Humilis turned brown...

[SDguy]

Both frags which I believe to be A. humilis came to me purple and blue (albeit VERY, VERY LIGHT purple and blue). Both have basically turned brown. The one under the Phoenix seems to be getting green tips. The one under the Hammy seems to have kept a bit of the blue color, but not much. I understand that this is not uncommon? I have no interest in putting 400W lights on my tank, so any other suggestions?

One is under a 14K DE Phoenix and the other under a 14K DE Hammy. I am due for new bulbs, but after much research, it seems the Phoenix are my best bet since I have no other supplementation. System is as described in my sig. Parameters are as follows:

82 F
9 dKH
420ppm Ca
1325ppm Mg
1.025 salinity
8hr photo period


TIA for any insight.

 

[DrBDC]

What are your phosphate and nitrate levels?

 

[SDguy]

Both undetectable. No unwanted algae growth either.

 

[DaddyJax]

I have noticed that this is very comon with this species. I have had some success only by having them very high in the tank with ALOT of light. ime

 

[dreaminmel]

Did you say you're due for new bulbs? How long have you had these corals and how long ago did they start browning?

 

[SDguy]

They basically started turning brown as soon as I received them. The Phoenix bulb is about 10-12 months old. The Hammy is older. I'm ordering new bulbs shortly...was just doing some research in case I wanted to change brands.

Really, it's not a huge deal if they change color...as long as they are growing, I'm OK with that. I guess I just didn't realize that they were such HIGH light level acro's. Live and learn I guess. We'll see what happens with new phoenix bulbs...

 

[DrBDC]

It may just be an acclimation phase. We have a local farmer who grows with actinic white and actinic blue vho's only. Great looking corals. Extremely colorful but when I bring one home, over the next month it goes to a tanish green. Very subtle tan but then over about a 6 month period it goes right back to the original color, maybe a little deeper fuller color even.

 

[BLKTANG]

I had a humilis do the same thing,it was ora too.

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8388752#post8388752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
It may just be an acclimation phase. We have a local farmer who grows with actinic white and actinic blue vho's only. Great looking corals. Extremely colorful but when I bring one home, over the next month it goes to a tanish green. Very subtle tan but then over about a 6 month period it goes right back to the original color, maybe a little deeper fuller color even.

Interesting...alright, I'll give it some time and see what happens.

 

[tuberider]

The first pictures almost look bleached, I would bet they'll color up a little more intense as they settle in. They look very happy now with their little polyps waving at ya.

 

[Acroholic]

I have a humilis colony right under a 400w SE and it still browned out....started out almost exact same color as your pics....the color is finally coming back now, almost to the original light blue color.

 

[tgcreef]

im can pretty much bet my life on that they need more light they live in reef flats that when low tide comes they are exposed to the sun on full so that tells u how much light they get and they are also getting the crashing waves breaking on the shore so need high flow aswell

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8393004#post8393004 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoManMaster
im can pretty much bet my life on that they need more light they live in reef flats that when low tide comes they are exposed to the sun on full so that tells u how much light they get and they are also getting the crashing waves breaking on the shore so need high flow aswell

I specifically remember seeing this on Discovery or National Geographic or Nature. Definite humilis shaped corals. They were showing how they secrete extra thick slime to keep moist during low tide. However, I also remember that they were all tan and brown

 

[twon8]

a brown coral is a healthy coral

 

[tuberider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8393195#post8393195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twon8
a brown coral is a healthy coral

My whole tank is healthy. :rollface:

 

[Me No Nemo]

I deal with lots of sps and have over a thousand coral frags. Almost all corals that I get turn brown over the first couple of weeks no matter what I do.

So, I keep all new corals in lower light conditions to avoid bleaching. They most always turn brown, I believe, from stress. I slowly move them into higher light over about a 6 week period. It does take about 3-6 months for them to fully get their colors back.

I have humulis under 250 MH 20K XM bulbs. When I had them under 175's I couldn't get them to color back up, but since moving up they are doing great. I have several blues doing the same as yours now and below, if you look into the top right hand corner you'll see a green humilis that was mud brown forever. A similiar one turned all green first and is now turning blue at the tips. Not even sure what that one will do.

I'd raise your calcium a bit as well as your magnesium. I try to stay around 450-460 on calcium and have my best color spike at about 1400-1450 mag. I also supplement with Figi Gold which seems to do a great job for me.

You can just about see one of my humulis in the back right corner of the pic below. That was dirt brown until just recently as were a great many in the pic. You can see the lokani in left center with the base of the branches still brown. It's now completely deep blue/purple.

I wouldn't give up and I don't personally think that you need more than 250's to get great color. HTH, Marcye

 

[onehundred20]

i would say keep high in tank and lots of flow for those thick branches.

 

[SDguy]

OK, thanks for all the input!

Marcye - I will be firing up my Ca reactor in short order. I wanted my new corals to settle in first with the idea that I am bound to get fluctuations during the dialing in process of the reactor. Once this is done I will get my levels up to what you suggest. I have never heard of a Mg level that high helping with color....interesting. Has anyone else noticed this?

twon8 - Yes, I agree. There is no question my corals are healthy. Excellent polyp extension, and noticeable growth has begun.

onehundred20 - The humilis are both about 12 inches below the lights themselves...so I think <8 of that is actually water.

As comparison, my yellow tip pink bird's nest has kept wonderful color.

 

[toothman]

I would say that your picture with the nice blue corals is a picture of a unhealthy state. Often a newly imported coral has lost most or all of its zoos. A bleached state. With the zoos dead you can really see a bright coral, they can really look good. Your second picture really looks like the acro is doing well, it just needs to acclimate to your tank.

I do however think you have some phosphate over .02 in your tank, you should get either a hanna, deltec test kit. I think they are the same kit just a different label. Or better yet a colorimeter from hanna. How are the rest of your acros. With low phosphate you will see the new growth back to a similar state to the origional photo.

 

[SDguy]

You are probably right. And honestly, my tank probably will be less than ideal for some acros, as I like LOTS of fish in the tank, which is why I tried several different species and types of SPS to see what does well and what does not.