Help!! Bleaching....i think

[bluespotocto]

Hi got this coral about 2 weeks ago. I know the white means it is growing but since i had this coral the white has been getting bigger and bigger. Also if you look really close you can see little black holes all over the coral. My calcium is about 500ppm(little high i know) and my alk is about 125 ppm. I have 2 65 compact flourecnts on the tank and the tank is 40 gallons(3.5 wpg). Does any one know what is wrong with it?

 

[sedorusc]

the polyps will come from the holes. not sure if it is bleaching with the pics though.

 

[bluespotocto]

Well today there is either growth on the bleach or algae. here is a pic.

 

[Amphiprion]

Well, that is definitely not growth. What are your other parameters and what sort of flow do you have (and how much is the coral in)? How close to those lamps?

 

[bluespotocto]

Not sure what you mean by parameters? My tank is 40 gallons and for flow i have a hydor koralia 3. In the pic you can see how close it is to the lights. Are lights strong enough for the coral?

 

[Amphiprion]

If the tank were shallower or you had the coral much closer to the light, you may have been okay with a plating Montipora species like this, as they are usually pretty undemanding. However, as it is now, I would say it not having enough light is a very real possibility.

 

[bluespotocto]

So you think more lighting or raising it higher in the aquarium? I do have enough light right for softies and sps? I am new to the whole reefing thing.

 

[sedorusc]

for sps you want to have either metal halide or T5 lighting. raising it higher couldn't hurt. compact lighting is more appropriate for softies

 

[bluespotocto]

I raised it really high in the tank. So will i maybe have to upgrade lighting?

 

[sedorusc]

for sps yes

 

[bluespotocto]

What would be better you think metal halide or T5 and cheapest?

 

[sedorusc]

you could get a retrofit halide setup cheaper or a T5 hood. it depends on the fixture you get and how many bulbs the T5 has.

 

[bluespotocto]

Well i talked to me lfs and it could be bleaching because it is to high in the tank.
i have it about 3.5 in from the top of the tank. Does any one think that might also be the problem? It is bleaching surprisingly fast. Here is a pic.

 

[Amphiprion]

That looks more necrotic than actual bleaching. Of course, it is difficult to say that for sure without seeing it in person. I can tell you that it is not in too much light. Even if you did move it up closer, it likely wouldn't be enough to bleach the coral. At the rate it's going, you may not have it long, unfortunately. I want to second dvanacker's advice in that you should sincerely look into a better lighting system--either T5, metal halide, or a combination thereof. If you do upgrade, be sure to acclimate things carefully--preferably by raising the height of the fixture. There are other options for acclimation, such as a shorter photoperiod (which is less effective), lowering the corals themselves, running fewer lamps initially, etc. Either way, it must be done carefully or you actually will bleach your corals.