Purple Stylophora Question

[laf-reef]

Last week I picked up a nice Purple Stylophora

pic from last Sunday (2-19-12)

here's a pic from today (2-26-12)

As you can see the coral doesn't look as nice as it did a week ago.

Tank parameters: 120 AGA (48"x24"x24", ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, temp 80°F, salinity at 1.025, pH 7.8 at lights on and 8.2 at lights out, kH 8, calcium 360, lighting T5 6x54 brand new bulbs (4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 ATI Purple Plus & 1 GE 6500K), flow is return from sump (Mag 18) & 2 Korilia 4's

Coral is placed on a frag rack at approx. 10" below the water surface at the front of the tank (primarily under a Blue Plus & Purple Plus)

Thoughts on coral.... is it acclimating, too much flow, too little flow, too much light, too little light, something else? Recommendations? Additional information needed?

 

[daveonbass]

looks like too much light at first glance. It may also need more "food" since you say that your no3 is 0ppm and calcium is 360. I would strive for at least 400, and maybe even get the no3 up to 5ppm or so.

 

[Finland]

Sometimes it may take a few weeks for a new addition to get used to your tank. Maybe lower it down might help a bit. Looks a like it's not used to your bright lights.

 

[dixiedog]

Guesses: Too much light too soon, not enough calcium

 

[gig]

+1 too much light...I start all SPS on a fragrack on my sandbed for a week, then I move them up.

 

[Reef Bass]

That does not look like too much light to me. I have a 6 bulb T5 fixture over a 12" deep tank and the sps that were in there wanted more light.

IMHO, the coral is less than delighted with your low pH and low ca. You don't mention your mag level but I'm guessing it's probably low as well.

My purple stylo

 

[gig]

That does not look like too much light to me. I have a 6 bulb T5 fixture over a 12" deep tank and the sps that were in there wanted more light.

IMHO, the coral is less than delighted with your low pH and low ca. You don't mention your mag level but I'm guessing it's probably low as well.

the amount of light is fine, it's just too much too soon, need to acclimate

 

[dixiedog]

Exactly.

 

[daveonbass]

Yeah cause we don't know how much light it had before the current tank. It could easily be too much (too soon).

 

[allsps40]

Yep looks like to much lighting and bleaching as a result. Moved it lower in the tank as said. The ca at 360 really has nothing to do with it. However you should have ca in the range or 400-460ppm for best growth and availability. I also agree that you should maybe feed a bit more as well, your tank my be too clean.

 

[Akrite]

I agree, need to acclimate. With T5s I always start my corals on the sand bed for a week or two then move them up. If you started on a frag rack in direst light your corals will bleach.

 

[chgoblknazn]

You should also try target feeding it. Mine was looking similiar after a while being in my tank. I noticed it receding more and more until 2 weeks later they just did not come out at all. They stayed in for a week. I then blew some Rod's onto it and the polyps came out again. They get a cloudy blast of whatever food I feed my fish and they look better each day and are growing quickely.

 

[Bugger]

You can clearly see from the picture that the zooanthlea are thinning out. This would be the case if your natrates are really zero/ you could feed the tank more and moniter the levels. at this rate the coral might starve very soon

 

[Jay_R]

looks like too much light at first glance. It may also need more "food" since you say that your no3 is 0ppm and calcium is 360. I would strive for at least 400, and maybe even get the no3 up to 5ppm or so.

+1

 

[toothybugs]

Yay for old thread resurrection!

 

[malx]

Bumping this! I'm having a similar issue with mine. Will post a pic in a second. Got "it" a few days ago. Fed this AM. My parameters are ideal for SPS so I think mine just needs some good old food and time.

 

[malx]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Potatohead]

Bumping this! I'm having a similar issue with mine. Will post a pic in a second. Got "it" a few days ago. Fed this AM. My parameters are ideal for SPS so I think mine just needs some good old food and time.

Likely. Yours doesn't look like it's losing tissue and it's not bleaching which usually starts at the top. I find corals don't look great the first two - three weeks in the tank and then start to come around assuming your parameters are good.