I need help getting color in my corals

[Shinte305]

-Tank parameters
Salifert test kit
450 calcium
1480 mag
9.8 alk
hanna checker phosphate 0.027 ppm
nitrates nitrite amo all 0

-water changes every 4-6 weeks 20%

-no dosing just two filter socks with very small amounts of carbon in one and GFO in another

-Lights Radion G3 Pro

-65 gallon tank 30 gallon sump

-Tank will be 3 years old in Feb 20 2017

Im writing this to get some input in coral colors for example my zoas would come from vivid aquariums, i remove the plug then acclimate the whole 9 yards put them in the tank and see them at night under 20k spectrum glow like crazy a few weeks later half the color is gone or half the intensity is gone. BUT the corals ALL grow like crazy......... which is what has me stumped. i get huge coral growth on everything but all my corals colors fade within a week or two of being in my tank. A month ago i got GSP from vivid and it was beautiful super bright. Now it is starting to spread on the rock but the green isnt so bright anymore -_-

id honestly rather have the opposite, i want lots of color without caring much for growth.

so my question is whats the trick or technique for color is it more light is it feeding more... is it to have much more bio load what is it????

lights ramp up slowly then reach an intensity of 55% for 7 hours then ramp down slowly.

 

[Shinte305]

Bio load is hermit crabs 10-15, about 15 snails, two green chromies, sea urchin, gopy, fire fish, clown fish and a yellow tang. i feed NLS pellets every day lightly twice a day and frozen mysis every other day also Nori for my tang everyday. I do not feed corals at all.

 

[Potatohead]

With not doing many water changes you are likely depleting all the trace elements in the tank. I would either do more water changes or dose some trace elements back in. Also you could look into your lighting spectrum, typically more whiter/yellower light like 10k will have more growth and less color, and bluer light like 18k will do the opposite.

 

[Sapelo]

How many Radions on your tank?

 

[Shinte305]

just one G3 in the center. my tank is a cube not a long rectangle so one fills the entire tank.

 

[mikeatjac]

Running my radions at 20k really brought the color out.

 

[oseymour]

you can try the red sea coral colors program. It was worked for me. If it doesn't work for you then stop using it.

 

[Shinte305]

My lights are running at 55% max at 14k spectrum for 3.5 hours then at 20k spectrum for the last 3.5 hours of 55% intensity, then it ramps down till it turns off at 20k the rest of the time. ill shorten the time it stays at 14k to see if i can get some more coloration

 

[Bl@ckbird]

I agree you need more water changes..... Are you skimming as well? Phos is still a bit high too.


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[reeferheadlouie]

With not doing many water changes you are likely depleting all the trace elements in the tank. I would either do more water changes or dose some trace elements back in. Also you could look into your lighting spectrum, typically more whiter/yellower light like 10k will have more growth and less color, and bluer light like 18k will do the opposite.

+1 Weekly water changes are definitely a much better practice

 

[Shinte305]

i always heard looking at your tank is a way to check if phosphates are in check and i have ZERO algae. As for trace elements, even though im getting really good growth you think more water changes or increasing my trace elements will affect coloration? i do a water change mostly once a month and a big one

 

[Shinte305]

oh and i do skim slightly wet and it comes out light brown since my bio load for 95 gallons is only 6 fish.