After the nitrate battle. How long before color fully returns?

[cwegescheide]

Hey there I have a question for you guys (and ladies!)

I battled high nitrates for a while and finally got them down to a good level. < 5ppm sailfert.. Anyways I'm curious how long it will tak for my colors to come back fully if ever. Its been a few months now and new growth on my corals color is perfect but the rest of the coral is still not up to par. Will my colors fully come back throughout my coral or am I stuck with the lack luster beige color?

Thanks!
Chris

 

[Scooterman]

Continue doing whatever your doing to get your Nitrates down lower, what do you have for lighting? I would think if you can keep your water quality up, that the rest will follow, just give it time, stick with the husbandry.

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
If they were once colorful they will return to their original color. It can take as long as 6 months.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[cwegescheide]

Continue doing whatever your doing to get your Nitrates down lower, what do you have for lighting? I would think if you can keep your water quality up, that the rest will follow, just give it time, stick with the husbandry.

I've got 250DE Gieseman Eco 48" fixture with 14K Pheonix bulbs over a standard dimension 90 Gallon tank. I've been doing 20% changes with Tropic Marin salt almost weekly for several months now. Every once in a while I miss a week due to my busy schedule. I will say seeing the diff in my corals over the last couple months has made me a believer in lots of water changes. I have a EuroReef skimmer rated for 110 gallons, use filter socks changed 3x/week - wish I could change every day but my schedule does not allow it. I work out of town m-f.

Its funny looking. All the new growth looks perfect but what was there before (although lighter than it was) is still brown on the corals that browned.

Thanks!
Chris

 

[Scooterman]

Sounds like you got it under control, I'd stick with it. One thing with your lighting, how old are they?

 

[cwegescheide]

I changed from 10K Ushio's to 14K Pheonix about 2mos ago. Went back to the pheonix..

A little update: I have continued to see improvement in growth and coloration of my corals since my nitrates have dropped to < 4ppm, almost zero...

I will also say I think my zoanthids prefer higher nitrate water since a few of my colonies just seem to be wilting away and my others have not been growing very quickly lately.