SPS remains bleached long-term. Solution? (pics)

[iwishtofish]

Here's my tri-color acro (probably valida) when I first acquired it towards the end of June:

Then, after a while in the tank:

A while longer:

And now (perhaps it is even whiter than it appears here):

Its polyps have regained their green color, and have good extension. Is this color bleaching due to too much light? It is midway in my 75g tank, under a 6-bulb Tek fixture. I did go through a 50-hour power outage during the hurricane. I run GFO and carbon, have tons of flow, feed occasional reef chili, and have no algae. I'm assuming my PO4 is close to zero.

 

[cromedogg33]

50 hour power outage is a long time IMO. I did a 48 hour lights out to control some algae and lost my icefire due to bleaching, I didn't even think to re-acclimate my corals at the time.

Option 2 could be you have to "clean" of a system. Check your po4 levels and nitrates, there might not be enough food for the coral.

 

[roberto_lopes]

Well, I had the same problem with mine. Tricolors seems to do not go well on extremely low level nutrient systems.

When I had something like 5ppm she was my most beautiful coral. NOw that my nitrates and fosfates are zero. The colony almost die.

 

[ganjero]

I've done blackouts for 5 days to get rid of algae and only experienced a little of lost in coloration but it was regained in a week or so.
A power outage is for sure more stressful on the corals, but I dont think that's the reason. I see nice growth, specially on the base.
What are you water parameters? Do you know under what kind of light the frag was before you got it? how high? how high is it now? What bulbs are you using?

 

[RyanAlan]

Seems like your tank is almost too clean.

I don't see any coraline or any other living algae on the rockwork.

This is exactly what happened to a friend of mine. He started to feed a little heavier and reduce his usage of certain media. His colors in all of his acros started to return to their natural colors.

 

[iwishtofish]

It's been suggested to me in the past that my tank might be too clean, but I am afraid to put too much food in there because I don't have any livestock other than snails and a coral banded shrimp. I am imagining a sudden algae outbreak. I do have a skimmer way over-rated for the tank, though (Reef Octopus rated for 200g).

All I have tested recently are alk (8 dKH), and Ca (400ppm). I tested Mag not too long ago and it was around 1250.

I am using mostly ATI bulbs, now 7 months old. A combination of Blue+, AquaBlue, Fiji Purple, and GE daylight, I believe. The fixture has been around 8" over the tank, and the coral is mid-level in the tank. I did just raise the fixture a bit.

 

[iwishtofish]

Oh, I did have coralline grow all over the rock, but it never really turned from blue to pink. Some element just wasn't right, I guess.

 

[iwishtofish]

ganjero, the frag was in a deep tank at a great store near Baltimore, and was not quite halfway down under 400w MH (very blue).

 

[DustinB]

I wouldn't raise your light. Going from a 400w MH to a TEK T5 is a lot less light. I would venture to guess it's either not enough light or not enough nutrients. You could try dosing aminos as well as some foods specific for corals.

I'm going through the same thing with several corals. I got them in a year ago and over a few months they slowly faded. About 2 months ago I lowered my light fixture and things started to go from pale tan/white to a pale coloration but stopped at a certain point. I just recently switched my ATI Sunpower out for a 250w MH pendant and things are starting to turn around a bit more. Most of my corals came from tanks with 400w MH as well. I guess they just never adapted to the lower light even after several months, and I thought ATI was supposed to be the king of T5.

It was really baffling because I had always understood that, as far as light is concerned, brown means not enough and white means too much. Apparently that is not always the case. It wasn't every coral that turned white either, some stayed the same and others browned. From what I've read, bleaching from light occurs somewhat quickly, not over weeks/months. Anyway, just some ideas. When I researched the problem everyone was saying my tank was too clean, but in my case light seems to do the trick.

 

[iwishtofish]

I wouldn't raise your light. Going from a 400w MH to a TEK T5 is a lot less light. I would venture to guess it's either not enough light or not enough nutrients. You could try dosing aminos as well as some foods specific for corals.

I'm going through the same thing with several corals. I got them in a year ago and over a few months they slowly faded. About 2 months ago I lowered my light fixture and things started to go from pale tan/white to a pale coloration but stopped at a certain point. I just recently switched my ATI Sunpower out for a 250w MH pendant and things are starting to turn around a bit more. Most of my corals came from tanks with 400w MH as well. I guess they just never adapted to the lower light even after several months, and I thought ATI was supposed to be the king of T5.

It was really baffling because I had always understood that, as far as light is concerned, brown means not enough and white means too much. Apparently that is not always the case. It wasn't every coral that turned white either, some stayed the same and others browned. From what I've read, bleaching from light occurs somewhat quickly, not over weeks/months. Anyway, just some ideas. When I researched the problem everyone was saying my tank was too clean, but in my case light seems to do the trick.

VERY interesting interpretation. Thank you! I'll gradually lower my lights back down to the safest level, and I'll also increase my feedings with Reef Chili. I think my skimmer will be able to handle that, although maybe not my wallet!

 

[ganjero]

From what you said you might not have enough nutrients to feed the coral, but it could also be too much light. I'd add some fish if possible instead of just adding coral food.
People under estimate T5s and what they don't realize is that they provide an even coverage with very even PAR numbers. The coral was under a 400W metal halide but you don’t get even PAR under MH, so if it was placed to the side of the bulb and not underneath it could've been getting less PAR than in your tank. Plus a "very blue tank" means high K which in MH also means less PAR.
For better coloration with T5s when you change your bulbs try to get all Blue+, 1 Purple+, and maybe 1 6500k if you have 7 bulbs or more.

 

[iwishtofish]

From what you said you might not have enough nutrients to feed the coral, but it could also be too much light. I'd add some fish if possible instead of just adding coral food.
People under estimate T5s and what they don't realize is that they provide an even coverage with very even PAR numbers. The coral was under a 400W metal halide but you don't get even PAR under MH, so if it was placed to the side of the bulb and not underneath it could've been getting less PAR than in your tank. Plus a "very blue tank" means high K which in MH also means less PAR.
For better coloration with T5s when you change your bulbs try to get all Blue+, 1 Purple+, and maybe 1 6500k if you have 7 bulbs or more.

I only have 6 bulbs. I'd kind of like a slightly more 14k look than I have now. Would I still get that with the 6500k bulb in that mix?

Yeah, I just have no idea what to think for sure about the lights. I had another SPS coral that was holding its own pretty well, at least before the power failure, but was always kind of pale before it put out its mesenterial filaments and expired. I do know that my tank at least appears WAY brighter than the tank from which the corals were purchased.

 

[j-dizzle]

I had this same issue with the same coral, i have a very similar setup to yours 72g bow 6 bulb tek and a octopus extreme 200. coral is about 6 in from the top and thought light was the issue but over the past couple of months i have had the best results with more feeding a tricky balance but if you watch the colors over time, go slow, and watch for improvements. i always under fed thinking this was a good thing, feed the fish and they will feed the corals i also dose an amino 2 times weekly, and of coarse weekly water changes. Hope this helps

 

[iwishtofish]

I had this same issue with the same coral, i have a very similar setup to yours 72g bow 6 bulb tek and a octopus extreme 200. coral is about 6 in from the top and thought light was the issue but over the past couple of months i have had the best results with more feeding a tricky balance but if you watch the colors over time, go slow, and watch for improvements. i always under fed thinking this was a good thing, feed the fish and they will feed the corals i also dose an amino 2 times weekly, and of coarse weekly water changes. Hope this helps

It does! Thank you! How high were your lights over the water?

 

[j-dizzle]

I had my light about an inch an a half over the tank so about two and a half to three inches over the water i recently went up about two more inches, i felt like it was bleaching the higher corals.

 

[iwishtofish]

I had my light about an inch an a half over the tank so about two and a half to three inches over the water i recently went up about two more inches, i felt like it was bleaching the higher corals.

Hey, thanks. My coral is lighter than ever, but actually seems to still be putting down a base. I'm going to consider trying the amino acids.

 

[[17]shawn[17]]

i have the same problem its lack of nutes, i dose aminos, it doesnt help this problem

 

[iwishtofish]

i have the same problem its lack of nutes, i dose aminos, it doesnt help this problem

Really! I have put a pretty good amount of food in there lately, or at least I think I have. Have you been feeding more heavily? Any changes in your coral(s)?

 

[allsps40]

I agree looks like a lack of food for the coral to feed on. I found better color with increased no3.

 

[dixiedog]

I have the same issue with all my SPS.

Here is my tricolor valida. It sits about 3" down under a 4x24 TEK. I have a decent fish load and also feed my LPS pretty often.

I've tried everything, long photoperiod, short photoperiod, food, no food, aminos, Lugol's, you name it. This is the best it has ever looked (other than when I first got it, it was deep purple then)