coralline bleaching?

[kdogg85]

Last wednesday, we went on a 3 day trip, came home and my hose from the return pump had come off and the pump was sloshing water around the sump. In the DT, the ph's and skimmer were still running. Got everything fixed and this morning, some of the coralline algae has turned white. It's on one side of the tank and is mainly on one rock. My levels are 450 calc, 11dkh,sg 1.024, phos 0, nitrate 10 or less, ph 8.3. Nothing changed except the sg from no top off, when I got everything hooked back up and let it run the sg was 1.026. Slowly topped off to 1.024. My lights are on timers and none of my coral has shown any problems. Before leaving, I picked up a pincushion urchin, could that have something to do with it. He is around the area of concern.

[pat8you]

Usually if it is your water parameters causing trouble you would see all of your coralline dieing. I have not heard of pincushions causing problems with coralline but i don't have much experience with them. It may be possible that while it was cleaning the algae it damaged some of the coralline.

[dannyb]

I'd say a swing in Alk, Or Mag.

Keeping healthy coraline algae = Stable Alk (I mean very stable, SPS stable), Mag and Calcium.

It will grow back with time, Dont worry.

[kdogg85]

My dkh is always around 10 or 11, the mag is at 1400, I have seen it as low as 1300 but never higher than 1450. And my corals are doing fine as well, no sps though. I do not dose anything and the IO salt is pretty consistent. I rechecked these a few minutes ago after reading your post Danny. Thanks for the input guys. It does look like it is starting very slowly in places to color back up.

[thincat]

pincushions eat corallin algae and that is a good thing for some of us with heavy coralling in that it opens the LR to the air in the tank. More then likey the urchin ate the coraline and it will grow back. This is a good thing.LOL

[kdogg85]

Sorry being late on the post, I have found that out the hard way. Every where the urchin goes, the coralline disappears. But, it grows right back after a couple days. Thanks for the help guys.