Having trouble with SPS coloration

[miguelp19]

Hello SPS junkies!!

So I am trying to figure out why my sps wont color up. I have great polyp extension but just no color. My tank is a 60gallon with 4x54w T5s, bulbs are 2mo. old. I run a skimmer and an algae scrubber, I have a Korallia 1050 and a Korallia 6 on a wave maker plus a Syncra 5.0 for the return. I have a very small bioload which consists of only two clowns. I feed flake and frozen once a day and i dose kalk in my topoff. I just started adding reefsnow about once a week at night. my params are as follow:

Ca- 460
alk- 9.5
Mg- 1320
Phosphate- 0.0
Nitrates- 0
pH-8.4
Ammonia- 0
Nitrites- 0

*test kits are brand new so I know results are accurate.

any/all advice is welcome! :bounce1:

 

[rizon25]

What color bulbs are you running? What color are the sps?

 

[mwladdicted]

Bring your phospates up somewhere betweeen .02 and .08. Also what he said. Sps like a very small amount of phosphates.

 

[aquaph8]

Miguel, post some pictures to give everyone an idea of where your at.

 

[r-balljunkie]

how old is your setup?

reefsnow is a bit iffy, product proven wise. not too sure if its 100% necessary.

Amino's might help too.

 

[DeepThought]

What are you using to test phosphates?

I think your running a tank that is too clean.

 

[squaretankguy08]

What are you using to test phosphates?

I think your running a tank that is too clean.

my thoughts exactly or that you're not using a test for low range phosphates and getting a false zero

 

[miguelp19]

bulbs are 2 ATI blue plus, 1 ATI aquablue special, and a Fiji Purple.
The corals are brownish and some even on the whiter side but again the polyp extension is great. The tank has been up for about 4 months but was started with sand and rocks that have been alive for over a year. I am using the API Phosphate test, I do have algae in the tank so theres obviously some phosphate.

My thoughts were also that my tank is too clean, my camera is out of whack right now but ill post pics if i can. What can I do to "dirty" my tank to the point where I wont kill the SPS? Turn off my skimmer and keep the scrubber?

 

[Catchoftheday]

API test kit for PO4 is junk i would see if you can have your LFS test it using a Hannah PO4 test

 

[karsseboom]

I would say lighting. 4 t5 bulbs is not enough light for a solid Sps tank. There are people who could pull off that lighting but its easier to keep better color with more bulbs.

 

[mwladdicted]

Id say it is definatley your phostphates. I had your same issue a while back. Catchoftheday is right, api is garbage. Id look into getting it tested with a hanna checker.

 

[gbru316]

I don't think your tank is too clean. In fact, I'm inclined to believe the opposite.

Brown corals indicate excessive zooxanthellae. Excessive zooxanthellae comes from an excess of nutrients, not an absence. Corals in ultra low nutrient tanks often take on a pastel appearance. Not brown.

Purchase quality test kits, retest, then post the results. API kits don't have the resolution required for NO3 or PO4, meaning, they'll give you a false negative.

Getting good color is a balancing act. You need to limit zooxanthellae numbers to prevent brown coral. However, the coral needs zooxanthellae to survive. Even if you have higher than desirable nutrients, this can be overcome with more light. The inverse is also true. Ultra low nutrients can work with lower light levels, but since you already have lower light levels, this is another reason why I suspect false test data.

 

[GSMguy]

Switch the aquablue special for another Blue+.

I was having algae and coloration issues until I ditched the aquablue special.

Also sounds like your nutients are too high. Get a better phosphate kit.

 

[plyle02]

i don't think your tank is too clean. In fact, i'm inclined to believe the opposite.

Brown corals indicate excessive zooxanthellae. Excessive zooxanthellae comes from an excess of nutrients, not an absence. Corals in ultra low nutrient tanks often take on a pastel appearance. Not brown.

Purchase quality test kits, retest, then post the results. Api kits don't have the resolution required for no3 or po4, meaning, they'll give you a false negative.

Getting good color is a balancing act. You need to limit zooxanthellae numbers to prevent brown coral. However, the coral needs zooxanthellae to survive. Even if you have higher than desirable nutrients, this can be overcome with more light. The inverse is also true. Ultra low nutrients can work with lower light levels, but since you already have lower light levels, this is another reason why i suspect false test data.

+1 ^

 

[elegance coral]

any/all advice is welcome! :bounce1:

Remember, you said this.

We really need pic's of these corals that won't color up. Please

The first thing I'd do is ditch the algae scrubber. It is physically impossible to grow algae on a screen if the water is void of nitrogen and phosphate. It really doesn't matter what the tests are telling you. If you're growing algae, you have nitrogen and phosphate. Your corals are exposed to the same nutrients that are causing all the algae growth on your scrubber. These devices simply serve as a means of trapping nutrients within the system, causing problems, like poor coloration, in corals.

 

[dankreef]

Get more fish and feed them.

 

[squaretankguy08]

Get more fish and feed them.

How would this help excessive phosphates?

 

[xenon]

I am willing to bet you have higher PO4/NO3 than you think.

What test kits are you using?

 

[dankreef]

Good info

 

[REEF SMAC]

I do have algae in the tank so theres obviously some phosphate.

My thoughts were also that my tank is too clean

These two statements don't really go together.

I would say lighting. 4 t5 bulbs is not enough light for a solid Sps tank..

Id say it is definatley your phostphates.

I'd say it's a combination of both.

I don't think your tank is too clean. In fact, I'm inclined to believe the opposite.

My vote as well.