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HiddenClown
10/18/2006, 12:28 PM
What can I do for a bleaching acro? I think the problem was that he wasn't getting enough flow and now I have changed that. Is there anything I can do? As of right now, only a few of the tips are starting to turn white.

-Thanks

Travis L. Stevens
10/18/2006, 12:48 PM
Most likely if you've only had a tank up for about 3 months, it's not ready for that type of coral. But, normally, different colored tips are often an indication of growth. In the even that it is under direct, high powered flow like from a powerhead, you could be doing more harm than good. What are your water parameters and lighting?

HiddenClown
10/18/2006, 12:59 PM
My experience and tank are out of date. I had a 30 gal. for about 2 years and then moved it to a 65 gal. I'v got a coralife light that is has 2 150 watt HQI bulbs. The coral itself is about a foot right under one of the bulbs. Water parameters are all good and where they should be but calcium and it was down to 370 ppm. The tip aren't just whats becoming white, it is slowing starting to run down the stalks of the coral.

J_Geisinger000
10/18/2006, 03:50 PM
cant help if you dont list all your params?

HiddenClown
10/18/2006, 06:43 PM
ph 8.2
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
calcium 400
alk. 14.1 dKH (i haven't dosed to raise it so i don't know how or why it's that high. the only thing I can think of is the new substrait from when I switched to the 65 gal.)
ammonia 0
mag. 1000 ppm

I know calcium and magnesium are alittle low but would that cause this problem? I don't believe so but I want to make sure. Also the very tips of the acro aren't bleached it starts right after the very tip top of the stalk, the tips are still the color of the rest of the acro.

HiddenClown
10/18/2006, 07:59 PM
bump, please guys any help?

HiddenClown
10/18/2006, 09:30 PM
bump

Trigeek
10/19/2006, 04:58 AM
Did you add any new LR during the upgrade? If you did, you might be getting some die off from something in the rock (sponges, bacteria etc.) that would release stuff into the water that might not show up on the test kits. Acro is ultrasensitive to parameter changes which is why they do best in mature, stable systems. Are you getting temperature swings or pH swings during the day?

GMAX
10/19/2006, 08:11 AM
With alkalinity that high you may have burned the coral. A strong base is just as caustic as a strong acid.

Big water change and then add some white table vinegar to start bringing the alk down a bit. Only dose calcium for a bit to allow the alk to drop naturally too.

HiddenClown
10/19/2006, 10:18 AM
temp stays around 79-80 during the day and wouldn't the die off from new live rock show up at ammonia and nitrates?

GMAX
10/19/2006, 10:23 AM
NSW is 7 dKh recommended range is 7-11. You are at 14.1! And this is a logrhythmic scale not a linear one so you have an extremely base tank. It aint anything else.

HiddenClown
10/19/2006, 11:53 AM
you think the only problem is the high alk.?

grego
11/14/2006, 01:29 AM
mine is at 12.6, and the same thing my acros started to bleach from the tips now I´ll try to bring it down to 8-9

theatrus
11/14/2006, 02:12 AM
It could be many many things, but very high kH or kH swings are a leading cause of the demise of acros.

I would do some water changes with water you know is roughly where you want it dKH and Ca wise. Personally, I run 10.5dkH and 460ppm Ca.