Corals going pale. Help!

[Laz A]

I have a 24g nanocube with the NC HQI hood running a JBJ 15x 150w bulb and a HOB remora with 2 Koralia 2s. The SPS in my tank seem to be going pale white over time and I cant figure out why... I realized my nitrates were a bit on the high side (15 ppm) and did a water change but from my experiences SPS might brown with slightly high nitrates not go pale. Ive only heard of pale SPS due to excess nutrience depletion and no AA and plankton doses to counter act it.

I dose nothing at all, all I do is feed my fish pellets and some frozen mysis and brine.

My Parameters were:
temp: 78-81
PH 7.9
Alk 9
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0
Phos .2
Calc 480
SG 1.026
Nitrates 15ish ppm

 

[reefboy]

Well from your parameters your Ph is low at 7.9 it could be dropping drastically at night that could be shocking your corals your phos are high also and acro eating flatworms can cause your acro's to pale or is this happening to all sps?

 

[Hypertek99]

Yep you really need a stable tank to keep sps. And no phosphate.

 

[Laz A]

Thats the Ph of the NSW I get everywhere in miami which is why I figured it was ok... All the SPS seem to be going pale so I dont think its FWs.
Ph with my lights out this morning is at 7.9-8.0, I also retested my phosphates and they're at 0 (I must of mistaken the color). Any suggestions? Im completely lost on this one :(

Thanks,
Laz

 

[reefboy]

I would use a good Ph buffer to help raise Ph try to get one that wont raise your alk to much and get some phos remover to take that out of the equation but defiantly check what your Ph is doing after lights have been off a hour or so before buffing it.

 

[Laz A]

I should try to get it to about 8.2ish would you say?

And can the Ph be the sole reason for my pale corals? Or is there anything else that could possibly be checked for that Ive overlooked?

Thanks a million for the help, this helpless feeling watching my corals go pale sucks :/

 

[Laz A]

So... I bought a good ol fashioned mercury thermometer for my tank since theyre more reliable and it reads 85-86 degrees while my digital one reads 79-80... Im not sure if high temps cause corals to go pale but Im gonna guess it does... :(
I need a chiller, anyone have one for sale?

Laz

 

[reefboy]

yes heat will cause them to bleach as well

 

[mnherper]

you can point a fan to blow across the top of your tank

 

[Burks]

Try the fan idea first. It can drop the temperature in a tank a couple degrees easily. If you are using a heater, check your heater. Not all of them heat to 78F if set on 78F. I have mine set at 76 and it keeps the tank closer to 80.

And good call on the old mercury/alcohol thermometers. I hate digitals.

 

[rick van vladricken]

if your tank gets to cold could they go pale. all my parameters are good my heater broke 2 weeks ago, now my corals are pale.

 

[rick van vladricken]

it went to 70f at night 73f daytime

 

[mikedelgado]

The fan should help with temp. so would raising the lights a little and shortening the photoperiod if you leave them on for a long time. My fan is on a temp controller. It keeps running a while after the lights are out until it gets to 76 degrees. that helps with keeping the daytime temps down cause the tank starts the day off cool. the lights sequentially turn off if the temp gets above 82 degrees. So far that has worked great for me with no chiller

 

[Burning Spear]

how old is the bulb?

 

[Laz A]

Right now Im running a fan on my tank thats so strong it sounds like a hair dryer if not louder the whole time my lights are on.
My only other option is a chiller unfortunately, Ive been dealing with this annoying fan long enough and it seems not to do the job and irritate me already so chiller it is :/

WTB a chiller! :P

BTW bulb will be changed soon, its 10 months old

Thanks!

 

[Laz A]

anyone with a chiller of any size email me at [email protected]