What can I do?

[framerguy]

My acros are bleaching. I bought four of them about 5 weeks ago. I placed them on the bottom of my tank for one week, then moved them up a little and left them there for a week. Then I removed their plastic bases and used super glue gel to adhere them to the rockwork about 2/3 of the way up in the tank. That was a little over two weeks ago. last week my blue one bleached, starting on Wednesday and was totally gone saturday morn. I took photos of them on Monday:



Today (Wednesday,6/20/07)this one looks like this:


I didn't notice anything unusual this morning. Both started bleaching from the adhesion point. Isn't superglue gel what your're supposed to use?

Following are tank specs and water parameters:
75g Main, 2x 150 HQI MH (on noon - 9pm), 4 x 65 w PC(on 8am-10pm)
turboflotor skimmer 24/7, 950 gph mag drive with sea swirl return.
Latest tests: NH3=-.025, NO2=0, NO3=.01, iodine=.03, phos=0.0, ph=8.16, alk=8Kdh, Calc=425, Str=10, mag=1325

Feeding:morn= 2/3 cube frozen (diff each day, brine,mysis, emerald entree, some prime reef flake), evening:same but food is thawed in Seachem Reef Plus and Reef trace. Once /wk/ 2/5 ml microvert.

I change 1g/SW/day supplement with calc,str,mag and seachem iodide.

I started using Phosgard on 6/2 for phos and algae problems. They are totally cleared up.

I'm drawing a blank on what else to tell you. My calc reactor recirc pump pooped out on me saturday and I've ordered a new one so I'm dosing calc by hand til then. The other two look OK still. help!

[DrHank]

I'd toss a few layers of nylon screening over the tank to reduce the amount of light. Give them some time to acclimate and see if they improve. Remove a layer per week and hope for the best. I doubt that the super glue was the problem. Everybody uses it.

[blue_eyes53813]

Acros can be very finicky. if you touch them alot sometimes you can damage the tissue on them. I am afraid to touch/.superglue mine because they seem to die really quick. I have tried to use gloves or even used plastic sandwich bags to handle them.. Just let it be and see if it pulls through.

[mps9506]

That doesn't look like bleaching, it looks more like RTN or STN.

RTN and STN are not as easy to pinpoint the exact cause. The flesh literally decays off the skeleton at a relatively fast rate.

I personally would suggest that you try frags that are already mounted and have the skeleton growing on the mounts. These are typically less stressed than fresh frags (I have NO proof of this, just personal observation and experience). you may have better luck going this route, especially if you are new to keeping acros.

[framerguy]

That's a good idea. I thought if it was a lighting issue they would have bleached from the tips down. The bleaching is beginning at the base and the underside, and the tips with the most light exposure hold their color the longest. He's practically bleaching before our eyes!

[mps9506]

Well bleaching and RTN are two different things.

Bleaching itself can be caused by a number of different things, however bleaching can be recovered from.

IME once an acro starts RTN, it is extremely difficult and unlikely to save. I have fragged up coral colonies that started RTN, and maybe saved a frag or two from them, but it seems when they start to go like that, it is difficult to turn around.

Bleaching on the other hand can usually be stopped and the coral can regain it's health by reducing the stressors on the coral, ensuring good water quality and flow, perhaps limiting or lowering the amount of light. Although that makes it sound much easier than it seems.

[framerguy]

I was posting a reply when the RTN came up. My temp fluctuates from 74 to as high as 81, though it only gets that high on really hot days. 79 is a normal high. I thought RTN was brought on by high temps.

[mps9506]

Well, that is a pretty wide temperature fluctuation. I would suggest raising your heaters thermostat or controller to cut on the keep you tanks min temp. somewhere closer to 76-78, and invest in some small fans to cut on when your lights are on to keep the water temp down during the day.
This will help reduce the stress on your acros and prevent problems like this down the road.

[framerguy]

Thanks a lot for all the help. I do have fans that run when the lights are on but I'll try turning up the heater to keep it where it is right now at 78. Hope the other two make it! I think this one's done for, they didn't call it RAPID for nothin', but my fingers are crossed. Thanks again...

[BigAl07]

that's how I have to keep one of my tanks set up. The heater is set right at my highest daily temp (lights on) this way the swing is all but eliminated.

Good luck!!

Allen

[framerguy]

Update, Thursday noon- I think he's getting better (meaning he didn't get any worse) the temp stayed at 78.2 all night, it's at 79 right now. the other two still look fine (fingers crossed!). Thanks again all. Coincedentally, I installed an A/C vent in the tank room two weeks ago because the heat back there was awful to work in, hmmm, that's when the trouble began

[BigAl07]

Just keep your heater set up to near your maximum daily temp and it should help alleviate your temp swings.

Allen