Acan use to have a lot more red, what's the problem?

[delta410]

Acan colony use to have a lot more red in it. By a lot more, I do not mean the color has faded, but the red rings use to be a lot thicker. The rim of each head is getting thicker and thicker. Please take a look at my gallery and take a look at the acan picture. This is not my acan, but it use to look simlar. The red parts are getting overlapped as the green is growing thicker and thicker.

What's the problem? it's under 150w metal halide 10k near the top, with nice current.

 

[organism]

well, they like lower light, so chances are it's bleaching out, if you put it on the sandbed further from the light it should be fine, and switching to a higher k rating will bring out more colors as well

 

[delta410]

I don't think it's bleaching, the green is just growing, and nothing is losing color.

 

[Large Polyp Dave]

it also think it's a light issue

put it in dimmer light and they'll get the red back. I have that SPS as well and the red pigments in that one enjoy being in the dark

 

[AdidaKev]

I've seen a lot of Acans change color due to the amount/intensity/type of light they're under. It's nothing to worry about, but if you want the red back, I agree with Large Polyp Dave in that you should try moving it to dimmer light.

 

[RandyO]

Not to contradict everyone else, but I've had a few morphs of Acan lord that got more red under higher light. One of the morphs turned very green in low light and very red in bright light.

Here is a red and green Acan lord morph under low light.

It's kinda ugly


Here is the same morph under direct 400w halides

I think it depends on the coral. Some morphs can't take bright light. Some color up better. I do know the closer the Acan is to being from the wild, the more sensitive it is to bright light.

 

[RandyO]

Though, looking at those pics now, I can't deny the top of the colony has some purple in it, and the sides of the colony are more red.

Another shot from January 05

 

[delta410]

those are some nice looking acan's.
Mine doesn't expand that much though, it does for the first few hours of light, then deflates again.

 

[organism]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7357749#post7357749 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by delta410
those are some nice looking acan's.
Mine doesn't expand that much though, it does for the first few hours of light, then deflates again.

that's usually a sign of too much light

also, randy, you're probably using 20k's right? 10k's always seemed to wash out all of my acans...

 

[Creetin]

Good to know, I have a 24 inch tank and 400 watt 10k's on the sides and a 250 10k in the center. and they look like they (Acans) are getting too much light.
I am thinking on switching to 250 watters and a higher kelvin or just get the 20k Xm's.
They (Acans) are at the bottom of the tank and not expanding like the pic above.
I'll have to move them in a cave area.

 

[sinned]

delta410-
It's definitely a light and placement issue, but the good news is that
there is hope! Here is my acan. l. when I purchased (probably a little bleached).

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10088A2FF84A9-F73E-2E57-C8613D09E88697C1.JPG">


After a month, placed high in tank, almost directly under MH.

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10088A307B294-C67D-2D82-5DC2FABD9DB06CF9.JPG">


After 3 months, placed near the bottom of tank, about 17" from halide.

<img src="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/10088146500098_17aeeaf515_m.jpg">

HTH Dennis

 

[Creetin]

What wattage halides and color?

 

[sinned]

My MH is 175 20K plus 2 -T-5 65w actinic. Dennis

 

[Creetin]

Thanks, Make sense wahy acans and micro's dont like it in my tank.
Anybody have theirs under 400 watt 10k and keep acans full and colorfull?
TIA

 

[organism]

400w 10k? I'd think that's the quickest way to wash out the color in just about any lps... I keep some under 400w 20k very nicely though

 

[RandyO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7358506#post7358506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by organism
that's usually a sign of too much light

also, randy, you're probably using 20k's right? 10k's always seemed to wash out all of my acans...

Hey Miguel,

I kept my Acan collection under a single 400w 10K Reeflux for about a year. The pictures of my tank above are from that time period. I had good luck with almost all my Acans in this lighting. All but one. I thought it was cool looking that one of my Acans was turnign blue. The light ended up burning a hole in the flesh.

Pay no attention to the red arrow

My red and gray Acan loved the bright light.

January 2005

Here's a whole shot of the tank from March 05
You can see the red and gray colony is haning out in the same area many of the Acros and Pocillopora.

That tank was transferred to a 150 in May 2005 with 2 250w 20K driven by a PFO HQI ballast and a single 400w driven by a blueline ballast. Also, I run 4 110 watt VHO's over the tank. since the tank is only 48" long by 30" wide, that's a lot of light for a 4 foot tank.

 

[RandyO]

Here are a few shots of the 150

May 05

June 05

April 06

 

[RandyO]

Over the last year, almost all of the Acan lords did well under this lighting. A couple morphs looked pale and bleached.

A few closeup shots of different morphs over the last year.

 

[Creetin]

Very nicey randyO, My acands are losing color, and micro's that i have had before lost most of their colors. May try 20'ks again.
Or get a seperate tank for my lps.

Thanks miguel for the light input.

 

[delta410]

RandyO,
Thanks for the picture, do you have a picture of the Acan that was going blue (or a more recent healthy one)? Was it going blue because of to much light?