Overnight cap bleaching

[Reefcake]

I have an SPS dominated tank. Yesterday I fragged a GSP and toadstool leather inside the tank just prior to a 20% water change at about 1pm. Last night, all looked fine. This morning, all my caps were severely bleached, almost as though having a white haze over them.

Might the fragging of either the GSP or toadstool released noxious toxins? If so, what course of action should I take now?

SG 1.026
Nitrates 0 PPM
Cal 440
Temp 79

Thanks!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Always frag in a separate container because when fragging corals can stress the coral and they can give off toxins in self defense. So yes this may have caused th bleaching. What are your water parameters? If the new water was different from the old water in salinity, temp, ph etc this could have also caused it.

 

[Reefcake]

The water change water matched in salinity and temperature. What other water parameters are you asking about? I don't typically measure ph.

What should I do now that this has happened? Wait it out to see if they improve in color? Remove them? Do another water change?

I couldn't frag them in a container because they are both encrusted on a large piece of supporting live rock.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

pH, Alk, Mg, Cal, nitrate, phosphate, temp and salinity are good for starters.

 

[NYreefNoob]

cap's will bleach quick if alk is off, and maybe the leather released something, but id check alk

 

[Reefcake]

Update on params

Checked alk and ph any my water parameters are as follows:

Salinity 1.026
Nitrates 0 PPM
Calcium 440
Temp 79
Alk 2.2
pH 8.5

Any add'l advice would be much appreciated.

 

[prattreef]

The Alk is low and perhaps related to the Caps bleaching. It is also possible the leathers released toxins, I'd run some new carbon for sure.

On the other hand, if you haven't done a WC for along time and also changed the carbon at the same time, your Caps could be bleaching from light shock.

 

[Reefcake]

Thanks. Going forward, if I am able to increase the alk, will the caps recover? Or are they permanently damaged? Should I leave them in or remove them?

 

[prattreef]

Personally, I would leave them in and see what happens.

 

[NYreefNoob]

id leave them also, had ones i thought were done and was to lazy to pull out and ended up growing back

 

[lfsmarineguy]

leave them. No need for more stress, they are fragile enough at this point. Just gradually bring the parameters back in check.

 

[Reefcake]

Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it greatly...as I am about as stressed as they are at this point. Any advantage to doing a 20% water change right away?

PS. Just did an API Carbonate Hardness (KH) test; result 8 dKH.

 

[Marteen]

Leathers will release toxins as a defense when stressed. You should run carbon to remove these toxins after you frag leathers.

 

[FlyTekk]

What if a fish keeps picking at a leather. Will it release toxins all the time?