MH keep bleaching corals

[The Gray Phantom]

I have had my 120 gallon set up for 1 1/2 years now. My lights are the Reefbrite MH 250 with blue led strips on the sides. Since I have started my set up they have been bleaching my corals. I was running them 9 hours a day with 7 hours of blues. (Not at the same time)
I asked one of my friends about the bleaching and he said I should reduce the white lights and run more blues. So I have been running 14 hours of blues and 4 hours of white during the mid day. And still I put new corals at the bottom and they are getting bleached. My tank is mainly LPS and clams.
When I first set the tank up I was looking at the AI Hydras or Prime HD’s but the guy who set me up with the equipment said I should get MH. So I did. Now I am having second thoughts and thinking about getting leds. I recently got an AI Prime HD and it is amazing! It puts out a ton of light. I was wondering if 2 of those on my 120 48x24x24 would be good for LPS and a few clams?

 

[3mm3]

You have double end halide correct? Do you have the glass cover installed?

 

[The Gray Phantom]

You have double end halide correct? Do you have the class cover installed?

There is only one bulb for each light and one light on each side. The glass cover has always been on.

 

[3mm3]

How high do you have the light? I'd go 12 to 14 inches if possible. What bulb do you run? I'd go with 14 or 20k.
Also just wondering what type of lps?

 

[MTBake]

How high off the water is the fixture?

I run my halide 11hrs a day with no problem. I don't have the led strips though.

 

[The Gray Phantom]

How high do you have the light? I'd go 12 to 14 inches if possible. What bulb do you run? I'd go with 14 or 20k.
Also just wondering what type of lps?

I can only go 12. That’s what they are at. I’m pretty sure they are 20K. I have anemones, monti, lobos,plates, green star polyp, mushrooms, and xzenias.

How high off the water is the fixture?

I run my halide 11hrs a day with no problem. I don't have the led strips though.

Is you tank all SPS though?

 

[Mal11224]

I’m wondering if there is another issue here. I have 2 X 250w MH with 4 T5s running on my 70 gal and have not had any issues. My light is about 9” off the surface. May need a par meter but if you have bleaching at the bottom, could be something else afoot.

 

[The Gray Phantom]

I’m wondering if there is another issue here. I have 2 X 250w MH with 4 T5s running on my 70 gal and have not had any issues. My light is about 9” off the surface. May need a par meter but if you have bleaching at the bottom, could be something else afoot.

The bleaching is all levels. I had my friend check with the par meter and I think it was like 300 at the bottom.

 

[MTBake]

My tank is mostly sps. I do have some lps and zoas mixed in though.

Curious what your parameters are. Care to post them?

 

[The Gray Phantom]

My tank is mostly sps. I do have some lps and zoas mixed in though.

Curious what your parameters are. Care to post them?

Salinity 1.25
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1600
KH 9

 

[Mark Gray]

What are your NO3 and PO4 reading i am wondering if they are starving

 

[WWIII]

So you were running some type of light for 16 hrs per day and now you're running some type of light for 18 hrs per day? Or 14 hours per day total? If the blue strips are xho's then they are decently strong to be running for more than 12 hrs. Still wouldn't think that would cause bleaching, but would probably limit total illumination period to 12 hours or less. Maybe around 10 hours till the corals start to look better.

 

[The Gray Phantom]

What are your NO3 and PO4 reading i am wondering if they are starving

I don’t know. I can check tomorrow.

So you were running some type of light for 16 hrs per day and now you're running some type of light for 18 hrs per day? Or 14 hours per day total? If the blue strips are xho's then they are decently strong to be running for more than 12 hrs. Still wouldn't think that would cause bleaching, but would probably limit total illumination period to 12 hours or less. Maybe around 10 hours till the corals start to look better.

14 hours total. The blues come on at 8 am and are on until 10pm. The whites come on at 11 and shut off at 2pm. Before this schedule it was blues 3 hours, white 9 hours, and blues 4 hours.
Since I started the 14 hour schedule a few have regained color but some are the same and it happens to any new one. Would the AI Prime HDs be better than the MH?

 

[Reefersutherland_]

What was the bleaching like? RTN? Gradual color changes?
I’ve found it’s usually a water quality issue more than lighting with acros.
For salinity you meant 1.025 correct?

 

[The Gray Phantom]

What was the bleaching like? RTN? Gradual color changes?
I’ve found it’s usually a water quality issue more than lighting with acros.
For salinity you meant 1.025 correct?

I would buy new ones and gradually they would turn like transparent colors. Some would turn like clear. Yes that’s what I meant. I have all LPS and clams.