Please help with my fading Lobo

[Jyetman]

When I first got it the colors were bright fluorescent green now the green is fading away replaced with ugly grey. I replaced my 192 Watt PC six months ago with 160 Watt Maxspect Razer LED 10K lighting system hanging 10 inches from water level. Light schedule is 7:30 AM ramp up from 0 to A:74 (White) B:84 (Blue) by noon steady for 5 hours then ramps down to 0 by 8:30PM. I did reduce from A:80 B:90 two weeks ago. The coral is mid level to the far right of tank thinking less light low flow. All my parameters are good PH 8.3 / Alk 9 / 0 phos / 0 Nitrates / 79 F Temp / Verified salinity at 1.024 any advice to color it up would be appreciated.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Hard to say what is causing the color shift. Does the coral eat well and how often do you feed it? I feed my Lobos at least once a week. Generally, the lower the light that the coral receives the more you need to feed.

 

[Sickfish704]

I'd raise the salinity to 1.026

 

[footballdude2k3]

Might want to move it away from other corals to see if it is getting attacked by something

 

[Rockster2599]

I would crank your blues right up and see if it improves. I had a lobo under par 38s that lacked blue, it lost almost all of its fluorescence. When I upgraded to my Kessil with the blues turned it improved and is now better than when I bought it.

Watch it carefully though as you could bleach it.

 

[wildman926]

Too much light for too long. LPS do not need that much light. Drop your light down to around 8-9 hours total, with full light for only 4-5 hours. Also, if you only have whites and blues for leds, you need to add T5's for the full spectrum.

I ran into this running only blue and white leds. I added dual bulb T5's with ATI Aquablue special and true actinic, and colors came back.

 

[SOCOMMike]

You could always make your led lighting full spectrum. I'd add a couple of reds and UV. Also, you talked of placement, but what size is your tank? 160 Watt led can be extremely powerful depending upon the optics on the lens.

 

[barry_keith]

Looks like there's a gall crab in it too

 

[Jyetman]

I turned the LED channels down by nearly 20 percent and increased the blues. The maxspect razer is a full spec LED has 410-420nm, 465-485nm, 450-465nm, cool white 8000k and warm white 3000k spec. The tank is 48" long 24" deep 75 gallon and the lights are center hanging 10 inches above water line. Yeah I got a gall crab hes been in it for 8 months now and hasn't done any harm that I can tell. The hole covers up completly when the coral inflates.

 

[barry_keith]

I had one in a lobo and welso. I couldn't figure out why they were unhappy. After I removed the crabs the corals looked much better. Just my experience.

 

[Jyetman]

I'll check into removing the crab. Here is a picture of the tank showing the position of the lobo on right side mid level.

 

[Jyetman]

After turning down the light intensity how long does it take to start seeing improvement? Are we talking weeks or months? How do I know If it was too much light or too little?

 

[SeabassSA]

Does the coral feed well, how often do you feed it, what are you feeding it?

 

[Jyetman]

It was accepting mysis and plankton couple weeks ago that was the last time it would feed. Today after lights went off with moon lights the green fluorescence is nearly gone. I have reduced lighting and the number of hours a week ago but though the coral still expands it hasn't gotten any better color seems worse? Is it just the oppiste maybe not enough light could an acrylic light cover be reducing the light intensity?