Coral growths and colors

[aoeBombcat]

Hi all, I have started to keep SPS in April and its been 6 months since I set up my SPS tank. Now that I look back at the photos I took back in April, I can definitely tell they have grew somewhat. But they lost all its original colors. I have posted 2 photos and my tank specs. Can you help me figure out what I can do to color it up?

Thank you in advance

90 gallons with 40 gallons Sump. Maybe a total of 100 to 110 gallons of water.
Skimmer is Reef Octopus XS 250
temp is around 78 to 80
pH is 8.0 to 8.2 depending if it is at night or morning
dosing Randy's 2 part for
Alk = 9.8 (I am dosing 120 ml of Recipe # 1)
CA = 390 (for some reason, I couldn't get this higher to 450, I am dosing 120 ml of Recipe # 1)
Mg = 1300
Not sure whats my N03 and P04, my Redsea test kit always said 0 for N04 and 0.08 for P04. I read that something is wrong with the P04 test kit. I just ordered a Hanna P04 Checker and hope it is better.
I have 2 Radions that comes on from 8:00AM to 8:30PM.
10:30AM is 80%
12:00PM is 95%
2:30PM is 100%
5:30PM is 95%
7:30PM is 50%
I have slowing increase the light to this setting in 3 months and has been this setting for 1 month. The color started to go pale around June so its has not gotten any better or worst.

I had bio pellet for 2 months, but I just took it off line 2 days ago because of cyno bacteria on my sand for 2 months now. So finally decided to take it offline and started to dose vinegar (15ml per day).

I also dose Essential Elements 1ml per day.

And the water is sparkling clear.

 

[aoeBombcat]

Ok, I just test P04 with hanna check phosphorus it shows 0. And nitrate is 0 from red sea test kit. Does that mean I'm starving my corals? I have been feeding more to the fishes. What else should I do?

I'm adding phytomax and chromamax from kent marine.

Thanks

 

[spsexpert]

your lighting is too strong, because there isn't enough nutrients in the tank for the sps to make amino acids which is then used for photosynthesis

just reduce lighting or dose amino acids or feed your tank more to color the sps back up

 

[aoeBombcat]

Thank you for the suggestions, should I feed the corals more of the fish more? Where can I get amino acids?
Thank you

 

[spsexpert]

feeding your fish = feeding your corals, fish poo feeds your corals, as for amino acids, try seachem's reef plus, the bio pellets may also striped too much no3 and po4

 

[aoeBombcat]

Thank you

 

[aoeBombcat]

I just retested my water, now I have

KH of 10.14
CA of 578
P04 of .04

now I am trying to lower the CA and stable the P04.

Also just reduce lighting.

Hope this works.

 

[sponger0]

I was gonna say lighting or not enough nutrients also

 

[e46slc]

Kh and Ca is high. Stop dosing and see where your levels are at in a few days. Your sps might be affected by the large swings you have with kh and ca

 

[aoeBombcat]

I think it's the low nutrition because they when to pale color very slowly. It wasn't an over night thing.

 

[uglyfish]

I have exactly the same problems - also running 2 radions, was running biopellets and dosing randy's 2 part. My acros actually started to STN until I pulled the biopellet reactor offline. I tried to compensate for the low nutrient water by feeding heavier - then the cyano started. I couldn't get the biopellets to work for me. I'm running nopox for 6-8 weeks with excellent results. Cyano gone, acros growing fast - I've increased my cal & alk dosing and supplemented with kalk to keep up.

As for the radions... I haven't figured it out yet, my colour isn't where it should be.
Following along.

 

[uglyfish]

I have exactly the same problems - also running 2 radions, was running biopellets and dosing randy's 2 part. My acros actually started to STN until I pulled the biopellet reactor offline. I tried to compensate for the low nutrient water by feeding heavier - then the cyano started. I couldn't get the biopellets to work for me. I'm running nopox for 6-8 weeks with excellent results. Cyano gone, acros growing fast - I've increased my cal & alk dosing and supplemented with kalk to keep up.

As for the radions... I haven't figured it out yet, my colour isn't where it should be.
Following along.

 

[aoeBombcat]

Did you calibrate your radions? You need to update the firmwares and you can calibrate the color. I am in a different shoe, I have Cyano because I have biopellet. Thats why I pulled it offline and adds vinegar. I am feeding heavier these days, and I was able to get P04 up to 0.04.

 

[doosiec]

There are many cases where the coloration of the corals change depending on the next tank it thrives in. Your parameters look fine to me. There's definitely some hidden nutritional values we're unable to measure, such as beneficial bacteria.

 

[uglyfish]

I updated firmware yesterday but didn't see the calibration - I'll check into it. I turned my lights down to see if it helps.

 

[xsboost]

You'll also need to lower alk to 7-8dkh if you're dosing vinegar.

The above advice is good. Lighting isn't too bad, I'd just look to feed a bit more and try some zeovit PIF and AAHC to get colours a little darker. To be honest, I think you're corals look pretty good, and don't need too much assistance. Growth has been good too!

 

[aoeBombcat]

I just got some amino acid and just started to dose. So I need to lower oh to 7-8 DKh for vinegar, I thought that's tor bio pellet. I can be wrong. I can lower my Dkh a bit.

The color looks good??? Maybe I don't like the pale look. But yes the growth is ok.

 

[led stony]

Their is a reason why ecotech marine first put out a diffrent lense for the radion and now a new light. I sold my radion and went back to 250 watt radium metal halides all my color fading,stn and browning went away.my tank looked dark with the radions on. And ecoteck marine told me to lower my intensity to 60% wrong anwser and wrong light. Look how many are for sale.im telling you why. I have emailed a lot of people selling them and they all had the same problems. Not for sps. Good luck

 

[bryman]

Any carbon dosing requires lower Alk. Keep it between 7.5-8.5, but most importantly stable. It may or may not be your lights, but I would suspect coral starvation first from BPs. Same thing happened to me. You have to feed quite a bit more with BPs, and IMO use a maximum of 20% of the recommended full dosage.

 

[SeabassSA]

I would have a look at the Red Sea website, you tube on their range of products. Not trying to sell or promote Red Sea, but they have been doing this a long time.

For growth they run high parameters, alk 12, ca 460 mg 1380 if I remember correctly.

For colour you bring these down, I recommend you look at the site for accurate parameters, then po4 and no3 must be low and you feed corals.

Hope this helps.