fire and ice looks more like mud and dirty snow :(
- Thread starter rsteagall
- Start date
Shawnts106
New member
LOL MUD AND DIRTY SNOW .. too funny!
Well.. depending on what the coral was under (lighting) when you got it.. that could have a HUGE roll in color loss..
Did you notice when you got it home in your tank it was IMMEDIATELY a different color... or has it just starting fading etc...???
Give us some specs on Water Qualitys like Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate/pH/Ca/Alk/Phosphates/Salinity/Temperature/Lighting/Placementlevel/Currentlevel etc..
Well.. depending on what the coral was under (lighting) when you got it.. that could have a HUGE roll in color loss..
Did you notice when you got it home in your tank it was IMMEDIATELY a different color... or has it just starting fading etc...???
Give us some specs on Water Qualitys like Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate/pH/Ca/Alk/Phosphates/Salinity/Temperature/Lighting/Placementlevel/Currentlevel etc..
rsteagall
New member
I have a JBJ PC system with 1x10k 96W and 1xActinic 96W.
http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_formosa_ss_jd2.html
Its not how they look under different light. They've just defintiely lost color. I have some sitting on the substrate and some sitting way up high in the tank. Both look the same.
http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_formosa_ss_jd2.html
Its not how they look under different light. They've just defintiely lost color. I have some sitting on the substrate and some sitting way up high in the tank. Both look the same.
rsteagall
New member
Any idea? These lights should be enough right? I have a oceanic 58gal.
Temperature is constant 77F-78F.
I don't measure CA or Alk (nothing to measure it with).
Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate = 0 (I've been doing weekly water changes lately)
Salinity = 1.023
Phosphates = ??? I use RO/DI water with a TDS of 0
Lighting = 96w 10k and actinic.
PH = ~8.1
Temperature is constant 77F-78F.
I don't measure CA or Alk (nothing to measure it with).
Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate = 0 (I've been doing weekly water changes lately)
Salinity = 1.023
Phosphates = ??? I use RO/DI water with a TDS of 0
Lighting = 96w 10k and actinic.
PH = ~8.1
Reef Junkie
Premium Member
Your light is on the low side like Cowico said, but probably not the total reason your animals are losing color.
What are your tanks params? What are you using to keep your tanks param in check? (Water changes, additives, reactors...?)
Cheers,
Bill
What are your tanks params? What are you using to keep your tanks param in check? (Water changes, additives, reactors...?)
Cheers,
Bill
rsteagall
New member
Why would that be too little light for zoas? I thought 3.3W per gallon would be sufficient or is the actinic not counted in this calculation?
Latest params checked lastnight:
Temperature is constant 77F-78F.
Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate = 0
Salinity = 1.023
Lighting = 1x96w 10k and 1x96w actinic
PH = ~8.2
Phosphates = ???
CA = ???
I dose every 1-2 weeks with Kent Essential Elements.
Flow should be a descent. I have a CPR Aquafuge PS run by a MJ1200, 2XMJ1200's for other circulation, and a sump with a MAG7 circulating at full strength @ ~4' of head.
Without discounting any other potential problem, these fire and ice have only been in my tank for about 3 weeks now. Some of the others I got at the same time have lost some color but not as much as the fire and ice. I've been doing a lot of changes to my tank recently like adding a sump. I have combined 2 buckets of salt recently. 1 was reefcrystals and the other was oceanic. The reefcrystals was a few years old. Whats the life of a bucket-o-salt?
Latest params checked lastnight:
Temperature is constant 77F-78F.
Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate = 0
Salinity = 1.023
Lighting = 1x96w 10k and 1x96w actinic
PH = ~8.2
Phosphates = ???
CA = ???
I dose every 1-2 weeks with Kent Essential Elements.
Flow should be a descent. I have a CPR Aquafuge PS run by a MJ1200, 2XMJ1200's for other circulation, and a sump with a MAG7 circulating at full strength @ ~4' of head.
Without discounting any other potential problem, these fire and ice have only been in my tank for about 3 weeks now. Some of the others I got at the same time have lost some color but not as much as the fire and ice. I've been doing a lot of changes to my tank recently like adding a sump. I have combined 2 buckets of salt recently. 1 was reefcrystals and the other was oceanic. The reefcrystals was a few years old. Whats the life of a bucket-o-salt?
Reef Junkie
Premium Member
It's not that it's not enough light, it's just not a lot or optimal.
But that's a whole other topic. Your tank does look like it has great coverage anyway.
What concerns me is your Alk and DKH. You need to find something to help keep your alk and dkh stable. So far the only thing you mentioned was dosing once a week or every other week. That is probably where your problem is.
Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a MH lighting system, try buying a two part solution (b-ionic works) and use it for two months.(costs $20 to $40 depending on the vendor)
I guarantee that your zoas will color up.
If they don't, I'll send you a colorful frag from my tank. If they do, then you have to send me a colorful frag.
Deal?
But that's a whole other topic. Your tank does look like it has great coverage anyway.
What concerns me is your Alk and DKH. You need to find something to help keep your alk and dkh stable. So far the only thing you mentioned was dosing once a week or every other week. That is probably where your problem is.
Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a MH lighting system, try buying a two part solution (b-ionic works) and use it for two months.(costs $20 to $40 depending on the vendor)
I guarantee that your zoas will color up.
If they don't, I'll send you a colorful frag from my tank. If they do, then you have to send me a colorful frag.
Deal?
rsteagall
New member
I'm a newbie reefer for sure, as I've only had the things you see in the picture about 7 months. =\ I've never tested for alk or dkh and don't really know what they are. I've read a few things about alk and ca... but nothing about dkh. In particular about ca and alk:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm
Without creating a whole other thread, can you in short tell me what values I should aim for and what each means to the reef? Trust me, I'll definitely start researching it... but a quick schooling will help give me something to research.
Sure... deal.
Thank you,
Ryan
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm
Without creating a whole other thread, can you in short tell me what values I should aim for and what each means to the reef? Trust me, I'll definitely start researching it... but a quick schooling will help give me something to research.
Sure... deal.
Thank you,
Ryan
Reef Junkie
Premium Member
Well, it's so complex and yet simple.
Randy is the man when it comes to our tanks chemistry. That is an excellent article and I've seen here before...
In the meantime, get your hands on a good Alk test (Salifert makes a good inexpensive test)
Then pick up some B-Ionic or any 2 part calcium and alkalinity dosing product.
Test your levels (alk & Cal) and then dose accordingly. keep your calcium in the high 300's low 400's and your alk between 3.5 to 4.5 meq/l and dkh between 10-13. Higher is better, but not too high. Remember too much of anything is no good.
If you can achieve this, then you will be rewarded, greatly.
Bill
PS You have a beautiful tank
Randy is the man when it comes to our tanks chemistry. That is an excellent article and I've seen here before...
In the meantime, get your hands on a good Alk test (Salifert makes a good inexpensive test)
Then pick up some B-Ionic or any 2 part calcium and alkalinity dosing product.
Test your levels (alk & Cal) and then dose accordingly. keep your calcium in the high 300's low 400's and your alk between 3.5 to 4.5 meq/l and dkh between 10-13. Higher is better, but not too high. Remember too much of anything is no good.
If you can achieve this, then you will be rewarded, greatly.
Bill
PS You have a beautiful tank
