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I've had this chalice frag in the tank for over three months now, same spot the whole time. I did upgrade from 250W to 400W in my 27" deep tank, with the lights about 8" above the water. Just noticed today a tiny area on the frag that's showing some white skeleton - it's pretty faint, but I'm wondering if anyone's got any thoughts on it. Hard to make out in the pic, but I'd love to hear your opinions and if there's anything I should be doing.

I see a bit of white skeleton on that frag. I think it might be from the upgrade to higher wattage, which increases the PAR level and could cause bleaching. I'd suggest moving it down a notch and see how it does, then you can move it up gradually, like every week or so. Good luck with it.

By the way, that's a beautiful chalice frag you've got there - what's the name of it, and where did you get it from?

zeniko2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2025 3:36 am I see a bit of white skeleton on that frag. I think it might be from the upgrade to higher wattage, which increases the PAR level and could cause bleaching. I'd suggest moving it down a notch and see how it does, then you can move it up gradually, like every week or so. Good luck with it.

By the way, that's a beautiful chalice frag you've got there - what's the name of it, and where did you get it from?

I made the move to a more shaded spot shortly after posting, it's now on the gravel but in a less direct light area. I'm inclined to agree with you, it does seem more like a bleached area - the color's pale, but there's no skeleton poking through.

The chalice is indeed the WWC Flaming Phoenix. I've got a better photo of it, if you're interested.

Considering the situation, I'd say lower light, low flow would be a good approach. It seems like the increased par level might be causing the issue, so moving it to a shadier area could help.

400 watts is a significant jump for a 27" deep tank. That's likely the culprit behind the bleached area on your WWC Flaming Phoenix chalice. Given the circumstances, I'd recommend placing it towards the bottom with some indirect lighting to minimize stress.

Thanks for the compliment, I actually got it at a pretty reasonable price considering its quality and uniqueness.

zeniko2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 15, 2025 3:36 am I see a bit of white skeleton on that frag. I think it might be from the upgrade to higher wattage, which increases the PAR level and could cause bleaching. I'd suggest moving it down a notch and see how it does, then you can move it up gradually, like every week or so. Good luck with it.

By the way, that's a beautiful chalice frag you've got there - what's the name of it, and where did you get it from?

Thanks, I'd say it was reasonably priced considering the quality. I managed to snag it during one of World Wide Corals' Live Online Sales, which was a nice bonus.

The chalice has taken a turn for the worse and the bleaching has progressed around the edge. I've relocated it to a spot that receives minimal lighting, almost none. I'm curious to know if anyone has any experience with fragging a piece this small to remove the damaged area - what are the chances of success? Any other approaches I should consider before taking the fragging route?

I've had similar issues and found that placing it under a shaded area, like under a rock bridge, helped it recover. This approach worked for me, but I'm not an expert on chalices, so take my advice for what it's worth.

I've relocated the chalice to the sump, which has just a couple pieces of live rock and receives minimal spill over from the main tank. I'm still undecided between giving it more time to recover or taking a chance on fragging it.