After 12 years in a 125 gallon tank I decided to upgrade and take my tank from fish only to SPS. I picked up a few corals from local shops to see if I could get some growth and did so I decided to go all in with the new tank. I ordered a very nice frag pack from a member on here, put them in QT, and finally moved them into the main tank. Good polyp extension and moderate growth but the colors that I see in other tanks simply weren't there. I was running dual 250W metal halides and two 5' VHO tubes.
In August I moved everything into the 180 with a big new sump, my Vortechs, and a new Reeflo Barracude but I kept the old lights. My corals were obviously not impressed. They weren't dying but they weren't thriving. I also found that a Purple Nana that I bought had AEFW. I put all the corals back on plugs and a rack and put the affected coral on it's own rack. I treated it with Coral RX dips and that's the only coral that I lost. I got some very nice frags off it and it will regrow so I guess I should consider myself lucky. Having read up on AEFW I think I got off lucky.
So, what's the good news. A few weeks ago I bit the bullet and upgraded my lights. I picked up a Blue Wave 7 dual 250 HQI, Lumen Max Elites, and Radiums. I've always had good polyp extension. Corals were encrusting on rocks before I pried them off to treat for flatworms. I didn't have color. Tonight I looked in my tank and saw it. Blues, purples, and deep emerald greens returning to my corals. I haven't seen these colors since I bought these frags and put them in the tank and now it seems to be coming back. It seems pretty apparent that they were starved for light because that's all that's changed. Circulation is much improved over my old tank and the water parameters are as good as ever. It has to be the lights. Whatever the case, I can't wait to see what the next few weeks does for my corals. The reappearance of color has absolutely made my night. If this continues I know a certain seller on here that's going to be selling another frag pack to me.
Mike
In August I moved everything into the 180 with a big new sump, my Vortechs, and a new Reeflo Barracude but I kept the old lights. My corals were obviously not impressed. They weren't dying but they weren't thriving. I also found that a Purple Nana that I bought had AEFW. I put all the corals back on plugs and a rack and put the affected coral on it's own rack. I treated it with Coral RX dips and that's the only coral that I lost. I got some very nice frags off it and it will regrow so I guess I should consider myself lucky. Having read up on AEFW I think I got off lucky.
So, what's the good news. A few weeks ago I bit the bullet and upgraded my lights. I picked up a Blue Wave 7 dual 250 HQI, Lumen Max Elites, and Radiums. I've always had good polyp extension. Corals were encrusting on rocks before I pried them off to treat for flatworms. I didn't have color. Tonight I looked in my tank and saw it. Blues, purples, and deep emerald greens returning to my corals. I haven't seen these colors since I bought these frags and put them in the tank and now it seems to be coming back. It seems pretty apparent that they were starved for light because that's all that's changed. Circulation is much improved over my old tank and the water parameters are as good as ever. It has to be the lights. Whatever the case, I can't wait to see what the next few weeks does for my corals. The reappearance of color has absolutely made my night. If this continues I know a certain seller on here that's going to be selling another frag pack to me.
Mike
