SPS blah... Question for the pros - HELP!

[stpatrick]

I am about 10 months into my SPS tank and my corals are really blah and lack color. Here are some of my params. ALK = 9.3, PH = 8.2, MAG = 1400, Phosphate = .04, Nitrates = about 10 ppm.
Tank is 110 gallon. 26X30X24 high.
Light are two AI sol blues and 4 35" ATI Blue + bulbs.
Bio-pellet reactor
BRS dual reactor running 1 cup of BRS carbon and 1 cup of BRS GFO.
OTO running through a kalk reactor.
OCTO 2000 skimmer kicking but
Ozone for 1 hour at 100 mgs

I dose 4 drops of amino acids (ZEO) daily
1 ml of MB7 daily
4 ml ZEO coral snow every other day.
Lugos 4 drops once aweek.

Corals are all encrusting and growing (very slow). I am getting lots of green fluorescing colors especially when the royal blues are one. But there are no deep blues or reds. Green & orange corals seem to be fine. I am worried they are fading away to nothing then STS.

Examples of colors.
JF unknown is a light purple.
Red planet is kind of brown with green skin.
German Blue polyp is light green.
Blue tenus is light blue.
My tri color is brown.

But some corals look great. Thoughts or suggestions anyone?

 

[stpatrick]

Really? Nobody has anything to day?

 

[JT3069]

possibly coral placement== light maybe to intense
i have found with leds that the light is so strong it typically hurts the corals unless dimmed down

also

German Blue polyp is light green

my german blue digi is my phoshate coral
and what that means to me is when it losses its blue that phosphates are high
hope this helps and best of luck
a few pics would help alot

 

[stpatrick]

possibly coral placement== light maybe to intense
i have found with leds that the light is so strong it typically hurts the corals unless dimmed down

also
my german blue digi is my phoshate coral
and what that means to me is when it losses its blue that phosphates are high
hope this helps and best of luck
a few pics would help alot

I did turn down the LEDs a bit. I have a beautiful german blue digi. Polips are very blue and skin is a nice purple. Grows like a week and has great color :hmm4:

 

[krazysvede]

What are your AIs currently set at?

I have 2 on a 90 (24" high) and run them at 40% white, 45& blue and 50% RB and also run 2x 39w T5s (1x ATI purple plus and 1x Blue Plus).

Despite AEFW I get ok growth and good color. I run Zeo and feed like mad.

 

[Blueline12]

Nitrates are a bit high for prime sps coloration. I would try to get them below 5ppm and phosphate a bit lower. This could also account for the slow growth.

 

[danfrith]

I agree with blueline12, also what do you have in terms of flow?

 

[flounderfish]

ALK = 9.3
Try keeping it around 8.

 

[ihavtats29]

nitrates and phosphates. a few 20% weekly water changes should fix the issue, when in doubt or having issues revert to the basics stop dosing and do water changes

 

[stpatrick]

Lots of great feed back. Thanks so much. I will implement and keep yu post as to any changes.

 

[ChrisKirkland]

I am assuming you are measuring your PO4 with a Hanna meter, if you are I would look at reducing you Nitrates to 0. Also I don't see it listed, but whats you Ca (calcium) at?

 

[stevedola]

With an alk of 9.3 I would suspect a calc of 450ish. I think you prolly have youre LEDs too high and could use a few more waterchanges to get those trates down. Implement a schedule of 10-15g waterchanges every few days for a couple of weeks and see if the colors start to recover and show. Also to get those pinks and reds see about swaping out a couple Blue plus bulbs for a Purple Plus and coral plus. Youre blues should come from the AI LEDS mainly. LEDs do an excellent job at florescing greens/yellows with the blue bulbs but Ive noticed lack that red/purple spectrum that maybe the other bulbs could fill in for you.