SPS coral turning white.

[WVReefJunkie]

I am having issues mostly with SPS coral in my tank turning white. I keep DKH around 8.5-9.0, Calcium 400-420 and Mag around 1300. I have mixed corals in a 220 Gallon tank. It has been a ongoing issue for me. The corals will turn white, and then color back up over time. I run a Kalk stirrer and hand dose Seachem dry advantage and Calcium when needed. I would like some input on this issue. Here is a pic of a mystic montipora with spots on it, acros are effective too.

 

[whixley101]

Nutrient levels? Light Source?

 

[twilliard]

The no3 and po4 levels are important along with DOC'S

Where are you at?
Also what is your feeding schedules?

 

[WVReefJunkie]

Phosphates, around 0.07 ppm, haven't tested no3 in a while. Flake food 12:30, 2:30, 4:30. Mysis once in the evenings. Roughly 20 fish.

 

[WVReefJunkie]

Gen2 radions- Radiant schedule @ 70 percent.

 

[WVReefJunkie]

Reef Octopus DC-INT 250 I believe is the name of the skimmer, with refugium.

 

[Squamosa]

I am having issues mostly with SPS coral in my tank turning white. I keep DKH around 8.5-9.0, Calcium 400-420 and Mag around 1300. I have mixed corals in a 220 Gallon tank. It has been a ongoing issue for me. The corals will turn white, and then color back up over time. I run a Kalk stirrer and hand dose Seachem dry advantage and Calcium when needed. I would like some input on this issue. Here is a pic of a mystic montipora with spots on it, acros are effective too.

By coloured white I would presume an overall bleach, however, you have patches of localised bleaching.

This might indicate a pest (montipora nudibranchs can be culprits here) or you have 'burned' areas possibly from some form of coral warfare (I had an anemone wonder over a monti and caused something similar to this), a powerhead too close or chemicals were dropped on the coral (kalk or you dosed in tank with magnesium?)

I've also had a hungry foxface nipp little circles in my monti, only the red one funnily enough, so there's that too!

Good luck :)

 

[whixley101]

^agree

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

Feed more! Really, it's that simple.. :)
Get yourself an eheim feeder, feed at midnight, 6 am, noon, and 6 pm. Or setup dosers that feed Reef Energy every hour.

Through all the opinions etc, over the years I've seen. One truth remains:
The ocean has food, delivered to corals, 24x7. (period)

 

[WVReefJunkie]

Funny you said that, I was thinking the same thing. I started feeding more yesterday. I will reset my feeding intervals on my feeder. Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[Zsolt Molnar]

This is just something to think about as well. I see you have some Asterina starfish in the background on the aquarium wall. They can also eat some corals as well but they usually like polyps. Since you have plaiting Montiporas maybe some food lands on it at feeding time. And when they go for the food the coral just becomes casualty. Or some sort of chemical burns. I guess just keep on eye on it. Good luck!

 

[Thomas Courville]

ok having a issue here, 3 of my sps after 2 months have started to turn white - one is starting from bottom and one from the middle up and the 3rd from the top down. Nitrate 0, Phosphate .25, Salinity 1.025, ALK 10, calcium 460 and Mag is at 1360......running 3 kessils 40% color and 70% strangth for about 8 hours a day.......what could be the deal???? Maybe nitrates too low for that ALK? Also PH is at 8.1