a little help starting out

[pferboy]

i have had a fo tank for 3 yrs and i am now going to a reef. i thought i had everything prefect but my finger leather is looking poor and my acros are bleaching. please help.
tank size 135 100#LR 60# aragonite
i have vho lighting 4-bulbs 3 are 50/50 and 1 actinic one of the 50/50 bulbs and the actinic bulb are new. 2 need replaced
ph 8.4 nitrate 10 nitrite 0 ammonia 0 calcium 400ish sg 1.026
since i noticed the bleaching i moved my acros to the top of the tank under the new bulbs in a breeding net thing. my green acro is about 70% bleached and my blue tip is just starting.
my finger leather is losing its color and has a film on it.
let me know what can be done i am currently trying to raise my calcium above 420

 

[the flaming scallop]

how far are the corals from your lights? bleaching is usually caused from long exposure to strong light.

 

[pferboy]

my acros

 

[pferboy]

my finger leather

 

[pferboy]

they were 12" from the top and are now 4" from the top. the light is on 9hrs per day

 

[mlm]

How long has this tank been set up as a reef? Do you have Live Rock? Did you put any medicine in it when it was FO. How long have you had these corals?

 

[buzz]

What is the intensity of the white spectrum on your 50/50 bulbs? Is it 6500K? I have been told that 50/50 bulbs look brighter, but actually emit less usable light, except for the actinic. Someone else should clarify, but I saw that in a recent post. You may want to swap out one or 2 of those 50/50 bulbs and go with a higher intensity.

 

[pferboy]

i started adding a majority of the corals 1 month ago. i have 100lbs of live rock. never used copper but did use kick ick a few times. i have had the green acro 3 wks blue tip acro and the finger leather 10 days.

 

[pferboy]

the 50/50 's are 6000k

 

[pferboy]

come on lets hear some advice

 

[pferboy]

about 10 days for the green and 2 days for the blue tip.
how fast can i raise the calcium? will it hurt it if i boost it all at once or should i continue to do it slowly?

 

[pferboy]

the flow should be ok i had them directly in line with a powerhead. if it is the lighting am i screwed or will moving them to the top help?

 

[justinx]

You know, i am having the same issue with one of my acros as well. Except my calc and alk are both at good levels and have been for a while. So let me get this straight . . . it is possible for a coral to bleach from over exposure to light?