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Kirklan 
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Location: SE Idaho
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 Topic: Corals Bleaching!
Posted: September 26 2005 at 12:15pm |
Well, I've done it this time. I just switched brands of carbon due to the fact that my current cheap brand was leaching phosphates into my water. Well being an idiot I kept my photoperiod at the same length and due to it clearing up my water I bleached my corals. I know that it was my addition of the carbon, because that was the only thing that I changed the night before. I checked my tank the next day and all my corals were starting to bleach. I checked all my params and everything looks good. So far I've lost 1 green slimer, everything else looks like it will pull through. I've adjusted the photo period from 8hrs 2x250 MH to just 5.5 and plan on raising it .5 hrs/week until I can get it back to the 8hrs. Just wanted to vent a little and maybe get some simpathy even though I don't deserve it. Any suggestions would also be appreciated.
Kirklan
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SE Idaho
67G Rimless Reef
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peiji
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Joined: October 07 2002
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Posted: September 26 2005 at 8:29pm |
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Well, I'm sorry for your loss but I'll learn from your mishap. I had no idea you
needed to adjust the photo period when adding carbon. If I ever use carbon,
that piece of info will come in handy.
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Jared Page
Highland, UT
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: September 26 2005 at 11:17pm |
Sorry, I don't understand. Are you saying that you believe the carbon cleared up the water thus allowing more light which caused the coral to bleach?
What brands of carbon are these?
P.S. Don't throw anything away yet. Leave the bleached Green Slimer in the tank. It may not be lost.
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Kirklan
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Posted: September 27 2005 at 7:43am |
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Ahh Mark, the wise one (seriously). Yes, I am quite confident that the new carbon cleared up the yellow in my water and caused the bleaching. It was the only thing I changed the night before (Monday) and by morning on Wednesday, I noticed all my corals had started turning white and most of their zooxanthalae(sp) had bailed on me. I know they were not rtn as all the "skin" remained and the polyps were still out. Also, I have not had to clean my glass since the carbon change, where as before I was cleaning every 3-4 days. Things like my Zoos that were placed high up in the rock work no longer like the light from my MH's. The brand I was using before was some cheap bulk stuff I got from a local reefer in a bag for free. The new stuff I'm using while still not the best is KBH I believe. As for the slimer, I don't plan on taking it out at all, but if it does come back it will be a long time. As for the phosphates, I've already noticed a reduction in algae throught my tank. I never had a lot, just a little, which was more that I wanted.
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SE Idaho
67G Rimless Reef
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Kirklan
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Posted: September 27 2005 at 7:51am |
 peiji wrote:
Well, I'm sorry for your loss but I'll learn from your mishap. I had no idea you
needed to adjust the photo period when adding carbon. If I ever use carbon,
that piece of info will come in handy. |
I wouldn't worry in general. I would just be careful when changing to a better brand, using it for the first time, or adding a significantly more than usual amount. Do a search for 'carbon and bleaching' on reef central and you'll find this has happened a lot. People notice this also when changing to phosphate reactors and carbon reactors. Basically it removes all the nutrients (that the zoo was feeding on) from the water so quickly that it can sometimes cause the zoo to die especially when lighting is intensified by clearer water. I'm not a scientist, but this is the way I understand it.
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SE Idaho
67G Rimless Reef
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