Did this event cause SPS bleaching ??

A few weeks ago I changed out all six T5 bulbs and used the screen method, starting with four and taking one off a week. I have used this method in the past with no issues.Currently still have two screens in place.

On Sunday and Monday I noticed some minor bleaching on some of my SPS primarily near the base but also near the tips on a few. And I am wondering if what happened Saturday and Saturday night is the cause.

I was gone all day Saturday and the tank temperature got up to 84 which is five degrees more than normal.(Unfortunately the screens also hold in the heat more) My controller shut off my lights and heaters but the tank remained that high most of the day. Saturday evening when I got home the tank was still 84 and only dropped to about 82 overnight.

The other major issue was sometime overnight my main pump seized up, my MP10 fell off after a snail got stuck and broke the impeller and my MP40 seized up and shutdown. So I literally had no water flow with a tank temp of 82 for upwards of 7-8 hours.

My question is, did this specific event cause the sudden bleaching ?


Lastly, there were no swings or changes in parameters

Alk 9.0
Ca 480
Mg 1300
No4 .02
Po4 .004
Salinity 1.026

 

In my opinion yes that would be enough.

 

Wow, that's the epitome of "when one thing goes wrong everything starts to go wrong!" I can definitely see where that might stress out your corals to see some bleaching. Good luck!

 

Certainly yes, with the temperature spike being the biggest player.

 

You should play the lottery. Your luck literally could not get any worse :/ Sorry to hear about all of your troubles.

 

Good idea, Powerball is up to $235 millon ;D