krzyphsygy
Active member
I know this is an old thread but I am having very similar issues I just cant figure out.
Were you able to revive your corals?
Were you able to revive your corals?
Please Help - SPS Corals Pale / Almost Bleached
- Thread starter hilde123
- Start date
krzyphsygy
Active member
Is there a possibility that any of you guys with the pale coral issues started your system or currently use dry rocks such as marco or any other? I started my system with 85% dry rock, this is why I ask. This is the first time in many tank that I have ever had this issue with my corals being pale. It is also the first time I have used this dry rock as well.
Last edited:
AriMiko43
Member
I started my system 2 years ago with all dry rock. About 9 months ago I started losing corals at a fast rate. I was just plucking dead corals out the tank and throwing them out. At that time I did 3 changes to my tank. I set up a calcium reactor, added t5 lights to my led's and upgraded my TLF150 to the 550 so I can put more GFO. After doing all this. for months I was experiencing coral loss. I thought it was because of the calcium reactor not being dialed in and having swings. After the reactor has been dialed in I was still losing corals. They would all turn real pale then eventually die.
So I started to reverse my steps and see if I could figure out where I went wrong. I removed the reactor and went back to dosing and corals were still dying. I then removed the t5's thinking maybe it was to much light, Nope that still wasn't it. Then I remembered I added the TLF550 at the same time and added more GFO. This was my last option, I removed half the GFO out the reactor and started feeding my fish more often [2 times a day] I also started dosing reef fuel in to tank twice a week. After a few days I noticed a huge improvement in coloration. It has now been 3 months since I removed half the GFO and not only have my sps colored all back up but they are growing at a amazing rate. It was such a stupid thing I overlooked. Be careful with GFO and how much you use. Hope this helps you out.
Another element to watch if you are running at very low nutrient levels is ALK. Running at anything above 8dKH will result in very pale colours. Try getting back to 7dKH and you will immediately notice coral tissue swelling and colour improving within 2 days. I had a similar issue, testing my dKH with Elos. It was spot on at 7, so I thought everything was fine. But the corals looked bleached/pale and growth was limited.
I double checked my dKH with my Hannachecker and it turned out 10dKH... So i checked both Elos and the Hanna against a standard solution and it turns out that Elos was off 3dKH... I decreased ALK dosing on my balling and within days, colours and tissue thickness came back!
I double checked my dKH with my Hannachecker and it turned out 10dKH... So i checked both Elos and the Hanna against a standard solution and it turns out that Elos was off 3dKH... I decreased ALK dosing on my balling and within days, colours and tissue thickness came back!
trueblackpercula
New member
Here is a few things I see tha may be impacting your sps.
1) you almost have a 1000 watts of light
2) you have a 55 gallon refugium that is stripping the water of nutrients (good thing)
3) gfo and carbon stripping what's left
In closing to much to fast not leaving anything for the sps I would dump the gfo and use carbon on occasion jus to polish of the water when needed.
4) your salinity is to high
Are you carbon dosing vodka ,sugar, vinagar or honey?
As you can see from the pictures your rocks are spotless and that is a sign that your nutrients are to low. I too have had a few issues and had pale sps. After looking at my system it turns out that my lighting was on too long and my salinty was very high. Sometimes it's the minor little details that as the cause. Good luck and could you post a few more pictures of your rock work and sps? Also one more question are you Barebottom or sand bed?
1) you almost have a 1000 watts of light
2) you have a 55 gallon refugium that is stripping the water of nutrients (good thing)
3) gfo and carbon stripping what's left
In closing to much to fast not leaving anything for the sps I would dump the gfo and use carbon on occasion jus to polish of the water when needed.
4) your salinity is to high
Are you carbon dosing vodka ,sugar, vinagar or honey?
As you can see from the pictures your rocks are spotless and that is a sign that your nutrients are to low. I too have had a few issues and had pale sps. After looking at my system it turns out that my lighting was on too long and my salinty was very high. Sometimes it's the minor little details that as the cause. Good luck and could you post a few more pictures of your rock work and sps? Also one more question are you Barebottom or sand bed?
dg3147
Active member
Going through bad STN since tank inception (now about 6-9 months). Started tank with dry rock from MacroRocks.
krzyphsygy
Active member
It might be possible that this dry rock is my problem. I have always used good live rock with excellent results, now with the Marco I am having issues unexplainable.
danil
New member
Add more fish, feed more. You can use coral food from Zeo or Fuel by Seachem. Run GFO to control phosphates only when needed. Don't run GFO if phosphate is low. Stop running carbon for now. Keep all parameters stable. Don't rise your Alk anymore with low nutrients and strong lights you corals will STN. I would drop it to about 8dkh for now.
Had the same problem and fix is above. Don't be fool with "lower nitrates/phospates are what you need for SPS" approach. They are still need some nutrients and easiest way to provide it - keep your tank water a bit dirty with low but detectable level of nitrates and phosphates.
Had the same problem and fix is above. Don't be fool with "lower nitrates/phospates are what you need for SPS" approach. They are still need some nutrients and easiest way to provide it - keep your tank water a bit dirty with low but detectable level of nitrates and phosphates.
Another one with pale colors!:headwallblue:
I'm no running any GFO or carbon on anything for that matter.
Only weakly water changes. 1000L system with few corals!
Nitrate and PO4 near 0!
Calc 430
Kh 7
What i want to ask to those that have this problem is:
How long takes he coral to become pale from when you put it in the system?
In my case is 1/2 days. Is his normal? Have you experienced the same behaviour or it takes much more time?
Thanks!
I'm no running any GFO or carbon on anything for that matter.
Only weakly water changes. 1000L system with few corals!
Nitrate and PO4 near 0!
Calc 430
Kh 7
What i want to ask to those that have this problem is:
How long takes he coral to become pale from when you put it in the system?
In my case is 1/2 days. Is his normal? Have you experienced the same behaviour or it takes much more time?
Thanks!
krzyphsygy
Active member
Fixed my issue by adding fish and feeding them 2-3 times a day heavy. Increased po4 to about .03-.08 and no3 to 2ppm. Colors came back nicely and strong......but so did alittle algae so now I am on the gfo train trying to fix that!
DaddyJax
New member
This but may want to try only 2 a day and be very selective about your food along with what type of fish you add. fresh/frozen and not prepackaged. No flake or pellets!
