SPS losing color but still have polyp extension

[JerseyWendy]

3 of my SPS (ORA German Green with Blue, Garf Bonsai & Shades of Fall) have lost most of their color. They all still have polyp extension, but the colors "washed" away. They are not snow white, but extremely pale.

All my parameters are in check, but I did 3 things, perhaps all of them, a combination of them all or just one of them has to do with the condition.

1. I started running carbon in a Phos Reactor (ran carbon previously in my sump)

2. Started using a UV filter

3. Added some "reef safe" ich stuff (Marine Max...here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4270&cmpid=sc )

Needless to say, I haven't used the Marine Max since they lost the color. I also cut the carbon amount in half.

Here's a sad picture of my German Green with Blue. Well...it used to be really green.

Thank you all so much in advance.

 

[mikem]

You might have changed too many things at once.
Next time only do 1 change at a time.
Good luck.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Yeah Mike, I'm afraid you're right.

I was just taking a really close look at my German Green and Bonsai, and they are ever so s l o w l y beginning to gain some color again. Fingers are crossed that the Shades of Fall will follow suit. As long as I don't have any tissue recession, I won't panic. :-\

 

[hayabusa2003]

did the color change happen over night, or over an extended period of time?

My suspicion would be the ich stuff ... if you read the ingredients, it says it has all these different strains of bacteria; maybe certain types are affecting some of your corals.

if anything, I'd continue with the carbon (rinsed out to get rid of the dust) and change it out more often for a while. If there's any bad chemicals in the ich stuff the carbon will help to bind them.

Good luck!

 

[pnoyreefer]

Sorry to hear about it wendy. Well too many changes in one time can only cause that problem .. It may be all of em in one shot.. It looks bleech to me and hope it will continue to color up in a few weeks...

 

[concept3]

How long have you had these corals, Wendy?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Thank you all for the responses.

Hayabusa, I will never use another type of meds in my tank ever again. That much I know for sure. Even though it wasn't quite labeled as medication, you're right about the bacteria part. None of my corals were probably ever exposed to those before, and the few that discolored liked it the least. First I put in the Marine Max, a few days later I added the UV filter, and a few days after that the Phos reactor with carbon. Several days after that they began to lose color gradually, I want to say over 3-4 days.

Steve, I think the correct term is "bleaching", right? There is quite a bit of zooxanthella (<--am I using the right word?) left, and with each day more and more seems to come back.

Merv, both the German Green with Blue and the Bonsai have been with me for a little over a year. The Shades of Fall was only added about a month ago.

 

[JohnS_323]

An alternate theory could be that with the addition of the UV light, your clarity increased rapidally, resulting in an increase in the amount of light your corals were being exposed to. They may have been experiencing a little bit of light shock and are slowly acclimating to the increased PAR.

In any case, good luck Wendy. Knowing your "green thumb", I'm sure they'll rebound in no time and will be outgrowing your new 180 (the Marineland 300g is really nice ;D)

 

[JerseyWendy]

LOLOL, John. Yes, the Marineland IS really nice. Please don't tell me "I told you so", but now that the 180 has been up and running, I seriously regret not going for the 300. :-X

I read about the UV increasing clarity and allowing more light to penetrate. As long as I see those polyps I won't get myself too overly worked up. Hopefully in time they all regain their pretty colors.