need a little help with pearl berry acro

[neal90]

A few weeks ago I got a very nice ora pearl berry acro frag. The past few day the coral has started to bleach. the coral is in a 20 gal tank. All things like nitrates and phosphates are in check. Along with the cal and mag. For lighting i have a t5 lighting with 4 2ft ati bulbs. All my other sps corals are doing great and growing. Also the maxima clam looks great. But i guess the question im asking is, can i bleach an sps coral like this with t5s or what ells could the problem be. And for flow I have an mp10 so im just kinda lost on what the problem could be.

 

[Ricunger]

For sure you can bleach it with T5's how far away from the bulbs is it?

 

[neal90]

its about 5-6 inches for the top of the tank should i just lower it???

 

[losthere]

Did you light aclimate it, or just throw it up top?

 

[am3gross]

i always start my sps on the bottom and then move them up slowly...then place them where i want

 

[neal90]

no i just throw them up top. I never thought I could bleach sps with a run of the mill t5 lighting setup. (its just a sundial t5 fixture with good bulbs in it). So a few hours ago I placed them on some rock that is about 3-4in from the sand and im going to hope for the best

 

[nvdiz]

you can bleach sps w/ T5s, especially when you just throw them up to the top. Its best to start down low.

 

[jimroth]

I have been doing a lot of experimenting with Pearlberry frags from my colony at different light levels. I do not think you can give this coral too much light with your setup. It will turn white initially and then take on a beautiful green color with a blue tip. Just for reference, I have a frag on a magnetic holder I placed within 2" of the water surface, so that is 11" under 400W MH 12K. It acted as I described. I am growing more frags 7" under the surface, they have the beautiful blue and green color. My main colony has always been around 16" under the surface, no green, just white with blue tips, a little spindly but growing well.

<a href="http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/ScrapCurmudgeon/JimAquaStuff/?action=view&current=JuneReefshots054.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/ScrapCurmudgeon/JimAquaStuff/JuneReefshots054.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[jbanks]

Mine intially bleached under my T5s as well.. Leave it where it is and just keeep your water quality up. The color will return eventually.