Coral Bleaching

[CarChase]

How long does it take for LPS corals regain their color after bleaching?

 

[Homelander]

How long does it take for LPS corals regain their color after bleaching?

Depended on the extent of bleaching it could be weeks or even a couple months. What corals are bleached, how long have they been bleached and what lighting do you have them under? Any pictures of the corals in question?

 

[Ludders]

Can you be more specific? What do you have and what has happened?

 

[CarChase]

Lighting is a Aquamax Nemo light(36w) and one 39w T5. I had the Nemo light at 100% but have since dialed it back. I had a green with orange center Acan echinata that had been bleached for about 2 weeks before I moved it. Once realized it was bleaching I moved it lower in the tank. LEDwas still at 100%. I recently purchased a frog spawn and a “super platy brain coral” and it was bleached after being in the tank for 2 weeks. Attached are photos. I also have 2 Favia frags that are doing well. I had to move a dragonfly cyphastrea to a shaded area at the bottom of the tank because it was always closed. Since I dialed back the LED light I have been able to move the cyphastrea out from the shaded area.

 

[Ludders]

Have you had any swings in parameters?

 

[CarChase]

My tests using API test kits and Salifert have been relativley consistent with Alk having the most swing:
API results:
Alk- 7-8dkh
No3- 0 ppm
Phos-0 ppm
Calc-440 ppm

Salifert PH - 8.0
I test Alk about twice per week. All other test results were from March 11,2018

Tank is a standard 30 gallon tank. I do a 15% water change every 2 weeks.

 

[Ludders]

Any sudden fluctuations in temperature from either water change or fluctuations caused by differing day vs night room temperatures?

How long has your NO3 been at zero?

How long has the tank been running for?

 

[CarChase]

As of today the Tank has been running for about 4 months. I heat my water before a water change. Tank temp had been stable ( I check every day). The tank is in my basement that has no heat so it stays cool/ stable all year long( I live in NY). The No3 ( as per an API rest kit so I’m assuming that is could be higher) has been zero for about 2.5 months. U also have issues with hair algae. I only have two fish (clown and fire fish) and clean up crew in the tank so bioload is low. I added a HOB refugium almost two months ago.
Also I change 10% every two weeks not 15 as I incorrectly stated above. Below arecurrent pics of the tank.

 

[Ludders]

Okay, I am suspecting just an acclamation issue based on the lighting.

I had something similar happen to a micro blastomussa frag. I ended up keeping it where it was, but just shaded it a bit where the coloration had faded. I can't remember exactly, but it definitely fully recovered within about a month.

 

[CarChase]

Ok thanks. I will keep these corals in a lower light area until they color up.