Major bleaching

[Pauli]

I just want to prep you folks for an issue that I will elaborate on later, game is on soon and I intend to watch.

I just purchased 12 frags, I know probably stupid to do. Well they are bleaching really bad. I think that 3 are gone and more are heading that way.

I tested the water today, here are the results. I know the alk is high and I have turned the Ca reactor down a little to help.

Mg 1260
Ca (via Sr test) 450
Ca (via Ca test) 450
Alk 11 dKH
Sr 4
NH4 <0.25 basically none
NO2 0.05
NO3 10
SG 1.025
Temp 78 controlled with chiller
pH 8.2

I had them on the floor of the tank about 2.5 ft. from the MH and have just moved them onto the lr higher in the tank to get more light about 1.5 feet below. I have also adjusted the tunzes to make sure that they are getting plenty of flow.

I will list my entire tanks specs and get some pics tomorrow.

Any prelim. ideas?

[mg]

How long has this tank been set up? Based on theose numbers you are in the middle of a cycle. That is most likely the issue, especially if they are SPS.

[Pauli]

Tank was setup and running July 4. Why do you say it is in the middle of a cycle? Or what specifically makes you think that iit is in the middle of a cycle?

All of the test at new Salifert tests. I did not test P today but I am sure that the result is negilible.

[mg]

Originally Posted by Pauli

Tank was setup and running July 4. Why do you say it is in the middle of a cycle? Or what specifically makes you think that iit is in the middle of a cycle?

All of the test at new Salifert tests. I did not test P today but I am sure that the result is negilible.

You have a measurable amount of ammionia although basically none, and you also have a measurable amount of nitrite. This to me says your tank is cycling. These should all be undetectable.

[Pauli]

Originally Posted by mg

You have a measurable amount of ammionia although basically none, and you also have a measurable amount of nitrite. This to me says your tank is cycling. These should all be undetectable.

My questions are then:

What is undetectable????

and

Which test kits will give me more reliable results?

The lowest detectible amount on NH4 at at least according to the Salifert test is "<0.25" which most people would call 0.0 or negligible. I called it as the test kit result shows it. Who am I to say that <0.25 is actually 0.0000000? Clear is clear but not necessarily 0.00000.

The NO2 result at 0.05 is six times smaller than my previous "Testratest"'s lowest level at <0.3, which was yellow. I can only hope that that is reasonable enough. Yes reportable, but imo very low.

[Wiskey]

I've never used a salifert ammonia or nitrite test kit, but the numbers look wrong, it does look like your still cycling. Do this, go over to a friends house that has a 1 year+ established tank and test for ammonia and nitrite to get a baseline reading.

Are they bleaching? Or is the tissue gone? I hear these two things confsed constantly. Can you still see pylops?

Whiskey

[Pauli]

If the concensus is that my tank is cycling, why would it be cycling? Could I just be feeding too much? Not skimming enough? I thought that I had done everthing right or as right as I know it. I am really confused now.

Sorry for the crumby pics. These are just a couple there are others but they look the same.

[Pauli]

I did say that I would list specs.

156 gal 5x2x2 approx.
50 gal sump
Sequence Wahoo recirc pump feeding the returns, chiller and the Ca reactor with room to spare
korallin Ca reactor
Phosphate reactor with Rowaphos media
Aqua C 180 skimmer
Tunze 6100's a pair at about 50-60% flow
Emperor Smart HO UV lamp 50W
0-3 inch argonite select bed
150 lbs of various live rock, figi, kalein (sp), marshal.
3-250W 10K MH
4-55W PC actinics
Artica chiller

livestock:
Powder Blue Tang
Hippo Tang
DeJardini (sp) Tank
Maroon & Gold Percula
Clown Fairy Wrasse
Coral Beauty
4 Blue Green Chromis
Many hermits
Variety of snails

Occasionally I will see the body of a crab rolling on the bottom.
I caught the maroon-Gold nipping at these new frags when they were on the sand and I think that the Coral Beauty has a thing for nipping at the Zoas in the tank but I havent caught it yet. I may pull the CB out ant put in one of my other tanks ot take back to the LFS.

I feed every day about 1/3 sheet nori from the grocer and about a 1x1x0.25 block of frozen brine shrimp. They eat all this in about 2 minutes. The nori lasts maybe an hour.

Any advice and thoughts are appreciated. Thanks

[Pauli]

Any thoughts?

[Reef-Keeper]

could it be the UV sterilizer ... killing all of the good bacteria ?? could be !! this would keep the tank in a cycle mode if it cant create the bacteria it needs to stabilize itself. i would NEVER recommend a UV sterilizer in a reef setting.
many people would also say that you temp. is a little lower than most people keep thier reefs at, mine stays between 79 - 82 degrees (82 is with the 3x250w MH's on).

[ChilisREasy]

i agree with ''Reef-Keeper''
i Bought a $400 UV-Sterallizer & my tank was doing fine before....then it went to peices..found out it WAS killing all the good bacteria.so i took it off & its been fine for over 2 years now

[Mr James]

It's been close to a month, what's the scoop on the bleaching event??

[plack]

If you are using Kent salt check for Copper as someone with a 500 gallon tank lost ALOT due to this recently !

I am only 3 years into this but it looks like rtn and if you get a new bacteia strain I believe it could possably due this and there isnt much you can do about it.
Paul