Urgent Sps bleached overnight

Ok, and it has been a minute since my last posting (09), but i have been busy (2 kids later), and I have a piggy back question. What does it mean if there is white, but the polyps ARE extended from the area? I just upgraded. Had 4*t5 lights, but the ballast blew on 2 of them, so i was stuck with only two lights. A week later I bought a 48" with 2* MH and 2*t5 which moves from about 260 to 605 watts in my 55g.

And I recently read in an online article that stress will create the bleaching effect. So, the low alkalinity may be creating a stressor that in turn leads to the bleaching.

 

I think your upgrade in lights is bleaching them out. If there is any way to raise the lights higher, or lower the corals in the tank, either would be be a good move to try.

Welcome back

 

Sorry meant .05. Temp here has been rising alot. Just running lots of bags of ice in the tank. But they melt fast so trying to bring temp down and will dose more part b tonight to raise alk. Thanks for all your responses. I've cooled the tank down and it looks like the bleaching has stopped spreading.

 

Here is a pic that i am finally able to post. when staring now though, my red planet and another bigger reddish piece in the back appear unaffected, still have full polyp extension while others are bleaching at exact same height levels.

 

Those look like RTN I see bits of flesh still attached to the white areas
I'd get a fan and balance that to a temp you like and get your alk up to 10ish
I like mine at 11
Sorry for your losses

 

82 - 84 . . . That's 1 hot ass tank man. It's probly a combination of factors!

 

the great barrier reef is bleaching because of over heating the temp is in the 83 range. James

 

Sort of, not exactly. Generally it takes sustained temps over about 85ish to cause bleaching. The issue is the historic average for the barrier reef is relatively cool, compared to most reefs (i.e 77-82.4). So, that means raising the average to 83ish, means there are more spikes significantly higher than 83. NOAA uses the term "degree heating weeks" to estimate risk of bleaching for example.

This article describes many of the average temperatures. I don't share the views of the author. I think it is beneficial to keep a tank a bit cooler, as a buffer. Ron is a bit extreme on that.

Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: November 1997: Feature

For a more down to earth view, I really like Chris's series of temp articles.

Part 1:
Manhattan Reefs - The Great Temperature Debate (Part 1) by Chris Jury

Part 2:
Manhattan Reefs - The Great Temperature Debate Part II

Part 3:
Manhattan Reefs - The Great Temperature Debate, Part III


The issue here though is necrosis not bleaching. For the most part, this is believed to be due to an opportunistic pathogen. Likely it will continue to spread, once the infection has set in. You can wait, but often it's best to frag it. Sometimes you can superglue the dead part to stop the infection and the coral will grow over it. Likely since there are multiple corals effected, it was due to some parameter or combination of parameters. Temp certainly could have had an influence, especially if your tank isn't typically accustomed to those levels. However, likely there are other factors. So, you should also focus on water changes, carbon, skimming etc... As others have said, compounding of stressors is the most likely scenario.

 

thank you everyone for your quick replies, I brought the temp down overnight to 80 degrees, added some more alk and threw a fan on the light to stop as much heat as i could. The combination of low alk, and high calc and high temp all reacted badly.

Thanks everyone for your advice and help.
M2434 your articles were very good. Thank you for sharing.

 

Like many have said before. I'm not sure if the temp is the factor but the temp swings can lead to RTN. I believe that is what is going on from the pics.
Stabilize your temp with fans blowing over the water surface. This will increase evaporation which in turn will cool the tank

J