Blue Tip Acro - Becoming White....

[Chumpy]

Hi
I have a Blue tipped Acro...

It has about 7 heads on it, but one of them has started to turn white from the end, and the white is now about 1cm down also... This has happened overnight...

I've checked water params, and all seems ok.

Can anyone advise?? What can I do? Why has it happened??

Thanks

[Chumpy]

I know the pic is naff, but its all I could get.... Hopefully it will show what I mean...

Any ideas??

[Twistedpro]

looks like its bleached, has it been stressed in any way?

I am not an sps expert but you might want to remove that area or the whole thing might go!!!!

[Chumpy]

Originally posted by Twistedpro@Jan 28 2006, 13:57
looks like its bleached, has it been stressed in any way?

I am not an sps expert but you might want to remove that area or the whole thing might go!!!!
Really.... Should I break that piece off now??

Somebody suggested it may be under too strong a light (its about 6" under a 10k 250W halide - of which there are 3).

[mantis]

what type of lighting are you using ie lowbays etc?

are some of the other tips going the same way?

is it bleached or is it dead? (bleached you will still see the little polyps, dead you'll see nothing)

how long have you had it?

craig

[philworrall]

Chumpy I suggest that you put this thread in the ask the experts section.

HTH


cheers

[Chumpy]

Originally posted by mantis@Jan 28 2006, 14:13
what type of lighting are you using ie lowbays etc?

are some of the other tips going the same way?

is it bleached or is it dead? (bleached you will still see the little polyps, dead you'll see nothing)

how long have you had it?

craig
I'm using 4 T5 tubes (1 Actinic, 3 Deltec whites), and 3 x 250W halides.
This coral is about 6" below this lighting.

Looking closely, a few of the other tips (just the extremes) look a little white also.

Not sure what I'm looking for to determine bleached or dead...

I've had it about 4-6 weeks.
I've got 4 other SPS in the tank, and none are showing any adverse problems.

Should I split the white bit off?? (if so... how).
Should I move it?
Will it all die now?? What can I do to try to save it?

Thanks

[Chumpy]

Originally posted by Chumpy+Jan 28 2006, 14:20--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Chumpy @ Jan 28 2006, 14:20)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-mantis@Jan 28 2006, 14:13
what type of lighting are you using ie lowbays etc?

are some of the other tips going the same way?

is it bleached or is it dead? (bleached you will still see the little polyps, dead you'll see nothing)

how long have you had it?

craig
I'm using 4 T5 tubes (1 Actinic, 3 Deltec whites), and 3 x 250W halides.
This coral is about 6" below this lighting.

Looking closely, a few of the other tips (just the extremes) look a little white also.

Not sure what I'm looking for to determine bleached or dead...

I've had it about 4-6 weeks.
I've got 4 other SPS in the tank, and none are showing any adverse problems.

Should I split the white bit off?? (if so... how).
Should I move it?
Will it all die now?? What can I do to try to save it?

Thanks [/b][/quote]
Anyone??

[17000ltrs]

hi mate

you need to snap the white branch off

just in case its bactirial

mark

[Chumpy]

Originally posted by 17000ltrs@Jan 28 2006, 22:01
hi mate

you need to snap the white branch off

just in case its bactirial

mark
OK - Cheers Mark,

Is it just a case of grab and snap?? or is there a more delicate way....??

Its about 6" from my halides, and in the line of 2 x 6100's.
I don't suppose moving it would help(??)

If its not bacterial, and due to something else, would it still need snapping off?? May it grow back?? or will it grow in another direction now??

Cheers!!

[mantis]

i reckon looking at that picture that the actual top of the acro is dead and NOT bleached.

so you are better off snapping the dead part off but make sure you do it within the good part of the coral, ie just below the dead area so it doesnt transfer to the rest of the coral.

you can either just snap it off with your fingers or get a pair of pliers and cut into it.

craig

[Reef bloke]

I wouldnt have the streams pointing directly at it as that could strip the flesh off.You had a problem with high PH a while back didnt you?Have you corrected it now?

[happyhammer]

you say that all your parameters are fine .... but what are they

[Chumpy]

Originally posted by happyhammer@Jan 29 2006, 11:10
you say that all your parameters are fine .... but what are they
Hi
Params are

Phos 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Ca 480
Mg 1350

I've just bought auto-topup yesterday, as someone suggested my 10liter top ups with RO water, may have been giving a Phos bloom, which was quickly controlled by the Chaeto and Caulerpa....
Maybe this influx of water caused some algae??
There is some in the tank, but hopefully auto-topup will help control that.....

How feasible may this be to the cause??
Auto topup going on today anyway....

[ReefSteve]

Whats your alkalinty?

Although not outragously high I would want to be confident that your calcium level had not driven the dkh down.

I would be inclined to snap the white bit off, if it has bleached (still tissue on the tip but faded colour) I would have expected other tips to bleach as well. If it's dead then you will just see the white skeleton which will quick get covered in algae if not removed.

have you had a big temperature spike/drop recently?

Cheers
Steve