Why are my SPSs bleaching? Please Help

[wojo]

Hello everyone,
i tried everything so i am turning over to you guys for help. for some reason my montis and blue tip stag are bleaching away. it first started with some of the blue tip frags and then next one, and now the mother colony has at least one tip starting to loose color.
same goes with montis, i have already lost one 3x4 inch piece or a red one, now the green one is starting to slowely bleach out, soft film forms on it and when its gone it pure white.

all of my softies are doing great, also other SPSs are growing and stuff, i really have no idea what to check next.

here are my params, taken today with Salifert test kits:

NO3: 0
Phos: 0
Ca: 420
Kdh: 9.0
Mag: 1290
sg: 1.026
ph: 8.2
Temp: 80-82 F

i feed phyto every couple of days, when i feed my fish i mix frozen mysts & brine, with frozen formula 2 so the whole tank eats.

BTW: i did check for red bugs and was unable to locate any.

any help or suggestions on what to check next is very appreciated.

thanks,
Wojo.

[ggk1988]

i would check with the sps forum you might get a quicker answer

[-=Efrain=-]

Flat worms?

[reefhead165]

I have never had SPS and i am kinda new with reef tanks. I might be wrong but have u tried adding Iodine? I know it helps heal damage due to excessive light exposure..

[Kmiec123]

r U Running Carbon? How old are the light bulbs?

[dohc97]

first i would suggest getting at least your alk tested with a different brand kit. Salifert is having major issues right now with being acurate. If your test is off and your actually low that could be a source of a problem. I know my salifert alk kit reads at least 4 dkh higher than anything else i have tried. Whats your photo period as well?

[Sullyman]

Since you've got frags, dip one or some, rule out pests and give the coral some iodine. If there are no pests present, definate get a good test on your alk and do a water change and run carbon if you're not already.

[bignick]

Ph and Alk are suppose to be 2 of the causes for it. I am suffering some STN on one of my colonies and my Alk was too low and my Ph was also low.

[Rod Buehler]

are they actually loosing tissue? or just bleaching?

[wojo]

-=Efrain=-, i checked for flat worms and no signs of them.

Kmiec123, i am running carbon, bulbs were replaced couple of months ago.

dohc97, i will test Alk with a different test kit when i get home today. my photoperiod is: 7am Actinic ON, 1pm MHs ON, 2pm Actinic OFF, 7pm Actinic ON, 8pm MHs OFF, 11pm Actinic OFF & Moonlights ON.

Sullyman, i did a 25% water change last weekend, dip frags in what?

Rod, montis are loosing tissue, the film forms on them and when its gone only the white skeleton is left. the blue tips are loosing color slowely to the very light blue. not sure if they lost all the tissue, and if they will ever be pure white, i dont see polyp extentions on the "bleached out" parts.

thanks for ideas guys, keep it coming

[Sullyman]

There are a couple of dips, coral revive and Tropic marin pro coral cure, or you can just add some lugols solution to some water from the tank and dip a coral or 2 and see if anything comes off the coral besides tissue. If there's a pest, you can treat for it.
If not, then you're looking for a water problem.
How long has it been going on and how fast has it gone from coral to coral.

[wojo]

guys, i verified everything with secondary test kits and everything checks out. at this point i have no idea what to do next. it does seem like it started happening when i replaced my MH bulbs, i went from 14k no-name bulbs to 12k Reeflux, same wattage and stuff. could this be it?

please recommend on what i should do next, thank you!

[wojo]

ok, i found these eggs under the frag, what are these?

[Sullyman]

How old were the bulbs you replaced?
What color is the film on the coral?

[wojo]

i just confirmed, they are flat worms. i just never saw them, wow

ok, what do i do now?

[wojo]

Sully, would flatworms affect montis? or just acros

[wojo]

i also found these, i am assuming these are Moni eating nudis, this is not a good day for me

this would i guess explain both of my issues, unless someone thinks otherwise

[acm]

did you get new frags somewhere that could of brought these pests to you?

Figure out where they came from so you don't do this again.

[wojo]

i think i have a pretty good idea, but i cant confirm. i brought frags couple of months ago and then over a year ago so it looks like i know where they came from

[badazztealcobra]

Sorry to hear about these Wojo.... Keeps us updated on what you do to get rid of these pests and how it's going... I'm still reading up on SPS getting ready for the tank im setting up.... I wish I could help more, but I would like to learn from this so if you could keep us up to date it would be appreciated...

[Sullyman]

Dip that acro frag and see if it's aefw for sure, could possibly be nudi eggs laid on the way to a monti. Can you see any bite marks on the acro?
Hopefully that's the case. If not you'll be dipping acros and montis.
And hunting for eggs. Picking up a wrasse or 2 may help.
Here's info on the nudis and Melev's reef has info on the aefw.
There isn't an in tank treatment for these pests.
I can suggest an in tank treatment for the aefw but since you may have both dipping seems the best way to go.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=451720

[sugartooth]

Yes, there are bite marks on that piece with the eggs. It's at the base where it starts branching....

Sorry, you need to act fast. Dip everything you can to see the extent of the spread.

Good luck!