SPS Frag Turning White?

tutmatt3 · Feb 4, 2017

Hey Guys,

So here is a frag I grab from the amazing o2manyfish! I got a few from him about 1-2 weeks ago, red monti cap, green birds nest, xenia, digitata, and this guy (not sure the name, sorry!)

As you can see, it began to turn white. It appears to be still alive, and when I look closely I can still see blue dots. This is the only frag that's doing this. I know there's many factors that can be involved, but I'd love to hear some suggestions!

It appears as if its bleaching, but I doubt my lights are strong enough to bleach! They are current USA orbit marines, and I'm actually upgrading to the IC's when they come in on Tuesday. Here is par data for the orbits vs IC. Tank is only 20" deep: http://current-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Orbit_Marine_Light_Specifications.pdf

Water Specs:
Ph 8.2/am 0/ nit 0 / nitrate 10 / calc 440 / alk 10 / mag 1440ish / temp 79

This particular frag is sitting closer to the bottom (right next to the mushrooms, rock bottom right so what, like 15" deep?)

Tank has been up for about 2 months, and (after) tossing in the frags there was my first diatom bloom that is on it's way out - no CUC

Love to hear your guys opinions if possibly it was the individual frag didn't make it during the transition, or maybe my set up / water parameters were not ideal for it. As mentioned everything else appears to be thriving - but still early to tell long term.

Diesel · Feb 5, 2017

It might be starving.
Please fill in the answers for us............

A. Total water volume ( Please include sump, etc.)

B. What are your parameters? ( CA, ALK, PO4,Salinity, etc.)

C. Type of lighting. Please include age, watts, and bulb/ballast name.

D. Filtration method (Skimmer, GFO, DSB, etc.)

E. What types of corals do you keep other than SPS?

F. How long has the tank been running?

G. What are you dosing? Dosing schedule?

H. Which brand of salt are you using?

I. What brand of test kits are you employing?

J. What are you using for CA/ALK supplementation?

K. What are you using for flow? (Pump names, how many, placement, etc.)

tutmatt3 · Feb 5, 2017

A) 55GAL - HOLDING ABOUT 44GAL WATER AFTER ROCKS & SAND VOLUME, NO SUMP
B) PH 8.2, AM 0, NIT 0, NITRATE 10, TEMP 78, SALT 1.025, CALC 440, ALK 10, MAG 1440, PHOS 0
C) CURRENT - http://current-usa.com/aquarium-led-lights/orbit-marine-fixtures/orbit-marine/ BUT UPGRADING TO http://current-usa.com/loop/orbit-ic-led-aquarium-light/ TUESDAY. CURRENT LEDS < THAN 1 MONTH OLD
D) 2X HOB FILTERS RATED @ 10X TURN OVER RATE, & UNBRANDED PROTEIN SKIMMER RATED @ 100GAL+
E) GREEN HAIRY MUSHROOMS, XENIA, RED MONTI CAP, DIGITATA, GREEN BIRDS NEST
F) 2 MONTHS
G) N/A
H) INSTANT OCEAN (NON REEF CRYSTALS)
I) API TEST KITS FOR ALL BUT MAG. SALIFERT FOR MAG
J) SEACHEM SUPPLIMENTS AS NEEDED (NOT OFTEN, ONLY TWICE SO FAR JUST TO GET PARS A LITTLE HIGHER) (REEF BUILDER, BUFFER, CALCIUM, AND MAG)
K) 2X NO NAME POWERHEADS RATED @ 650 EACH. ONE TOP LEFT, ONE BOTOTM RIGHT. ONE CURRENT USA WAVE MAKER COMING IN TUES

Hope it helps understand the tank better. As said, I know it's a pretty young tank, which is why I wanted to test out some small frags & see how they do.
Birds nest is doing wonderful!!! xenia thriving as well, mushrooms doubled in 2x weeks, red monti cap appears to do well (since it healed where it was broken off, and is now red instead of the white chipped), and the other one I can't identify (i think digitata) hasn't displayed any color, but hasn't changed either. Just brown stick so far. Might be that's what it is, or might be the lights.

Fish are currently in QT for 2x more months. Had 2 clowns in the DT, but out of paranoia, I'm treating for ICH and running DT fallow since they never went in a qt before. I toss in food every other day to keep bacteria going.

Sabellafella · Feb 5, 2017

tutmatt3 said:
A) 55GAL - HOLDING ABOUT 44GAL WATER AFTER ROCKS & SAND VOLUME, NO SUMP
B) PH 8.2, AM 0, NIT 0, NITRATE 10, TEMP 78, SALT 1.025, CALC 440, ALK 10, MAG 1440, PHOS 0
C) CURRENT - http://current-usa.com/aquarium-led-lights/orbit-marine-fixtures/orbit-marine/ BUT UPGRADING TO http://current-usa.com/loop/orbit-ic-led-aquarium-light/ TUESDAY. CURRENT LEDS < THAN 1 MONTH OLD
D) 2X HOB FILTERS RATED @ 10X TURN OVER RATE, & UNBRANDED PROTEIN SKIMMER RATED @ 100GAL+
E) GREEN HAIRY MUSHROOMS, XENIA, RED MONTI CAP, DIGITATA, GREEN BIRDS NEST
F) 2 MONTHS
G) N/A
H) INSTANT OCEAN (NON REEF CRYSTALS)
I) API TEST KITS FOR ALL BUT MAG. SALIFERT FOR MAG
J) SEACHEM SUPPLIMENTS AS NEEDED (NOT OFTEN, ONLY TWICE SO FAR JUST TO GET PARS A LITTLE HIGHER) (REEF BUILDER, BUFFER, CALCIUM, AND MAG)
K) 2X NO NAME POWERHEADS RATED @ 650 EACH. ONE TOP LEFT, ONE BOTOTM RIGHT. ONE CURRENT USA WAVE MAKER COMING IN TUES

Hope it helps understand the tank better. As said, I know it's a pretty young tank, which is why I wanted to test out some small frags & see how they do.
Birds nest is doing wonderful!!! xenia thriving as well, mushrooms doubled in 2x weeks, red monti cap appears to do well (since it healed where it was broken off, and is now red instead of the white chipped), and the other one I can't identify (i think digitata) hasn't displayed any color, but hasn't changed either. Just brown stick so far. Might be that's what it is, or might be the lights.

Fish are currently in QT for 2x more months. Had 2 clowns in the DT, but out of paranoia, I'm treating for ICH and running DT fallow since they never went in a qt before. I toss in food every other day to keep bacteria going.

Whats your phosphate level?

tutmatt3 · Feb 5, 2017

Sabellafella said:
Whats your phosphate level?

Sorry, abbreviated it as PHOS. Currently no trace of phosphate w/ API test.

Using RODI system from Aquatic Life for all water. DI resin is great as well.

JFrar · Feb 5, 2017

I dont know that 2 months is enough for a new system, hard to tell but do you just have a clown or 2 in that anemone(looks like one) in the back???? i'd give it awhile before trying another SPS

JFrar · Feb 5, 2017

and when you do try an sps again...get the cheapest one you can find

Diesel · Feb 5, 2017

tutmatt3 said:
A) 55GAL - HOLDING ABOUT 44GAL WATER AFTER ROCKS & SAND VOLUME, NO SUMP
B) PH 8.2, AM 0, NIT 0, NITRATE 10, TEMP 78, SALT 1.025, CALC 440, ALK 10, MAG 1440, PHOS 0
C) CURRENT - http://current-usa.com/aquarium-led-lights/orbit-marine-fixtures/orbit-marine/ BUT UPGRADING TO http://current-usa.com/loop/orbit-ic-led-aquarium-light/ TUESDAY. CURRENT LEDS < THAN 1 MONTH OLD
D) 2X HOB FILTERS RATED @ 10X TURN OVER RATE, & UNBRANDED PROTEIN SKIMMER RATED @ 100GAL+
E) GREEN HAIRY MUSHROOMS, XENIA, RED MONTI CAP, DIGITATA, GREEN BIRDS NEST
F) 2 MONTHS
G) N/A
H) INSTANT OCEAN (NON REEF CRYSTALS)
I) API TEST KITS FOR ALL BUT MAG. SALIFERT FOR MAG
J) SEACHEM SUPPLIMENTS AS NEEDED (NOT OFTEN, ONLY TWICE SO FAR JUST TO GET PARS A LITTLE HIGHER) (REEF BUILDER, BUFFER, CALCIUM, AND MAG)
K) 2X NO NAME POWERHEADS RATED @ 650 EACH. ONE TOP LEFT, ONE BOTOTM RIGHT. ONE CURRENT USA WAVE MAKER COMING IN TUES

Hope it helps understand the tank better. As said, I know it's a pretty young tank, which is why I wanted to test out some small frags & see how they do.
Birds nest is doing wonderful!!! xenia thriving as well, mushrooms doubled in 2x weeks, red monti cap appears to do well (since it healed where it was broken off, and is now red instead of the white chipped), and the other one I can't identify (i think digitata) hasn't displayed any color, but hasn't changed either. Just brown stick so far. Might be that's what it is, or might be the lights.

Fish are currently in QT for 2x more months. Had 2 clowns in the DT, but out of paranoia, I'm treating for ICH and running DT fallow since they never went in a qt before. I toss in food every other day to keep bacteria going.

Ok it been mention before that 2 months can be the issue and undetectable Po4.
Lets go from top to bottom where I think your issue can be.
First two months can be a issue, that only if your system is fallow.
Your livestock isn't there to take care of valuable nutrients as explains your low Po4.
Secondly you using a buffer for what?
Your water changes should keep up with the parameters as we speak.
When you have low # in nutrients in a fallow tank feed the tank some dry flake food in the filter sock.
Lowering your Birdnest can help as well due to being to high maybe.
I know they can hold on to high light but putting them high from the get go can give you photo shock.

tutmatt3 · Feb 5, 2017

Thanks for the response guys

That's actually some silver pulsing xenia in the back, which seems to thrive! No anemone yet

Correct, the fish are in qt, but I understand how that can be a problem

The birds nest is actually doing wonderful where I placed it (the green one)
Is this blue one a birds nest as well?

It was pretty low in the tank actually, so let night I moved it up to see if that will have a change

And regarding phosphates, I thought those were better undetected? I buffed ph because my water comes out as 7.8, and I wanted it in the lower 8s

Diesel · Feb 5, 2017

Po4 are needed as those are again nutrients for corals.
Most ppl have it around 0.04, IMO that is still low.
I have mine on the moment sitting at 0.12 and No3 at 3ppm which can be higher still.
If PH is at 7.8 try to get some fresh air over the tank.
Probably your Co2 level in the house is around 1000ppm which is normal.
Many hobbyist say not to chase your PH especially with buffers.
Let it be at 7.8.
What I forgot to mention that investing in better test kits than the API as you will get more accurate numbers.

tutmatt3 · Feb 5, 2017

Thanks on the advice. Ok I'll see what I can do about the air, and I'll stop chasing ph.

Guess I'll be cautious until I add fish back in
Cheers

Diesel · Feb 5, 2017

tutmatt3 said:
Thanks on the advice. Ok I'll see what I can do about the air, and I'll stop chasing ph.

Guess I'll be cautious until I add fish back in
Cheers

Keep us updated my friend.