sps - white tips, growth or bleaching

MLCT

New member
I have an sps question and am new to sps coral keeping. I have an acro that has white tips. I understand that this could be growth related, but if the white moves down the stalk a bit is that bad? The polyp extension is very good though even in the white area. I placed the coral about 3/4 up the tank, could it be too much light? I know my lighting is intense, but I have the bulbs about 12" above the water line.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Water Parameters,
Tank - 180 Gallon,BB
Flow - Dart return, 2 Tunze 6100 and controller
Skimmer - ER RC12-1
Lights - 3 - 400w MH and 2 actinic

Salinity - 1.026
PH - 8.2
Temp. - 79-81
ammonia, nitrate, nitrite - 0
calcium 425
 
White tips are typically a sign of new growth....hard to say for sure without seeing a pic.

Tissue necrosis, whether rapid or slow, almost always starts from the base upward. So that's unlikely.

High alk has been reported to "burn" the tips of SPS, and you don't report a number on that. (in a SPS tank, an Alk reading is every bit, if not more, important than any of the other parameters you've provided.)

Problems with light acclimation generally result in a ticked-off coral, one that doesn't show polyp extension.

Impossible to tell without a pic, but if the coral seems happy, you are seeing growth tips. If it starts to go downhill, you need to revisit other possible issues. Good luck!
 
You mention your skimmer in your sig, but no mention of calk production, leading me to think there is none, but you say the measured level is 425...?
The question is moo... Too little info in the request to answer.
-If it is coral growth and you're not aware of how you're doing it, beware of a pending imbalance.-
TimO
 
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