Mixed reef coral bleaching

[Jtk920]

New here, hello. I'm running a 150 gallon mixed reef with a 55 gallon sump. It's been up for 2 years but just started adding coral about a month ago. Running 36" dsuny leds and 6 t5's. Before I added coral I turned off the t5's and reduced intensity of the leds to 45%.
This is what was added and I've noted what's bleaching.
Slight bleaching-blue acropora ORA pearl berry

Bleaching bad-dark green acropora Green Tort

Bleaching bad-orange montipora

Hasn't opened-toxic green palythoa

Bleaching moderate-purple chalice

-rhodactis mushroom

Bleaching bad-orange montipora setosa

-neon green trumpet
-pink pulsing xenia
-green star polyp
-purple rhodactis

Bleaching bad-neon green birdsnest
Ph-7.93
salinity-1.025
alkalinity-5.6
calcium-400
magnesium-1400
NH3-0
NO2-0
NO3-1
PO4-0
Tds rodi-0 tds in tank 5224
I've attached some photos of when I got them and some current.
I know alkalinity was a bit low but I tested before I dosed.
Anyone have any ideas?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Moderate light and water flow .
Your parameters especially alk, ph and CA are issues. All the zeros indicate NO nutrients but I m have another suspicion about your zero readings. I assume you are USING API test kits to test ammonia- nitrate-ph and as those Zero readings seem improbable and API is notorious for false readings and have dissapointed many reefers hence the very low price for a master kit.
I would have the water tested at a trusted LFS that does not use API kits for a second opinion and see what reading they come up with

Ideal are :
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .4
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-9
CA 440

 

[saltybees]

What did you use to measure the tds in the tank? If you’re using the same meter for the ro and the tank it’s probably wrecked now. Any fish or any other life in there? And what Vette said about the parems is true

 

[Jtk920]

I used 2 different brands of kits, salifert and checked those readings with api kit. Both came back the same. I remove water from the tank to test tds, with a portable tds/ec meter. I don't understand why you say the tank would be wrecked now? I don't believe flow is the issue, I have 4 adjustable return nozzles and 5 powerheads. There set so there not blasting at the coral. I dosed alk and calcium after I tested this morning. Just checked a couple things again,
Ph 8
Alk 6.2
Cal 420
Nitrate .2
Ammonia 0
As for fish
Stripped sailfin
Naso tang
4 clowns
3 chromos
3 damsels
Bicolor angle
Coral beauty
Lunar wrasp
Scooter blendy
Assorted snails
Some emerald Crabs, though I haven't seen them in a long time.
Should I up my cal and alk dosing over the next few days to bring them up slowly?

 

[Jtk920]

I used 2 different brands of kits, salifert and checked those readings with api kit. Both came back the same. I remove water from the tank to test tds, with a portable tds/ec meter. I don't understand why you say the tank would be wrecked now? I don't believe flow is the issue, I have 4 adjustable return nozzles and 5 powerheads. There set so there not blasting at the coral. I dosed alk and calcium after I tested this morning. Just checked a couple things again,
Ph 8
Alk 6.2
Cal 420
Nitrate .2
Ammonia 0
As for fish
Stripped sailfin
Naso tang
4 clowns
3 chromos
3 damsels
Bicolor angle
Coral beauty
Lunar wrasp
Scooter blendy
Assorted snails
Some emerald Crabs, though I haven't seen them in a long time.
Should I up my cal and alk dosing over the next few days to bring them up slowly?

I'm sorry, I misread. I use 2 different tds meters, one is on my rodi filter, the other is a portable for testing the saltwater.

 

[Jtk920]

I have a dual reactor running phosban and carbon, dual filter socks, 5 lbs biomedia, huge cheto ball and red reef 350 skimmer. I've always had issues keeping the ph and alk up. My water is from a well, not sure if that has any bearing.

 

[Jtk920]

Ran tests with a Fluval master test kit, things came back the same. I don't have a lfs other than petco and I wouldn't trust any results from them.

 

[Pistondog]

Green birdsnest low to mid light, my green polyps disappear with too much flow.

 

[Jtk920]

CARE LEVEL: Intermediate
TEMPERAMENT: Semi-Aggressive
PLACEMENT: On Rockwork or Rubble
WATER MOVEMENT: Strong
LIGHTING: Moderate- Strong

5 different suppliers have this listed for requirements for green birdsnest

 

[HomebroodExotics]

I would guess you need to feed more or less light imo. More towards feed more.

 

[saltybees]

The alk is definitely on the low side, probably want to try and keep it over 7 at least. if you’re using rodi I don’t think it would matter if it’s out of a well as long as the tds is 0, could always run an ICP. Are the lights still low? What’s that brown stuff on the overflow wall? Just algae? Kind of looks like Dinos? Hard to tell by the pics tho you’d have to look under a microscope but they can destroy corals

 

[Jtk920]

I have some dinos going on, there almost gone. They started after adding the rock with the
-blue acropora ORA pearl berry, acropora Green Tort, and orange montipora setosa.
Did 4 12 gallon water changes the last 3 weeks and added one dose of vibrant.

 

[saltybees]

How do you know they’re almost gone? Just curious. And what about the lights? Are they still at 45%? Did the corals start going down hill after the vibrant?

 

[Jtk920]

So bring alkalinity up slowly over the next few days? I changed some flow around to see if the green polyps will open. Not sure how much lower to go with the lighting. Nothing is over 45%, and only two of the four channels hit 45% for 2hrs. Should I decrease lighting more?

 

[Jtk920]

I had some red and brown slime algae show up a week after adding the corals. Corals started showing signs of bleaching after 2 weeks. The vibrant was added last Friday and has for the most part takin care of the algae. Coral was on a decline prior

 

[saltybees]

No I don’t think it’s light related if you haven’t changed that. Somethings off if the softies are struggling too. How do you test salinity? Refrac need to be recalibrated? How much carbon do you run? You could try turning the reactors off and see if there’s any improvement, maybe the nutrients are too low.

 

[Jtk920]

I test with a refractometer, I have 2 and tested with both, recalibrated both and tested again. Results were the same 1.025
Not sure exactly how much carbon, whatever fills a 10" reactor. Bulk reef suggested dosing some coral amino, I started that on Friday.

 

[Jtk920]

I'm taking a guess that I'm low on nutrients. The dinos were getting pretty bad and my nitrite and phosphate test came up 0's. I'm assuming the dinos were consuming them. I'll shut the reactor off now and test tomorrow.

 

[saltybees]

Maybe leave the carbon running if you know for sure you have dinos, when they die they release toxins and that could become an issue in itself. How often do you change the carbon? Maybe freshen everything up, turn off the phosban, get your alk up to 7+ and feed the fish more. Dosing phyto can help battle the dinos/pest algae and feed the corals too..not sure what else, I’d just start there and see if there’s an improvement.

 

[Jtk920]

I can't run just carbon it's a dual reactor. Phosban was changed 2 months ago and carbon last week. I'm working on the alkalinity, feeding reef roids to corals with coral amino, today I started feeling 4 times a day instead of 2. Pellets in the morning, mysis late morning, flake mid afternoon, and pellets early evening.