SPS Color Explained

[chend2]

Hey all,

Anyone understand color? My SPS just arn't holding color even though, at least I think, my parameters are perfect. I will list out as well I can my situation.

I have a 150 acrylic tank.

2 SE Reeflux 250 bulbs. 3 months old.
Coralvue 250 Electronic Dimmable Ballasts - On full brightness.
2 Spider reflectors.

I just tested my water here are the results from Elos test kits.

Cal 450
Mg 1300
KH 9

Nitrates 0
No2 0
Amm 0

Phosphates 0

All the sps corals are on a frag rack about 12 inches from the bulbs.

Whats the deal? Do I need to move up too 400 watts? All the corals are growing very quickly.

Thanks Kevin.

 

[soyadrink]

the light shouldnt be a problem. Have you tested phosphat? also, are you running carbon? There could be chemical warfare going on with other corals you have which the SPS dont like.

 

[krisfal]

How steady are your parameters? I know for me when I was using an erratic dosing schedule and my parameters jumped around I got growth but not good color. However since adding a CaRx and keeping things a lot more consistant the colors are really popping out.

 

[chend2]

My parameters have been steady for the time the the corals have been in the tank.

Yes, I am running carbon.

I don't think I have enough corals do have warfare be the issue.

 

[krisfal]

What Kelvin rating MH bulbs are you using? I have read lower kelvin produce more growth and higher kelvin produce more color; therefore, I use a mixture of 10K and 14K.

 

[chend2]

Reeflux 12k

 

[soyadrink]

hmm... What flow do you have?(pumps and location from SPS)

 

[reedman]

My SPS just arn't holding color even though, at least I think, my parameters are perfect.

When you say "holding color" do you mean you got them one color and they are changing? If so, this is very common. Changes in the light, water parameters, flow, nutrient levels, salt mix, everything causes the corals to stress a little and color is the first indicator.

Now, if they are washing out it may be something else all together. Could be you are missing a nutrient the coral needs. Often with the ultra low nutrient systems (zeo and others) there is a process to add some nutrients back in. The idea being to strip everything and add back what you want.

Quite frankly moving to 400W could easily make the problem worse. If the corals are getting too much light they could react this way as well.

I think we need to understand what you mean by losing color before we can help much more.

 

[danno14]

When you say they aren't holding color.... are they turning brown?
The result is easy to explain. The cause is more difficult to determine.
D

 

[Curtswearing]

Turning brown = too many nutrients
Colors lightening up = not enough food

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
If by not holding their color you mean they are turning pale then I would say they are getting too high light intensity. Move the rack down 6" and see what happens in 14 days or so.
If they are turning dark then the light intensity is too low (which doesn't seem likely given the distance from the bulb).

HTH,
Kevin
Note: I assume you are talking about high light Acropora species.

 

[chend2]

They are in fact turning darker. My cali tort is the most noticeable, it has gone from a dark green with blue tips, too a light brown with very bright blue tips.

 

[returnofsid]

Chend, I had a very similar problem awhile back, while still testing 0 on nitrates and phosphates. I attributed it to my lighting, but there was nothing I could do about that at the time. Then I got a great deal on a used skimmer from a fellow RF member. The skimmer I'd had on the tank just wasn't up to par. I wasn't getting much skimmate or needing to empty the collection cup very often. Within 2 weeks of changing to the better skimmer, I noticed my corals all coloring up. Since then, they've continued to grow well and hold their bright colors very well.

How often are you emptying your skimmer cup and what kind of skim are you getting? Maybe look into the quality of your skimmer.

 

[chend2]

I get very wet skim. I usually get out 2-3 cups of skim every 3-4 days... I just recently meshed my skimmer I don't know how improved to worse it is now.

 

[returnofsid]

Can you try for a dryer skim? Might be more effective.

 

[chend2]

Will do. Only lame part is that I don't have a ATO so I have to adjust my wedge pipe all the time to get any consistency.

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
What type of lighting did the corals come from? In your case I suspect that the corals are adjusting to different lighting (spectrum and/or intensity) that they were originally from. In a few months they will adapt and return to their original color.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[dnjan]

Yes, I am running carbon.

How often do you change your carbon? If you have a high organic load in your tank, carbon can be exhausted in a couple of days. And organics in the water can significantly reduce that amount of light transmitted through the water.

 

[chend2]

Wow I never knew there were some many differing opinions on the topic.

 

[returnofsid]

I'd suggest that Kevin's the the best possible opinion...lol.