montipora digi bleaching?

[Razzagas]

I bought a montipora digitata a few weeks ago, and it is in my 65 gallon under 2 x 250 watt hqi 10k lights. When i first got it it was bright green. Now it is white. All of the polyps are extended though...
Why is this happening?
Thanks

 

[mikeatjac]

Sounds like your Zoo went. How did you acclimate the coral to your tank. You have a lot of lights, may have been too much.

 

[Razzagas]

I acclimated the coral by dripping for an hour, and then I didn't acclimate him to the light, since he was under high light conditions at the store, and since it is an sps (my first sps) i guess i made the newbie mistake that sps dont need to be acclimated to high lights because they like a lot of light...

 

[mikeatjac]

Really, monti's don't need the light a "standard" SPS needs. I would move it down and hope for the best. Once they are white it is hard for them to recover.

 

[Razzagas]

I will move it down...
What can i put up top? Can i slowly acclimate the monti up to the top...(if it recovers)?

 

[Razzagas]

Did i buy to strong lights for a mixed reef? I wanted to get mostly softies and lps of bottom and montipora and some acapora on top?

 

[mikeatjac]

With your lighting and good water they would do best in the middle but if you acclimate you can move it up. Why not put some more demanding corals on top?

 

[Razzagas]

what would you recommend?

 

[Razzagas]

What are the chances that it will survive?

 

[Sk8r]

Mine are dark and high color 15" under one mh 250 10000.

One thing you might try, and I have absolutely not a clue if it would work, but you might try a combination of phyto, cyclopeeze, and Kent Coral Vite, with it in a lower position. Digis don't seem to need as much light as the acroporas.