Looking for some input

[loganlemaster]

Hey guys I have a light intensity question. I'm starting to keep sps ( grafted monti cap and green slimmer). Right now my parameters are nitrate undetectable as well as phosphate. That being said I have one rock with some hair algae which is affecting those test results. The tank was full of it but over the past couple months I have cleaned sump completely and doing 10 percent water changes and vacuuming sand bed I've got this stuff beat down to one rock. The algae is not growing but not quite fading away yet. My green slimmer frag has been in the tank for a month and is growing well, really encrusting, I just added the monti because I'm feeling good about the way things are going. I'm keeping alk stable at 8.2. My par levels at the slimer are 300-350 and at the monti cap about400-450 (leds). I feel like my colors are light pastel. I'm not feeding the corals. System total water volume is 60 gallon and I have three small fish, that are fed lightly once a day. Would lowering my light intensity help to darken the coral colors? Should I feed heavier? Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[mansorinc]

I would feed your system more, you need some nitrates and phosphates. I would recommend phosphates to be at around .03 and nitrates at about 5ppm. Your sps might be starving and with a little nitrates and phosphates you should start to see more color


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[drs2140]

Feed the fish heavy to boost up the available nutriebts

 

[waterman78]

From my experience, deeper colors in montipora corals are usually the results of nutrient rich waters and stable Alk/Ca/Mg base. Do you have a thick encrusting coralline algae? I would aim at growing this algae before worrying about the corals.

For lighting intensity.... if you have a large enough piece, place a small frag lower in the display to compare on par readings and color depth.

Again....this is only my suggestion and opinion. Happy reefing.


- Larry