Alveopora frag bleaching?

[Mattie H.]

I'm not sure if this is goniopora or alveopora, but it is clearly bleaching. It has been in the tank about a month and a half. About two ago it closed up and was closed for a little longer than a week. It has started to open up again now, but it has lost most of it's color. What can I do to save it?

I've attached before and after pics.

Thanks!

 

[mcarroll]

What are your test results for NO3 and PO4?

Looks like a pretty new tank with totally bare rock – no algae growth. Frag is probably starving.

On top of this, could also be light shock if you're not using a light meter of some kind to assess your lights and the lights where he was being grown before.

Low nutrients make corals more susceptible to this kind of light shock.

 

[Mattie H.]

What are your test results for NO3 and PO4?

Looks like a pretty new tank with totally bare rock – no algae growth. Frag is probably starving.

On top of this, could also be light shock if you're not using a light meter of some kind to assess your lights and the lights where he was being grown before.

Low nutrients make corals more susceptible to this kind of light shock.

What are your test results for NO3 and PO4?

Looks like a pretty new tank with totally bare rock – no algae growth. Frag is probably starving.

On top of this, could also be light shock if you're not using a light meter of some kind to assess your lights and the lights where he was being grown before.

Low nutrients make corals more susceptible to this kind of light shock.

It's not that new - about 14 months, stable and established. Not a whole lot of algae growth, but enough to keep five Mex turbos and a bunch of ceriths happy and healthy. No other coral issues in the tank. This frag is still pretty low in the tank position-wise; I gradually raised it from the bottom to where it is now. It's currently probably about 15 inches below the water surface, and my T5s hang about four inches above. The frag has less light exposure now than it had at the lfs, for sure. I don't have a light meter so I don't know the par. I do have low nutrients, however. No NO3, trace PO4 per Hanna checker. Not enough nutrients to keep chaeto alive, but at least enough to keep my anthelia growing.

I'm not sure what made this alveo bleach - I've never had coral bleach before. Anyone's guess. I am more interested in what I can do to nurse the frag back to health, if it isn't already a goner... I usually feed once a week. Would feeding more help? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Mattie H.]

What are your test results for NO3 and PO4?

Looks like a pretty new tank with totally bare rock – no algae growth. Frag is probably starving.

On top of this, could also be light shock if you're not using a light meter of some kind to assess your lights and the lights where he was being grown before.

Low nutrients make corals more susceptible to this kind of light shock.

If it is light shock, will moving it to the sand bed help to save it?

 

[mcarroll]

Lowering it's light exposure could help.

How's your tank's nitrate and phosphate situation?

 

[Mattie H.]

Lowering it's light exposure could help.

How's your tank's nitrate and phosphate situation?

0 nitrates, phosphates around .05 give or take.

 

[mcarroll]

Bingo. Too low on both counts.

Are you using any "artificial" nutrient reduction strategies like carbon dosing (pellets, vodka, etc) or GFO or special bio-media? Etc?

 

[Mattie H.]

Bingo. Too low on both counts.

Are you using any "artificial" nutrient reduction strategies like carbon dosing (pellets, vodka, etc) or GFO or special bio-media? Etc?

No dosing. On and off I run a brs dual reactor with a small amount of carbon and the prescribed amount of GFO per brs website. Without the GFO, I get hair algae blooms from excess PO4 and my SPS goes downhill. NO3 is always 0, with or without the reactor.

 

[mcarroll]

Without the GFO, I get hair algae blooms from excess PO4 and my SPS goes downhill. NO3 is always 0, with or without the reactor.

You have the cause/effect out of order. SPS aren't going to care about a little nutrients, but they will get irritated if you're starving them. They can get really really irritated when that starvation involves phosphate.

Definitely cease with the GFO usage and try a different tack.

When you see nitrates in your system have have run out, stop thinking:
"SUCCESS!! ;Shamefullyembarrased;Shamefullyembarrased;Shamefullyembarrased"

...and start thinking...​

";Nailbiting;Nailbiting;Nailbiting How will anything use up my phosphates without nitrogen to go along with it?;Nailbiting;Nailbiting;Nailbiting"

Go get your Seachem Flourish Nitrogen or Brightwell NeoNitro (or DIY) and maintain a minimum level of available nitrogen.

When you see algae growing, stop thinking:
";Nailbiting;Nailbiting;Nailbiting Plague!!!! Burn it alllllllll!!!! ;Nailbiting;Nailbiting;Nailbiting"

...and start thinking...​

";Shamefullyembarrased;Shamefullyembarrased;Shamefullyembarrased More snails!!! ;Shamefullyembarrased;Shamefullyembarrased;Shamefullyembarrased"

 

[mcarroll]

This might help:
A Nitrate Dosing Calculator For Better Tank Health (And Better Coral Color!)

Be advised that the same applies in reverse to phosphates....do not let them run out...and dose some if you see nitrates accumulating.