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Plate bleaching *** Pics added (1 Viewer)

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malira

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I have 3 plates and 2 have taking a turn for the worse. My orange plate has started bleaching. The other's tentacles/flesh has started receding.

49b4c1ea0ca0e7a3aa6f5232f4c02251.jpg


Alk - 7.3
cal 430
mg 1400
No3 4
P04 0.00

Salinity 1.025
Flow is strong

I target feed them 4 to 5 times a week.

Lights ATI sunpower 6 x 54 watts 5 bulbs @ 8 months old, 1 bulb Actinic 2 months


I was told at an lfs that with plates bleaching usually is a lighting problem.

Any suggestions?
 
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RR-MAN

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Plates are not an easy coral to keep. They starve to death over time if there is not enough food source.

Also - how long have you had them?
 
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d2mini

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I have had some plates with the cone shaped bottoms that I couldn't keep alive.
But then my larger blue plate with the flat bottom i've had for probably 5 years and several tank moves and it just hangs out at the very front corner of my tank where it gets not a lot of light and not a lot of flow.
I really don't know why it stays happy but it does.
 
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malira

malira

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Plates are not an easy coral to keep. They starve to death over time if there is not enough food source.

Also - how long have you had them?
Food is plentiful. I've had them 1 1/2 and 1 year.
 
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malira

malira

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I have had some plates with the cone shaped bottoms that I couldn't keep alive.
But then my larger blue plate with the flat bottom i've had for probably 5 years and several tank moves and it just hangs out at the very front corner of my tank where it gets not a lot of light and not a lot of flow.
I really don't know why it stays happy but it does.
I may try this next. Out of the flow and low light.

They were thriving but a little pale in the ULNS. But now when things should be better?
 

Diesel

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Weird, I would place a small piece of egg grate on the sand and place your plates on there.
I think it has to do with your water parameters that are changing but you going slow so that's kind of blowing my mind.
 
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malira

malira

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Weird, I would place a small piece of egg grate on the sand and place your plates on there.
I think it has to do with your water parameters that are changing but you going slow so that's kind of blowing my mind.
They are on a small piece of egg crate. It's just smaller than they are.

The only things that have changed are feeding them more frequently and I have handled them more in the past 2 to 3 weeks while vacuuming the sand.
Maybe I need to wear gloves or get a long grabber thing.
 

Diesel

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Why you vacuum you sand?
I don't think that could be the issue but your snails or sand shifter should do that for you.
Once a month just gently stirring your sand is enough.
It might be that some gas got released from the sand and the plates can be sensitive for that.
Of course I'm not sure as I never had a plate, but gas in the sand is a fact.
 
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malira

malira

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Why you vacuum you sand?
I don't think that could be the issue but your snails or sand shifter should do that for you.
Once a month just gently stirring your sand is enough.
It might be that some gas got released from the sand and the plates can be sensitive for that.
Of course I'm not sure as I never had a plate, but gas in the sand is a fact.
When I say vacuum I mainly just vacuum the very top 1/4 inch to get anything laying on the very top and to stir the very top. I can't stand the brown and green on the sand bed. But inadvertently sometimes it gets deep.


I do think I need more snails and hermits but that's a different issues.
 

frankc

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I have one that bleached shortly after I got it - the rim and mouth are bright purple, the rest is more or less white. I have moved it around to different light levels to no avail. The good news is it seems healthy in other ways and I've had it almost 2 years.
 
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malira

malira

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Just looking at your sand bed pic-you have too much nutrients in your tank- check again your NO3 and PO4.
Yes, I do and it's driving me crazy but I am finding a balance in my tank right now. I am searching for that sweet spot. Nitrates I have and the coloring up of my corals prove it. I am at .4 and holding steady.
I know I have phosphates because of the heavy feeding but when I go to measure I get 0. I use the hanna checker low phosphate 755.
I have backed off the feeding a little and still have nitrates.
 
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RR-MAN

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When the sand gets that clumpy it's hard to clean.

I suggest you siphon some out every water change and once it's all out add fresh sand.
 
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malira

malira

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When the sand gets that clumpy it's hard to clean.

I suggest you siphon some out every water change and once it's all out add fresh sand.
I've never heard of anyone doing that. That's interesting.
 

RR-MAN

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I have done it with full sps tank and many fish. You should be fine. There are enough biological bacteria in the LR not to cause a cycle.
 
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