Coral Bleaching

[DapperDanWoman]

Hi all, I'm having trouble with corals bleaching in my 125. I'm running the orbit pro LED's. I have tried turning them down and they still seem to be bleaching. Parameters are all doing pretty well. I do weekly water changes. I do not dose anything (but maybe I need to?) I have a birds nest ( starting to bleach) a huge duncan ( thriving but bleached so is it really?) and a few acans ( starting to bleach). The only one not affected is my brain- continues to be the prettiest neon green. Just need some guidance on what I'm doing wrong. Tank is over a year old.

 

[Fishurama]

Hi all, I'm having trouble with corals bleaching in my 125. I'm running the orbit pro LED's. I have tried turning them down and they still seem to be bleaching. Parameters are all doing pretty well. I do weekly water changes. I do not dose anything (but maybe I need to?) I have a birds nest ( starting to bleach) a huge duncan ( thriving but bleached so is it really?) and a few acans ( starting to bleach). The only one not affected is my brain- continues to be the prettiest neon green. Just need some guidance on what I'm doing wrong. Tank is over a year old.

Could you post some pictures and post your water parameters? It will really help with seeing your placement and seeing your water chemistry so we know all levels are ok.

Also welcome to R2R

 

[Reefer40b]

Most likely the orbit pro are not enough light for your tank, so the bleaching is from lack of light and you should probably turn them back up... How many orbit pros do you run? or you had a swing of some sort and your now seeing the aftermath. any pictures of your setup?

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Could you post some pictures and post your water parameters? It will really help with seeing your placement and seeing your water chemistry so we know all levels are ok.

Also welcome to R2R

water parameters today were (Before weekly water change)
Salinity 1.023
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Ph 7.8
Calcium 370
Magnesium 1160
Alkalinity 9.5 dKh

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Most likely the orbit pro are not enough light for your tank, so the bleaching is from lack of light and you should probably turn them back up... How many orbit pros do you run? or you had a swing of some sort and your now seeing the aftermath. any pictures of your setup?

 

[PbMan26]

When did they start bleaching?

 

[Reefer40b]

Yea will need more light if you wish to sustain corals, that light is not a good option. the cheapest option would be a vipraspectra at $120 each you would need 3 to cover that 125 gal.

also get that mag up above 1280 and calcium don't let it drop below 400 salt 1.025

 

[Dark_Knightt]

water parameters today were (Before weekly water change)
Salinity 1.023
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Ph 7.8
Calcium 370
Magnesium 1160
Alkalinity 9.5 dKh

Bring your salinity and pH up. Salinity of 1.023 is good for fish-only tanks, but reef tanks need to be anywhere from 1.024-1.026. pH is low, it should be from 8-8.4. To raise pH you can dose different things, or you can just add live rock? Speaking of, what type of rock and sand are you using? Are they both live? Live rock/sand will help bring pH to right level and maintain it. Ive never had a pH fluctuation since i had the initial cycling process.

 

[sam2110]

Whats your temperature

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Bring your salinity and pH up. Salinity of 1.023 is good for fish-only tanks, but reef tanks need to be anywhere from 1.024-1.026. pH is low, it should be from 8-8.4. To raise pH you can dose different things, or you can just add live rock? Speaking of, what type of rock and sand are you using? Are they both live? Live rock/sand will help bring pH to right level and maintain it. Ive never had a pH fluctuation since i had the initial cycling process.

I forget the brand but yes they are both live.

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Whats your temperature

80

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Bring your salinity and pH up. Salinity of 1.023 is good for fish-only tanks, but reef tanks need to be anywhere from 1.024-1.026. pH is low, it should be from 8-8.4. To raise pH you can dose different things, or you can just add live rock? Speaking of, what type of rock and sand are you using? Are they both live? Live rock/sand will help bring pH to right level and maintain it. Ive never had a pH fluctuation since i had the initial cycling process.

The rock is the caribisea live shapes

 

[Fishurama]

water parameters today were (Before weekly water change)
Salinity 1.023
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Ph 7.8
Calcium 370
Magnesium 1160
Alkalinity 9.5 dKh

I would up your salinity to 1.025-1.026 and try to get your ph to 8.3. Neither of these should cause bleaching though. I mean lower PH will cause bleaching but you aren't that low. Your magnesium and calcium are also a bit on the low side. Calcium you want around 420 and Mag around 1350-1500. None of that will cause bleaching though.

I see you are only running one light, you will need 2 to run SPS corals as these lights are weaker. I have the older marine orbits, and can grow LPS coral and anemones on my sandbed, I would need to stick SPS coral in the top 1/4 of tank do to how much light they need. Your Duncan probably needs less light and could be moved down a bit, since you do say its thriving but just bleaching. Also what do you have your whites, blues, red, and greens percentages set to?

This is my 120 with the older orbits, you can grow anything with these lights, i have an elegance, frogspawn, hammer, 13 or so anemones, they just dont grow SPS well as they are 1 watt LEDs and don't have the greatest penetration. I suggest getting another orbit light if you want to continue to run these. 1 not enough for a 125.

 

[DapperDanWoman]

When did they start bleaching?

Just recently. Maybe within the last two months.

 

[sam2110]

80

Its a bit high for my liking i keep mine at 77

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I forget the brand but yes they are both live.

Ok so you might want to just buy some pH booster or something. Or add some more live rock. HOw much do you have in the 125g? You will want something like 100lbs. (I personally have 11lbs in a 20g tank but since the tank is so small the amount i have mantains the pH.)

80

80 is slightly high. Is your temp. always at 80, or is that just a fluctuation? Try to keep it at 78-79. I have a nano (check out thread) 20g, and sometimes it goes to 80, but then it goes back down. You want to keep slightly lower.

 

[PbMan26]

None of your parameters are that far out of whack to cause it. Maybe bump salinity but I wouldn't go crazy trying to fix others. That may just cause added stress to the coral furthering the bleaching.

The low light is the only culprit I see. I would turn them back up and look at adding another orbit or a new light setup.

 

[PbMan26]

Also... what type of wave pumps? I didnt see in picture. That birds nest likes a good amount of water movement.

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Ok so you might want to just buy some pH booster or something. Or add some more live rock. HOw much do you have in the 125g? You will want something like 100lbs. (I personally have 11lbs in a 20g tank but since the tank is so small the amount i have mantains the pH.)

80 is slightly high. Is your temp. always at 80, or is that just a fluctuation? Try to keep it at 78-79. I have a nano (check out thread) 20g, and sometimes it goes to 80, but then it goes back down. You want to keep slightly lower.

It’s a heat

I would up your salinity to 1.025-1.026 and try to get your ph to 8.3. Neither of these should cause bleaching though. I mean lower PH will cause bleaching but you aren't that low. Your magnesium and calcium are also a bit on the low side. Calcium you want around 420 and Mag around 1350-1500. None of that will cause bleaching though.

I see you are only running one light, you will need 2 to run SPS corals as these lights are weaker. I have the older marine orbits, and can grow LPS coral and anemones on my sandbed, I would need to stick SPS coral in the top 1/4 of tank do to how much light they need. Your Duncan probably needs less light and could be moved down a bit, since you do say its thriving but just bleaching. Also what do you have your whites, blues, red, and greens percentages set to?

This is my 120 with the older orbits, you can grow anything with these lights, i have an elegance, frogspawn, hammer, 13 or so anemones, they just dont grow SPS well as they are 1 watt LEDs and don't have the greatest penetration. I suggest getting another orbit light if you want to continue to run these. 1 not enough for a 125.

reds 50
Greens 25
Blue 70.
my husband fooled with them today so I’m not sure what they were set at. We’ve been trying to adjust them and figure it out

 

[DapperDanWoman]

Also... what type of wave pumps? I didnt see in picture. That birds nest likes a good amount of water movement.

I have two.