Acro Bleaching

[Andrewrckt]

Hi everyone,

I have started noticing some coral bleaching at the base of my WWC Blueberry Fields Acro. These acos have been in the tank for about a month now and are still going through light acclimation (I did a 50 day light acc on my Red Sea 50).

My water parameters have been stable for several weeks (I did have an alk OD with my dosing pump throwing my entire bottle of Alk into the tank, but I remedied that with a 90% water change and advise from here). Temperature has remained stable as I have an InkBird controller on it and cooling fans on top for evaporative cooling.

my thoughts could be placement, lighting and flow. I have attached a couple images I just took of where the frag is in the tank (center top) compared with the return pump.

All my other corals look great. My Jason Fox B33 Bomber Acro (despite still being brown) is starting to encrust past the frag plug into the surround live rock. I am assuming it will take some time to color up (I am new to Acros).

i am not chasing parameter numbers (even though everything is in normal range except 1800 ppm Mg which just won’t go down). Thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I am thinking of moving this frag a little lower in the tank.

Note: pictures were taken during feeding. I just dosed AB+ so that’s why I have a nuclear green tinge to the water.


My Parameters:

pH: 8.3 (Hanna Checker)
Salinity: 1.026 (Hanna Checker)
Ammonia: 0 (Red Sea Test Kit)
Nitrite: 0 (Red Sea Test Kit)
Nitrate: 2 (Red Sea Test Kit)
Ca: 450 (Red Sea Test Kit)
Mg: 1880 (Red Sea Test Kit)
Alk: 8.7 (Hanna Checker)
Phosphate: 0.052 (Hanna Checker)
Temp: 78dF (InkBird/Hanna Checker)

Using RODI water with Red Sea Pro Salt. 25% Water Change a week. This is a Red Sea Max Nano Tank (20 Gallon) so water change equates to 5 Gallons a week).

 

[tehmadreefer]

50 day light acclimation is prolly the issue. This day and age no need to light acclimate acros.

 

[Andrewrckt]

50 day light acclimation is prolly the issue. This day and age no need to light acclimate acros.

Interesting, it was suggested by WWC to do some acclimation cycle when I bought them. Do you think when I am up to 100% intensity, I will see some regrowth? I think with this frag, the polyp tubes (if that is a word) are growing, but loosing mass on the back side of the frag.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Interesting, it was suggested by WWC to do some acclimation cycle when I bought them. Do you think when I am up to 100% intensity, I will see some regrowth? I think with this frag, the polyp tubes (if that is a word) are growing, but loosing mass on the back side of the frag.

Actually wwc specifically states to NOT do light acclimation as their corals are under leds. One of the possible reasons they are browned out can be lack of light.

 

[Andrewrckt]

Actually wwc specifically states to NOT do light acclimation as their corals are under leds. One of the possible reasons they are browned out can be lack of light.

Don’t want to argue because I appreciate your help! Just wanted to show you the advice I got so I’m not seeming crazy lol