Red Dragon bleached

[reef_zombie]

I have a red dragon frag that's been in my tank for a month that suddenly bleached out over three days. The No idea what happened, all other corals seem fine.

Alk 9-10
Ca 450
Mg 1350
No3 3-5 ppm
P04 . 5
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78

 

[basser1]

Can you post a photo??

Water params look O.K.

 

[jcolley]

What lighting, height over water, and depth of frag?

 

[reef_zombie]

Can't get a picture until the lights come on.

Frags sits right in the middle, run a 6 bulb T5 fixture about 5" off the water

 

[jackson6745]

Did it bleach or RTN? What are you using to measure phosphate? I hope you mean .05. If it's .5 you're in trouble

 

[reef_zombie]

Oops, yes meant. 05-09 on the phosphates

Maybe it's RTN, all I know is its turning white

 

[jackson6745]

Read about RTN/STN. This is where your coral loses flesh and is dying. Bleaching is where they expel their zooxanthellae and lose color or turn white. Flesh and polyps are still there.

Without knowing more info it sounds related to poor water quality. Your phosphate should be .03-.05. It really depends on what you're using to measure phosphates. Most kits absolutely suck and should be sued for the level of inaccuracy that they provide. Usually on conventional test kits, if you can detect any phosphate the true levels are actually high. A hanna colorimeter would be the most accurate.

Either way your po4 tests high so I would run some GFO in a reactor to start, and do a water change.

 

[reef_zombie]

Definitely bleaching then, I have had this tank up for 2 years, I run a reactor with GFO, but have always had higher phosphates, it's never bothered my SPS in the past

 

[bellis31]

I wonder if it needs less light??

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2360078

 

[reef_zombie]

Then again it may be water quality, my tank has seemed dirty lately and the skimmer I have been using for two years just doesn't pull out the gunk it used, even after a good cleaning

 

[reef_zombie]

Looks like it's RTN I can see the tissue coming off. I also rechecked phosphates which are actually .009, nitrates are 2.5 and Alk is steady at 9.2

 

[tmantaylor18]

Yeah thats definitely RTN and only the tip is still alive. You can try cutting the tip off and remounting it but it looks like its a little too late.

 

[basser1]

That's the bad thing about acros.

Once you notice a problem with them, it's usually too late.... Trying to determine the cause will involve good detective work.