Urgent help needed sps bleaching

butcherman

butcherman

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Hi guys

Got home from work this afternoon, and my pink poccilipora seems very white and the plolyps are hardly extended.

ph 8.2
sg = 1.025
temp 26.5 degrees
ca = 460ppm
mg = 1300ppm
Kh = 5.5 dkh (slowly raising this)
nh3 = 0ppm
no2 = 0ppm
no3 = 5 ppm

The only thing i have changed is i dosed special blend on saturday.
Also run aqua medic po4 remover.

There are also 2 pin chusions, gsp, and a few zoa's and mushrooms.



I have had this frag for 6 months.

I have added active charcoal incase.

Any comments or ideas?
 
Depending on the rate of tissue loss/bleaching it could be RTN or STN, how long has your alk been so low and how low was it when you started increasing it?

I don't think there is much you can do apart from see what it looks like in the morning, any sudden changes in parameters may just make it worse. Have you had any large sudden temperature fluctuations? Changed your lights recently?
 
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I would be inclined to say the low alk may be a contributing factor, although low alkalinity normally causes tissue loss from the base upwards.
butcherman said:
There are also 2 pin chusions, gsp, and a few zoa's and mushrooms.
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Are these corals ok or also suffering?
 
could be just the effects of low alk...before the recent alk test, how long before that did u test for alk?

If u can still see polyp extension, more likely bleaching. If tissue necrosis, you wont see any polyps at all.

pincushions though should be showing signs of stress if a general problem. is there a softie/coral close by that could have stung it?
 
How much phosphate remover did you add? I have read some reports that adding too much phosphate remover can cause SPS corals to bleach. Can you tell if there is actual tissue loss (peeling off) or just a loss of pigmentation? Also do you know what your night time ph readings are?
 
viper357 said:
Also do you know what your night time ph readings are?
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8.2 daytime is 8.3

viper357 said:
Can you tell if there is actual tissue loss (peeling off) or just a loss of pigmentation?
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looks more like loss of pigmentation nothing peeling off.

Adee said:
If tissue necrosis, you wont see any polyps at all
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they look like they are still there just not out, like a few microcentimeters in length

Adee said:
how long before that did u test for alk?
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2 weeks, I been raising it slowly as its was down at 4

is there a softie/coral close by that could have stung it?
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i did move it closer to the zoas, but it was still about 10 cm away. Do you think it could be some kind of chemical war?
 
I think it's a sudden drop in nutrients. What were your phosphate and nitrate readings before you added the special blend, GFO and GAC. All of these serve to reduce nutrients and total organic carbon. Nutrient reduction should be done slowly to avoid shocking the system
 
Tony said:
I think it's a sudden drop in nutrients. What were your phosphate and nitrate readings before you added the special blend, GFO and GAC. All of these serve to reduce nutrients and total organic carbon. Nutrient reduction should be done slowly to avoid shocking the system
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gfo been in for more that 3 months i change it once a month, in the small 2 little fishies reactor i run a little(about 5cm deep)

GAC was added last night as a precaution

special blend added 1st time sunday according to directions,

NO3 was 15 ppm befor now 5ppm

po4 almost undetectable with safrit test kit

helps prevent release of photosynthetic bac. and helps sps cope with changes in light. i read this off brightwells iodide bottle.
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would iodine shortage cause (trigger) this, as some of the red macro algae has started comming back i think it sucks alot of iodine out the water.
 
Ok so last night i moved the coral further away from the zoas.

dont know if moving it has any direct effect, but this afternoon there seems a little improvement. Alot of polyps around the base are extened and on a few of the tips.

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thoughs , ideas?
 
whats your alk now?
with your alk being as low as 4dKH, i'm surprised that other LS did not show signs.
Just note on the iodine deficiency, its first noticeable on the coloration, especially first on plating monti's...they simply go very pale/dull in color and tips of other corals appear to have bleached looking tips.
 
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