Why are my SPS bleaching!?

Felixc395

Felixc395

Registered Member
I've been in a big struggle the last month and a half. Two of my SPS have severely faded in color from when I got them and one is totally bleached my water parameters are:

Nitrate: 0ppm
pH: has been very low about 7.8 but I recently bumped I up to about 8.3-8.4
Phosphate: 0ppm
dKH: about 11
Calcium: 450 ppm
- my flow is adequate, but I just recently adressed that problem so that may have been a factor
- my temperature was low at 75 degrees and I recently brought it up to 80 degrees gradually
- I don't test for magnesium and other trace elements so those might be low for all I know

So what might be my problem?
All advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you all very much!
 
From the information you've given, I would strongly suspect the low temperature. Usually, a Mg or Alk issue won't cause bleaching, it'll cause tissue recession, so I don't think it's your Mg, although I'd suggest getting a test kit and testing for it. Mg is just as important as Ca or Alk, IMO.

Also, you don't mention your lighting, which is probably the #1 most common causes of bleaching.
 
returnofsid said:
From the information you've given, I would strongly suspect the low temperature. Usually, a Mg or Alk issue won't cause bleaching, it'll cause tissue recession, so I don't think it's your Mg, although I'd suggest getting a test kit and testing for it. Mg is just as important as Ca or Alk, IMO.

Also, you don't mention your lighting, which is probably the #1 most common causes of bleaching.
Click to expand...

+1 on this.
Also whats your sg?
 
I currently have a 2 year old 37 gallon aquarium (30'' long, 12'' wide, and 17'' tall). My lighting is an AquaticLife T5 HO fixture. Each bulb is a 24 watt bulb. One is a UVL Actinic White bulb. Two are ATI blue plus and the last is an ATI aquablue special. Many people told me that the light would be adequate but I'm sort of having second thoughts now.
 
Early on I stated that my flow was adequate. I may have been ignorant about that though. I know how important flow is to SPS coral. I have one Koralia Nano powerhead and one Koralia 1. Is this enough flow for SPS in a 37 gallon tank?
 
No on the flow in your tank. I have a red sea tank ~ 34 gallons with a koralli nano to circulate the bottom, 2 maxi 1200 mods, and the 700 gallon per hour return into the tank split on two hydor rotators.
I would increase the flow in addition to the other recommendations.
 
I do not think your tank has the equipment for real sps success. Defintily need more flow and you have 96w total lighting from your description. Thats less than 3w/gallon. I know wpg is kind of an archaic measurement but that is very minimal light for your system for sps. You should really have double that.
 
I posted numerously on different sites to see if I would get the same reaction you have, but to my surprise I was told over and over that the T5 combo I have would work just fine. Many said that watts were almost irrelevent now and that the real measurement to focus on is lumens. Now I'm in no way a light expert or really an expert in any subject in reef keeping but I'm going to take their advice. And I hope that they are correct. Does any one else believe that my current setup has SPS growth potential?

Another point I failed to mention was that this has just been a relatively recent event. Before I was actually seing growth in my coral for a short period (which hopefully proves I have ample light) and just stopped suddenly and went downhill. There could be many numerous causes for this and I believe that it would probably be a water quality issue if it just happened recently but I may be wrong.
 
T5s will grow SPS corals, just fine, IF they're quality T5s, with quality reflectors AND you have enough bulb coverage. Watts are kind of irrelevant, in that you can't go by the old Watt/Gallon rule.

I would agree that you don't have near enough flow, for SPS. I've got about 9 times as much flow as you, in a 24 gallon Aquapod. In a 34 gallon, I'd be shooting for 800-1000 gph of flow.
 
Your T5's if the bulbs aren't too old would be just barely ok for color but you will need more for any kind of good growth and the flow is low but if you can increase it make sure it is indirect, you will know when you have it right by looking at polyp extension on the acros, I have come to realize that flow is at least as important as light with these little beasties. just my opinion though GL. Grant
 
just remember that your system is at the bare minimum for sps. This doesent mean you cant make it work, but it will take all your stars aligning perfectly. If you had lots more light and lots more flow you will have a much greater cushion for success.
 
I'll adress the flow issue soon. I'll try ang get my flow in the range of 1000 gph and see if that helps any.
 
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