Brown SPS Thread

[arcangel06]

I'd like to start a thread on why SPS turn brown.

I've had some really nice green sps corals turn brown.

What are the common causes of browning out?

Should we be testing our water for more than Cal, dKH & Mg?

 

[dunc101]

The three things that I can think of:
1.) High phosphates and/or nitrates
2.) Insufficient lighting
3.) Parasites (red bugs, flatworms, etc)

 

[yt8181]

Low lighting, high nutrients (nitrates, and phosphates),and stress. Overdosing color adders like Iron and Iodine can also brown out corals.

 

[arcangel06]

anyone else like to add to this? How about some before and after pictures???

 

[sahin]

The three things that I can think of:
1.) High phosphates and/or nitrates
2.) Insufficient lighting
3.) Parasites (red bugs, flatworms, etc)

Spot on.

 

[sbreefer]

what are your water params and what do you add if anything?

 

[dankreef]

The three things that I can think of:
1.) High phosphates and/or nitrates
2.) Insufficient lighting
3.) Parasites (red bugs, flatworms, etc)

This is correct. Nothing really else to add I can think of. #1 reason is high p04 combined with bad light is brown coral.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

Well another thing that might be in is when dipping a coral with some harsh stuff it may brown out and take awhile to recover..

 

[biggles]

The three things that I can think of:
1.) High phosphates and/or nitrates
2.) Insufficient lighting
3.) Parasites (red bugs, flatworms, etc)

1 & 2 cover what you find in most LFS SPS holding systems. Luckily for me most of them have decided to keep the prices down so the SPS move quickly rather than invest in more expensive to run holding systems. :dance:

Example: I bought both these at the same time. The fugly brown was 3 weeks in the shop and the pink was 2 days...... The fugly is turning green which means the poor guy is probably on a return trip ticket to the shop so they can brown him out again lol.

 

[arcangel06]

Pink one is beautiful! Lets get some more pics on this thread

 

[Frick]

4.) Unstable water parameters (usually the alkalinity)
5.) Not providing proper water flow to the specific coral species that it needs.

 

[REEF SMAC]

The three things that I can think of:
1.) High phosphates and/or nitrates
2.) Insufficient lighting
3.) Parasites (red bugs, flatworms, etc)

4.) Genetics

 

[Steve S]

When you say "insuffient lighting" what do you mean...Not enough light or the wrong spectrum or both. T-5, MH, LED...

 

[arcangel06]

anyone have any brown to beautifully colored pics?

 

[dunc101]

When you say "insuffient lighting" what do you mean...Not enough light or the wrong spectrum or both. T-5, MH, LED...

Could be both. Their is much debate between "full spectrum" LED vs 2 color LED's. The general consensus now is to try to get a fuller spectrum if using LED's, however.