Purple color leaving corals

[76Frags]

Lately all of the purple color has been leaving my Monti cap, tri colored acros, purple digi, and blueberry acro. The purple digi is now brown - still looks great (good polyp extension) and the corals still show signs of growth, but are all browning. Any ideas??

 

[pewpewlazerbeam]

I have NOT tried this but ive seen it around http://www.saltwaterfish.com/Kent-Marine-Purple-Tech_p_2298.html

 

[76Frags]

My belief was that purple up and other additives like that were just to promote coralline algae growth.

 

[pewpewlazerbeam]

" Provides specific concentrations of calcium, magnesium, strontium, trace minerals and carbonates required by coralline algae and stony corals"

But who knows if it works

 

[returnofsid]

I would suggest that it's either a lighting issue, or even more possible, a high nutrient issue.

I had a similar problem, several years ago, and was told it was my T5 lighting, unable to support SPS corals. Then I upgraded my skimmer. Within a few weeks, all of my corals started coloring back up. The funny thing is, I was getting great results, with nitrate and phosphate test kits.

The first coral that browned out, when I had the issue, was a Purple Montipora digitata.

 

[FreakinReefin]

Could be super low potassium...

 

[76Frags]

Is potassium present in IO salt? or just trace element additives?

 

[Chichas01]

Could also be placement. I have a Plum Crazy acro that is growing great, but not even close to the great color it had when I first purchased it. On the advice of some others. I've moved it to a location where the lighting is good but more indirect than the previous location where it was about 10 inches directly beneath a 250w halide.

 

[vinny2261]

Sounds like you should get some tests kits or find a LFS that will test your water. Also the lighting could contribute to some of the problem. Old bulb, some times bad bulb. would do some tests and see where your parameters are, very soon.

 

[Krish]

Sounds like you should get some tests kits or find a LFS that will test your water. Also the lighting could contribute to some of the problem. Old bulb, some times bad bulb. would do some tests and see where your parameters are, very soon.

I 100% agree!! First thoughts were either a water quality issue or lighting issue. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

 

[jrgilles]

do your light bulbs need replacing?

 

[JayVIP]

I'm 80% sure your lighting is currently not enough to keep the corals bright whether it be time to change your bulbs etc.

 

[76Frags]

Well I'm running 4 month old Hamilton 250watt 14K bulbs and the corals are only about 3-5in. down. Ill be checking water parameters later this week, but my last check 2 wks ago was Calcium 430, phosphate .5 (which i just installed a GFO reactor 2 days ago from BRS), alk 8, salinity 1.025, temp approx 78-80, nitrates 0, and that's about all i've checked.

 

[tike]

Sounds like nutrient overload to me. I use to have my corals brown out all the time... I increased the flow and bought a whopass skimmer and haven't had the problem since. Are you experiencing any increase in algae growth? Hopefully you can get that phosphate down and that will elevate some of the problem.
I agree with the purple up not working for ya. Aminos would be a better addition, something like this fuel

 

[76Frags]

i did remove the skimmer from my system a few months ago. maybe that's the first step then!

 

[tike]

i did remove the skimmer from my system a few months ago. maybe that's the first step then!

Definitely! To keep sps you wanna keep your nutrient levels as low as possible, a good skimmer is the way!