mushroom colors

G

g8rorchid

Member
My mushrooms seem to be losing their blue and green color. I have blus mushrooms and green hairy mushrooms. Both of these seem to be more on the pink/brown side. Nothing has changed that could have stressed them to have them change their color like that. Could the water be lacking calcium or some other element? Please advise.

Thank you
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10176875#post10176875 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by geoxman
calcium has nothing to do with it.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ. An imbalance with Calcium and Alkalinty can lead to a wide variety of trouble. While in this situation it isn't as vital as if we were discussing skeleton producing corals, it is still something that can't be neglected.
 
In terms of lighting I have a 150W MH and its about 4 months old. Water: ph=8.4, nitrite=0, dKH= 12-13, ammonia=seems to be 0.25, but none of my saltwater tanks have ever reached 0, even after water changes. I have a calcium test, but I don't know how reliable it is since reading the results arent real clear cut.
The mushrooms seem to be bluer/greener when the lights are off, does that make any sense?
 
The Alk is a little high. It's usually recommended for 7-11 dKH. I would still test your Calcium. Even if has a small room of error, it should still let you know where you stand.
 
I'd test for your ammonia with a different test kit or have your LFS test it

Your mushies wont physically use calcium themselves but if you dont have any or a lot of hard corals in your tank the CA is typically replenished through weekly water changes.

Your alk is a tad high i'd say closer to 9-10 is a nice stable place to aim for even 7 is on a low side

Ummm.. How long have these corals been in your tank? Are there any other corals nearby that could be challenging them with chemicals? Sometimes once things get settled in and used to your light they will change\ fade \ do strange things.. but most of the time they should settle in and hopefully stay the way they were when we bought them
 
light-not enough. I prefer high light no less than 10 inches under the surface. I use to run 400w MH 20K lumenarc on a 10 inch deep tank. I now run 2 250 PFO DE 14k Phoenix.
ammonia--agreed with chrisste some new tests should be done. Your system is still very new, give it some time. Good luck
 
Thanks again everyone. How do you lower the alkalinity? Had my calcium tested at an LFS and it was at 400ppm. I only have lps, softies, and mushrooms....beginner corals. They tested my phos and it was at .25, and I asked if that could be related to the ammonia and I was told yes. I got a poly filter to take care of it. In terms of what's next to them, I have the mushrooms next to eachother, no other corals are close enough to touch them. Thanks again!
 
Too Much light is not good for shrooms, some species cant tolerate it like others.

I have yet to find one! Most of mine will get very intense coloration under high light.
I have some very basic shrooms that I keep about 1 to 1/2inch under the surface directly under a 250w DE Phoenix 14k PFO light/ballast and their color is spectacular.

My tank is only 34inx34inx10in and is lit by (2) 250 PFO 14k phoenix DE MH and I have plenty of shrooms with great color and I would say with my setup there is almost no place in the tank that is low light. JMHO and good luck with your shroom.
 
I really dont thnkligi s he problem here. I remember one of the TOTM's was dubbed "the mushroom house"; the mushrooms, including the mushrooms with higher light requirements and even a leather coral were all doing fine and showing amazing coloration. The tank was a a 24g AP with only about 80w of PC lighting. The AP's are fairly deep tanks, so if he can have amazing color in an AP with PC lighting, then 150w of MH should do the trick. Ive seen some amazing tanks on this sight, and you'd be suprised how many of those tanks didn't brandish overkill lighting schemes. I know its not neccessarily a bad thing to hang over 200w of MH over a small tank, but its kinda like driving a top fuel dragster to your mailbox, yeh it gets the job done; but couldn't you just have walked?
 
Yeah but I like to get there fast and look doing it:)

I already stated that his system was pretty new and he should re check ammonia and give it some time.

I was responding to the previous post talking about mushrooms being low light. I know for a fact the will live in NOF lighting-but they lose color and are usually reaching for more light. I have found very good results in coloration with very intense light. Just my first hand experience

I do not know of the TOTM you are talking about? Were talking about this tank.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/totm/index.php

If so, then it is a very beautiful tank and one of my all time favorites! Although his coloration on his corals is subpar. Most of the FL ricordia do not have tremendous color, the zoanthids are reaching for more light and are faded or fading. The alien eye look nice-but they like low light.
I also thought they had to add more lighting just for the shoot??
Still a great concept in a tank. I got into zoanthids/shrooms because of Mucho and Archies tanks. I just prefer to blast mine the uber light because I like them to be happy and pretty.

All I am saying is that shrooms color up to an intense coloration under high MH and higher K lighting. Do it over a short time period though.

Good luck with your shroom g8rorchid-just keep parims even keel for a while and it should be fine.
 
the tank was under Nano tanks of the month. The name was like "jinko" or something. It was ("insert name's) shroom house".
Its worth a search if anyone wants to see some awesome rics and yumas
 
How long have you had them? Shipping and stress will often cause color changes that will correct themselves once they are settled in to a new tank. I've keep lots of gorgeous mushrooms under PC over the years...might just need some time.
 
Hi again. I've had the mushrooms for about a month, if not more. They were never really blue like they were supposed to be, so I too thought it had to do with them having to acclimate, but Im beginning to wonder now. They are a bluish-teal color when the lights are off....is it possible that they are getting too much light? Its a 65 gallon hex, so its a pretty tall tank in terms of lighting strength. I do have the mushrooms right at the bottom of the tank.

Thanks again!
Elana
 
^ that happened to mine too, bluish teal when lights are off, and purplish brown when fully expanded.. have absolutely no idea..
 
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