Help! Montipora Bleaching!

[FlyinggFish]

So after battling some algae, my montipora capricornis is bleaching. I really want to safe it. I was reading that SPS bleaching happens because they are not getting enough light. I have 4 39 watt T5s and as you can see it is up at the top. I don't know if were I am placing it would be too much lighting. It seems to be bleaching were it is getting direct flow from the powerhead on the left side? THe powerhead is not a powerful flow, but maybe it is the direct flow that is causing it to bleach since, like I said, it seems to be bleaching in the area that is getting the direct flow from the power head.

Please help! Should I move the power head? Should I move the coral?

 

[FlyinggFish]

 

[BLKTANG]

Sounds like an ALK spike.Or?

Did you recently start running GFO?

 

[va_blue_stang]

i had a galaxia do that. it was the flow blowing the skin off of it instead of bleaching. they need flow but not with the powerhead directly on it. I try to aim mine so they bounce off the glass before hitting any corals.

 

[BLKTANG]

It looks like STN to me.Not a flow issue.Check your ALK.

 

[FlyinggFish]

Just tested my alkalinity: it is normal: between 1.7-2.8.

I did have a spike in something from kalkwasser and that is what caused the algae on the monti only, this happened a couple of weeks ago. There were no signs of bleaching at that time only algae.

What is GFO?

I moved the power head so it is not directly on it. Should I leave the coral where it is? Do a water change?

 

[BLKTANG]

GFO
Granular Ferroic Oxide.(Im close trust me)

AKA Po4 media.

To much Kalkwaser will cause an ALK spike.

 

[FlyinggFish]

....Well what should I do?

 

[BLKTANG]

Post all your Params.& the test kits u r using.

 

[Bryan]

Alk at 1.7 is not normal, way too low, unless it's a typo !!

 

[BLKTANG]

Alk at 1.7 is not normal, way too low, unless it's a typo !!

I wanted to see if she posted the same #.Thats y i keep saying ALK.:uzi:

 

[FlyinggFish]

It is between 1.7 - 2.8, which on this alkalinity test is normal.

Red Sea, Alk: "Normal," between 1.7-2.8
Red Sea, pH: 8.2
Salifert, PO4: .1 ( I think this is due to a fish that is most likely dead that I have not been able to find)
Red Sea, Calcium: 450 ppm

 

[BLKTANG]

MG?PH?No3?SG?Temp?

 

[FlyinggFish]

pH is there...
Those are the only test kits I have. I will be going to the store soon to get more test kits especially now that I have this SPS. Is there anything you can say with the information I have given?

 

[BLKTANG]

I think your ALK is low @ 1.7 but unless its swinging i cant think.You say in your first sentence "after battling some algae" what did you do to rid of the algae?

 

[Bryan]

1.7 is not normal for keeping SPS, perhaps fish only, as well I would not trust that kit. Get yourself a API alk test kit, cheap and consistently accurate. Montipora is quite sensitive to alk swings

 

[BLKTANG]

1.7 is not normal for keeping sps, perhaps fish only, as well i would not trust that kit. Get yourself a api alk test kit, cheap and consistently accurate. Montipora is quite sensitive to alk swings

:d

 

[FlyinggFish]

It is not at 1.7!! It is between that and 2.8.

The algae went away on its own, the only reason there was algae on the sps was because of the spike that occured because of the kalkwasser

 

[BLKTANG]

Use DKH buffer,Or my personal prefrence Reef Builder.Just get yourself some good test kits,& a good CA buffer to counteract the Reef Builder lowering your CA, after a week or so i would imagine.Let your test kit tell you.Add slowly.

 

[FlyinggFish]

Funny, reef builder was on my list! Do you think I will be able to save the coral?