blasted by a powerhead in someway causing issue.
What is your P04 level. too high is not good
I doubt its the Ca
 
I did a dip, nothing came off it except two pods. The light color has spread even more. Still has good polyp extension. I don't think it's a power head issue because its in the same place it always has been. I've had it for a couple months now I think.
 
Lol, right now my wife's voice is coming in the back of my mind telling me not to buy sps for reasons like this! Hate watching what was a beautiful coral slowly die.
 
Monti doesn't looks happy overall. Does it get sufficient flow? Also, what is your phosphate level?

Leonardo
 
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