New sps bleaching from bottom up!?!?

Added a birdsnest to my 5 gallon pico. Lighting is sufficient for sps. It was fragged then brought home connected to the rock with putty. Any suggestions!?

 

Post water params and we will help your easier

 

Hard to tell on the iPhone but that looks more like a stylophora to me. Mine is white on the base where it gets shaded by its branches but bright purple elsewhere. Had been for the last 6 months but grows great!!

 

In my experience only, this is usually caused by difficulties with ALK.

I see tissue loss at the base rather than bleaching. Often called STN (slow tissue necrosis) vs. RTN (Rapid tissue necrosis).

 

Well it used to be covered completely 2 days ago. I just got home so I will check water parameters and I think your right steeler about it being a stylophora.

 

Found the problem. When I checked to go to the lfs my nitrates had read 0... Now they are about 5-10!!!! My calcium was also a little low at 370. I will be doing water changes about 15% every other day. Hope it pulls through but it's going quick. Any suggestions?

 

That nitrate value is not your problem.

My tank would be full of skeletons if it was.

But hey why check the alk?

 

I was running a very successful tank 3 year ago with nitrates in the 30+ range.

 

I don't have a test kit for alkalinity. Do you think my water change helped?

 

It probably did to some extent.

If you can not test for alk and can test for pH then try to get a pH value.

Since having this problem more than once or twice myself, you will save yourself money and coral by getting a Ca/Alk/Mag test kit, it's really essential to keep SPS.

You can get pretty decent prices on specials for RedSea Pro or Seachem if you look around.

Next will come dosing eventually.

Welcome to sps in a nano.