My SPS bleaching Help

[prattreef]

You def. need to calibrate a refractometer frequently. This is often over-looked and the reason I always ask. It might not be the problem, but you need to rule it out as a possibility.
IME Montipora are often sensitive to elevated salinity, so it wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

yea randy is correct 100%. i calibrated mine and the next month i noticed it was off a little so i checked with the fluid and it was off.... It seems like if you bump it or place it down it can mess with the calibration lol...

 

[Oneilwiz]

I just calibrate my refractometer, and test my salinity which is 1.025

 

[prattreef]

ok good, one possible cause eliminated.

 

[mbg75]

oneilwiz lets start with this if you really want some answers...

What size tank do you have?
What skimmer are you running?
What are your ok par. of salinity, alk, cal, mag and phosphates?
What is your water change schedule?
What are your nitrates at?
What size and how many bulb lighting do you have?
Which bulbs do you have running on the fixture?
Are you running phosban and carbon in reactors or at all?
What flow do you have running in the tank?

Just a few questions to get to the root of the problem..

Someone should make a tank questionnaire sticky for answering questions

 

[James983]

What jumps out at me is there is absolutely no coraline algea in your tank.

Is that an old photo? Are you sure your perameters are correct? I know a lot of guys are clean freaks, but your tank looks very sterile. Are you testing immediately after dosing?

 

[jackson6745]

I just want to clarify something. SPS "bleaching" is when the coral expels some of it's zooxanthellae. It fades in color but is very much alive. There is no tissue recession and the polyps are usually visible.
What you described as "bleaching from base up" is actually Tissue necrosis. You'll read RTN (rapid tissue necrosis) and STN (slow tissue necrosis) on many sps threads. Basically, your coral is dying.
Many reasons why this happens, most we don't fully understand. You'll get a variety of reasons from different hobbyists but truthfully, most reasons are educated guesses.

IMO you should stay away from SPS for a while until you upgrade your lighting. Your tank looks pretty clean and it seems to be maintained well. You need a 6 or 8 bulb t5 fixture for a tank that size. All your coral will benefit from an increase in light and I think your success rate with SPS might change for the better


This thread should be moved to the SPS forum

 

[Moneymaks24]

Your brs GFO is likely the culprit. Stop using it for a while. Before everyone starts saying its bad advice ... ( Than from Tidal garden explains this in detail if u interested go check utube.

 

[duke62]

Moneymak on FB the guy explains to you it can be a number of things and if you OVERDOSE it can lead to bleaching not that its automatically the GFO. There are factors that he is happen that can contribute to STN/RTN. Also just removing the gfo can shock his system and cause more issues. If the OP thinks it could be GFO just reduce the amount you add

 

[Oneilwiz]

What jumps out at me is there is absolutely no coraline algea in your tank.

Is that an old photo? Are you sure your perameters are correct? I know a lot of guys are clean freaks, but your tank looks very sterile. Are you testing immediately after dosing?

The photo I took was an hour after I Cleaned my tank, I test a day or sometimes two days apart from when I dose

 

[Oneilwiz]

I just want to clarify something. SPS "bleaching" is when the coral expels some of it's zooxanthellae. It fades in color but is very much alive. There is no tissue recession and the polyps are usually visible.
What you described as "bleaching from base up" is actually Tissue necrosis. You'll read RTN (rapid tissue necrosis) and STN (slow tissue necrosis) on many sps threads. Basically, your coral is dying.
Many reasons why this happens, most we don't fully understand. You'll get a variety of reasons from different hobbyists but truthfully, most reasons are educated guesses.

IMO you should stay away from SPS for a while until you upgrade your lighting. Your tank looks pretty clean and it seems to be maintained well. You need a 6 or 8 bulb t5 fixture for a tank that size. All your coral will benefit from an increase in light and I think your success rate with SPS might change for the better

Thanks for the advice, I started to look at the ecotech LEDs, will try to bite the bullet if not go with ati T5 4 bulbs

 

[Oneilwiz]

Your brs GFO is likely the culprit. Stop using it for a while. Before everyone starts saying its bad advice ... ( Than from Tidal garden explains this in detail if u interested go check utube.

Hey do you have the link for the specific video, looking at the channel and am not sure which video.

 

[Moneymaks24]

It the latest video. Called GFO release like 2 days ago

 

[duke62]

Read my comment Oneilwiz

 

[Moneymaks24]

I have 0 phosphates ( salifert) and a guy from this forum double checked w a Hanna checker also 0. I run rows phos in a IM reactor ( half reccomended dose) and my corals still bleach. However I run LEDs and supposedly I need some phosphates like .03 or something ( idk how this Is achieved or measured) u don't have LEDs so maybe it's different for u and u can get away w 0 phosphates. If this is confusing, join the club I don't get it either. Which is why sps is experts only coz they can achieve this balance and maintain it somehow.

 

[Moneymaks24]

Oh if all that fails try amino acids maybe u got a ULN system. idk just a suggestion.

 

[Oneilwiz]

ok guys, I have turn off my gfo as of tonight, is there any other suggestions