Advice on making pink acros pop?

[saltywet]

I wanted to know if there are any info people can share in making pink acros (not pinkbirds nest, or pink stylo) show their true pink.

My pink milli, pink hyacinthus always turn to a drab brown or browish red.



I want to know from people with those awesomely sweeeeeeet pinks to share what they do to keep those pinks.


Thanks

 

[Znut Reefer]

Try keeping them under high lighting. That usually works.

 

[saltywet]

Znut--thanks for your input...

I keep mine under - 400w reeflux 20k with lumenmax elite reflectors.

They are just 7" directly under the lights.

Unfortunately--I still have drably reddish brown colors.

I should also comment about my params:

alk 8.0--elos
calc 400--elos
mag--1350--elos
n03--5ppm--elos
p04--.03--Hana colorometer

Any other suggestions pleazeeeee.

 

[Znut Reefer]

Never used the 20K Reeflux. Only Radiums and 20K XM's. Maybe in time they will color up for you.

 

[saltywet]

Znut Reefer---thanks again.

I haved used Radiums before...The 20k Reeflux kinda looks like that.

I have used the following bulbs thru the years.

20k Helios, 10k Reeflux, 12k Reeflux, 14k Ushios--Pink acros kinda look brownish red in my tank.

I should say this is only my experience with these bulbs in my tank. Other reefers may have nice pink colors using these bulbs and that is why I am asking for help.

I even went as far as using switching over to T5- overdriven with Icecaps to try to get pinker colors.

I have used KZ Fiji Purple, ATI aqua blue special, ATI blue +, ATI Procolor. I honestly didn't see much of an improvment using T5 for pink colors.

 

[Znut Reefer]

Maybe some others will chime in and tell their experince. What pink acros are you trying to color up. Just curious.

 

[saltywet]

Yeah, I hope others can chime in and help.

I have a pink millipora, pink hyacinthus, pink cythera, pink clathrata, pink insignius (sp?), pink abrotanoides--(I know abrotanoides are very hard to keep their color)

 

[capture]

Is it just your pink acros that dont "pop"? You might have high nutrients. Do you have issues with any nuisance algae?
I had a similar issue. Some of my SPS were about 3 inches under a 250w 14K MH setup and things continued to turn brown. I started to dose vodka and MicroBacter 7 and things have started to look better.
The answer for you may not be dosing vodka and MB7 but just wanted to share since I had a similar issue.

 

[superchargeme]

I have had sucsess with my pink table under 1000 watt radium. Under 400 watters it got pink but not hot pink as under the 1000. When I switched to the 1000 it took a couple of weeks to aclimate the corals to the extra light. Hope this helps, oh the only thing that I changed at the time was the size of the bulb Peace.

 

[saltywet]

Capture--thanks for chiming in.

I have no issues with any nuisance algae. I guess I would consider myself as having low nutrients based on my P04, NO3.

I have used zeovit for over one year.

I have no problems with other colors...purples, blues, greens...they don't turn brown on me.

I did see major improvements with purples and purples just not the pinks with zeovit.

 

[saltywet]

I have had sucsess with my pink table under 1000 watt radium

WOW! 1000w--thanks for sharing your experience that this works for you for the pinks.

I think this may be my last resort if all else fails. I afraid my neighbors would call the ATF on me thinking I am growing :smokin: in my garage.:lol:

Actually, it would be the heat issue that I am worried about. I would have to somehow find a way to vent the heat out the garage where I keep the tank.

 

[muzz]

With my pink millipora, when the bulbs aged, they pink edges on the coralites lost that POP to them. I switched to T5 lighting, and like them, but they are not as bright as the 400w 12k reeflux bulbs that I used to use. To get the pink color back, I had to increase the amino acids, as nutrients were to low, and all pinks in my tank turned rather pastel or pale looking. So I would suggest increasing the amino acids slowly and see if that helps. It should help to darken or deepen all colors in your tank. All pink corals need very intense lighting to hold that color, or they do shift to the browner looking side. That has been my experience.

 

[DankReefer]

my ORA pink millie is showing better colors than ever sitting on the bottom of my 58, I know it's the exact opposite of where everyone else has theres, but it's hard to argue with the color

 

[saltywet]

Muzz,

when you add amino acids, did the pink color come back or did it turn to a darker reddish slightly brown color?


With regards to pink corals needing intense lighting to hold that color, anyone here have pink colors using 250w?

Thus far, it almost appears that people don't have luck keeping pink acros pink....or they're not chiming in yet.

 

[saltywet]

Thus far, it almost appears that people don't have luck keeping pink acros pink....or they're not chiming in yet.

Opps, I should say Thus far, it almost appears that not many people can keep pink acros pink....or they're not chiming in yet.

 

[muzz]

Here is my red planet and my pink milli. I am not that good at taking pics, but it gives an idea.

 

[saltywet]

Thanks for the pics!--Muzz,

I am jealous of your pinks!

I guess I will need to bump up adding aa into my tank to see if I can increase the pink.

What level are you keeping your table milli?

Thanks

 

[Oldude]

If you are using zeo your alk may be a bit on the high side at 8 DKH, I think they suggest closer to 7 DKH.
Then again it may just be simple genetics..... for a test to rule that out I would suggest cutting a few frags and give them to some one who gets good pinks in their tank and see if they turn for them. If so then it is something with your system.

 

[saltywet]

Oldude,

Your right, it may be genectics...it always doesn't hurt to give a few frags to your friends.

Re my 8dkh, I will slowly lower it back down to 7ish.

Thanks

 

[muzz]

Oldude has a good point. I have had some corals that have never done anything, so I gave pieces to others, and they never got them to do anything either. It happens.

I had my pink milli at the very top of the tank, and I moved it down about 8 inches. It almost completely browned out from t he move, and it happened within a week. I moved it back up top, and it is doing really good again. Here is a picture from the looking down the side of my tank. The pink milli is at the top closest to you, and you can kind of see my pink brdsnest on the other end. I can not get a good FTS looking straight on, never have been able to.