Browning
- Thread starter GiGalo
- Start date
flightjunkie
Member
I heard not enough light can cause browning. Tagging along.
I was reading that zoanthids may brown while getting used to the lighting and if browning starts that you should move them down toward the sand until color comes back. I thought too much light would bleach them out, not brown them.
I moved them to the sand bed for now. I will monitor over the next week or so for changes.
I moved them to the sand bed for now. I will monitor over the next week or so for changes.
Chris Lakies
Active member
:hmm3: Wow! That was a deep article you posted there, Lakies! I was just reading a study that was done in Fiji on the ocean, and in the article I was reading about light spectrum needed for proper photosynthesis.
There are many variables that play a roll with light penetration and corals. For instance some corals are known to grow in bays or shallow areas which can be affected by poor water quality. There are more algae blooms and other particles in water that may affect light penetration, this includes surface turbulence also; the more turbulence the more the light refracts hence declining penetration of light spectrum. This article did however point out that morning and evening sun ranges somewhere in the 600nm range which had some affect on coral growth and color. There was also a point on pigmentation that a coral will develop to protect themselves from UV. I don't believe that we will ever see this as aquarist, but this pigmentation can be lost if no UV is present to be protected from. So a coral may reflect a florescent color while UV is present and could brown or loose fluorescence when UV is gone. NOTE: This paragraph is a bit off topic as I do not think this is relevant to my polyps browning.
I dialed my lighting down to the lowest I can get them before shutting off, and everything in my tank is doing well. These specific polyps are now living more happily on the sand bed with some color returning. I was told by a friend that these specific polyps have been known to do this in his aquarium for no apparent reason, almost as if was a seasonal thing.
Thank you all for your replies and knowledge!
There are many variables that play a roll with light penetration and corals. For instance some corals are known to grow in bays or shallow areas which can be affected by poor water quality. There are more algae blooms and other particles in water that may affect light penetration, this includes surface turbulence also; the more turbulence the more the light refracts hence declining penetration of light spectrum. This article did however point out that morning and evening sun ranges somewhere in the 600nm range which had some affect on coral growth and color. There was also a point on pigmentation that a coral will develop to protect themselves from UV. I don't believe that we will ever see this as aquarist, but this pigmentation can be lost if no UV is present to be protected from. So a coral may reflect a florescent color while UV is present and could brown or loose fluorescence when UV is gone. NOTE: This paragraph is a bit off topic as I do not think this is relevant to my polyps browning.
I dialed my lighting down to the lowest I can get them before shutting off, and everything in my tank is doing well. These specific polyps are now living more happily on the sand bed with some color returning. I was told by a friend that these specific polyps have been known to do this in his aquarium for no apparent reason, almost as if was a seasonal thing.
Thank you all for your replies and knowledge!
Last edited:
Chris Lakies
Active member
I believe the just of the article states that the most important range for great colors is 400-480nm is shown to promote the best colors. I'm glad the polyps are doing better!!