Green Slimer & Birds Nest Bleaching

[ThatGuy]

What might cause these 2 to start bleaching? I've had them for some time now (green slimer begining of april, birds nest mid april) and everything has been looking fine until this last water change I noticed the undersides are looking bleached and they are loosing thier color/browning out. Everything is the same outside of it being a smaller tank, so its shallower and the lights closer to the corals. Just seeing if anyone would know what it could be. Should I raise the light up a little? Its about 5" above the water and its 6 bulb 54watt t5ho fixture. I have 3 atinic, 2 10k, and one purple.


I'll post pics later tonight.

 

[ThatGuy]

 

[ThatGuy]

pH-8.8
Alk-18 (test is accurate as it's been confirmed by 3 different test kits)
Nitrate-0
Nitrite-0
Ammonia-0
Cal-500 (might have overdosed last time I added some)
Sal-1.026
Phos-0

 

[Sunny]

pH-8.8
Alk-18 (test is accurate as it's been confirmed by 3 different test kits)
Nitrate-0
Nitrite-0
Ammonia-0
Cal-500 (might have overdosed last time I added some)
Sal-1.026
Phos-0

Alk is way too high. Ph is high because of ALK. You need to bring the ALK down.

 

[ThatGuy]

Alk is way too high. Ph is high because of ALK. You need to bring the ALK down.

The high ALK and pH have been the only constant in the tank. When I first got a hammer and it died in a 3 day span, I did a bunch of tests to see what did it (HUGE Nitrate Spike(changed sump, stired a bunch of stuff up)) thats when I relized how high it was. The only suggestion I got about how to bring the ALK down is to does Calcium and that hasn't worked at all. I have other SPS that are still doing fine it just these two that started bleaching on me.


This tank is just one headache after another.

 

[Brizjuan]

Alk is way too high. Ph is high because of ALK. You need to bring the ALK down.

+1 Try to bring that alk down with water changes...

 

[ThatGuy]

+1 Try to bring that alk down with water changes...

I am to no avail. I switched salts (what I thought was the culprit). Its still just as high as it was back in march.

 

[HH reefer]

what salt are you using, and did you do 50/50 mix to acclimate for the new salt.

 

[ThatGuy]

what salt are you using, and did you do 50/50 mix to acclimate for the new salt.

I switched salts some 150 gallons ago. I went from MEI Crystal Sea to Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.

 

[HH reefer]

what are you dosing, how much are you dosing, and how are you dosing it

 

[ThatGuy]

what are you dosing, how much are you dosing, and how are you dosing it

Doing about 2 tsp of all three a week. Sometime a little less.

 

[ThatGuy]

Any Other Idea's other than the high pH/Alk? These have always been high so I don't think that would be the culprit as the bleaching was quite sudden.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Something is not adding up here. You are using Reef Crystals and not dosing any alkalinity and your pH is 8.8 and alkalinity is 18….doesn’t make sense! Something isn’t testing right.

 

[ThatGuy]

Something is not adding up here. You are using Reef Crystals and not dosing any alkalinity and your pH is 8.8 and alkalinity is 18….doesn’t make sense! Something isn’t testing right.

I met up with a local reefer back when I was having problems before and he retested with the Red Sea test and a Hanna pH tester and they were the same results. Should I add viniger?

 

[ThatGuy]

So I think I figured it out. The tank has been getting over 85 degrees F. It just dawned on me to check it. Its over 80 now and its a cool day. I remember glancing at the FOWLR tanks temp and thinking it was high. I guess I'll raise my lights a little and point a fan in that direction.