Color up

[Bdawgfl]

Any tips for restoring the color to a coral that has browned. I have a sunset monti that gets great polyp extension and seems to be growing but does not want to shift coloration back to happy colors.

 

[chrisstie]

Either wait longer if its new or changed tanks (exposure to different light or stress usually generates extra zooxanthellae and takes a while to equalize) or go with more blue colored light scheme (420 or 460 nm).

I notice browner colors in a more white scheme but the growth is so fast, but colors are definitely more eye popping and just more colorful in general with more blue supplementation. Don't know what lighting you are running now but hopefully those help

 

[gwrench]

Hey Bill,
Chrisstie is right on the money.
Alot of corals will brown out or not have good polpy extension when stressed or introduced to different lighting. Water parameters are another factor to be considered.
Post the basics when you get a chance. PH ALK CALC PHOS NITRATES
Lets see if there is something amiss.
Regards
George

 

[Bdawgfl]

Will test tonight.

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

i've noticed with my poker under the shade it is getting better colors than higher in the tank. on the other hand the super man thats up high has some wicked blue to it now compared to when i got is. almost a 1/2" in a month out of it. the poker not really any growth at all

 

[Bdawgfl]

ph - 8.1
Nitrate - 10ppm
Calcium - 410
ALk 4 mEq/l
SpG 1.023
Po4 0
Ammonia <.6
Nitrite 0

Here you go. This is my chemistry that stays fairly stable at this through each week.

 

[chrisstie]

Hmm how do your other sps do? Normally decent parameters don't make that big of an impact- as long as your corals are healthy and without dirty water they do fine and its usually mostly a lighting issue- however I would say your specific gravity is just a hint on the low side. i always aim for 1.024-1.025. Don't think it'll make a difference, but might try that.

What lighting are you running?

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

hey bill imo i would bump the ph to 8.2-8.3 the alk to 5 megl or 12 dkh the sal to 25 or 26 and what are you using to test nitrate and ammonia? if it's api then they will always show .5 and i would not trust the nitrate kit. what are you dosing with? if you use a 2 part then keep in mind that by raising the alk you will lower the calcium. you can use baking soda to raise the alk. i just went through this issue and i added to much soda ash and my calcium persipitated into the water column. not cool. the alk is not too bad to cause a problem, i would more concerned with the nitrates not being that low. and you are using the lights you got from paul correct? if so compared to the lighting that you had it's like and european coming to disney for 3 days and not wearing sunscreen. try moving it a little lower of slighty under a overhang and see how it does for a week

 

[skinnyjoe1976]

do you add mag and strotium? if so what are the parameters?

 

[Bdawgfl]

I am using 2 part. If I increase dose of both would that not increase the values for each without decreasing one over the other. I was under the impression that I would need to dose the mag when I am done with my batch of 2 part. The sunset monti has been brown since he went in the tank. Though briefly several weeks ago it looked like he was starting to green on his base but that stopped. Everything else is looking great. Plenty of color in everything else in there.

He seems to be happy otherwise and growing a little.

 

[gwrench]

Hey Bill,
All of the parameters are within "normal" limits. I agree with Joe on bumping the alk up a little bit. Sometimes you have to dose a little more of one or the other with two part depending on base water source and calcium take up based on coral load.
It is begining to sound like more of a lighting issue and coral shock. That is as long as there are no pests.
Lower the coral in tank some as suggested and wait and watch.
Sometimes it takes a couple works or more for the coral to adjust.
One other question, what is the tank temp during peak lighting hours?
Let us know
George

 

[Bdawgfl]

Since the new lighting went on (3 weeksish) the avg temp is 81-82 with fans going full tilt.

 

[gwrench]

Not too bad on the heat although Paul may have been running his tank slightly cooler. Joe would know as would Paul. Give either of them a ring to find out for sure.
As long as you dont see any tissue damage, just drop it down a bit in the tank and keep a watchful eye. Let us know how things are going.
George

 

[pdkinsel]

My tank was running in the 81-82 temp range, sometimes 83 in August. As mentioned above, I think lowering the corals or putting a screen/filter short term might do the trick. Now that you have the TLF reactor, this might help lower the excess nutrients.

 

[Bdawgfl]

Have not hooked up the reactor yet. Debating between running carbon or nitrate remover in there.

Suggestions based on my readings?

 

[gwrench]

Glad to hear Paul chimed in about temps....rules that out. Thanks Paul.
If algae is an issue I would consider running the GFO to remove any traces of phosphates, but considering you tested 0, kind of rules out that.
If the water clarity is an issue (yellow/tan tint) you could run carbon, or even if you suspect some other elements.
If the previous tank had 0 nitrates then the coral may be irritated by your tanks 10ppm.
Were the corals introduced at the same time as the lighting change? If not then lighting may be the only issue other than shock. If so then I would suggest running some form of nitrate removing media or invest in a denitrator.
Keep us posted
George

 

[Bdawgfl]

how frequently does nitrate material need to be replaced?

 

[smpolyp]

I was getting so excited about your question and the answers I hope I don't repeat some advice. Great advice above.

Bottom line is no one truely knows how to tame coral colors. Good news is we have great info to help.

Change of lighting (spectrum, intensity) ect as stated above can change the zooxanthellae.

Nitrate can increase zooanthellae in abundance to give a coral the color brown. With an ammonia reading of less than .6 I would get another test to comfirn any ammonia. Most any reading( anything above 0) on basic aquarium test kits for ammonia should be monitored and have some concern.

Alkalinty has been said to increase color. SkinnyJoe's advice is for pushing the border line for alk. True, but it can go down hill fast. Dose responsibly.

Lighting: Given the info I have seen from Riddle or Sanjay I feel PAR ( a reading given for the intesity of light we see. Not so much corals.) is a factor. That said there is an adjustment to consider. There tends to be a lower PAR for corals in the wild vers corals in our tank.
As stated above by chrisstie. A higher kalvin can help color. I would like to add a longer light hour with a lower PAR/intesity to help the coral max it's potential.

 

[cook]

Lets not forget good random water flow. Most sps are reeftop and need plenty of O2. Prob pO4 though. Don't trust any kits for this and run gfo always.

 

[plyle02]

Magnesium has not been mentioned here, and I feel it is important to the chemistry of alk/ ca... I would ensure that if your salt of choice does not achieve at least 1350 tested mag, and you do not dose to meet that standard, then maybe you should pay close attention. Coloration with sps is not quite as easy as most may think... Don't forget temperature and salinity, and strive to ahieve consistentcy with all parameters described. Excess nutrients can brown out your corals, while too low of nutrients can starve/bleach your corals. It is that fickle balance that we all strive to achieve....Good luck....