SPS Changing colors

[Buganddoug]

Hi, I have Purple Acropora and Blue Acropora Coral for about four months now they have been changing color to green. I do not no why. I hope some one can help me on this.
I use only Kent Additives (Coral Accel, Essential Elements, Strontium & Molybdenum, Super Iodine)
I all so use Eco Systems Reef Solution.
I was using Kent salt for about eight years but all the fish stores around me stop selling it. So I went to Tropic Marin Sea Salts for the last two years and now they all stop selling it one buy one. So for the past year I have been using Instant Reef Crystals.
I have a 180 gallon tank with 3 175w 10000k Super White BlueLine MH Lamp and 2 VHO URI Actinic Blue 72 in. 165 Watt each Lamp and 3 BlueLine E-Ballast. My hood was built buy Champion Lighting. My Hood sits 2 inches off the water. I do not know if makes a difrence my Protein Skimmer is a Predator Down-Flow with a Rio 3100 pump.
I hope this can help you help me
Thank you,
Daniel Murray

 

[nwrogers]

What are your Alk, Calcium, and Magnesium levels at?

 

[GMAX]

It maybe that the vitamin levels in the salts are very different. I dont know anything about Instant Reef Crystals. You might try comparing the ingredients levels of the two salts and see if something radically different.

 

[DrBDC]

I find that my corals usually turn greenish and lightening over the first month then color back to the original over a few month period or sometimes longer. I've always felt it was just getting used to my lighting/tank conditions. I've especially noticed this coming from a known source that grows all thier corals under vho actinic whites and vho actinic blues. The original color of the frags are unbelievable but I only enjoy that for a week or two before I have to go through the whole cycle and see it again.

 

[DrBDC]

BTW when you change bulbs try the Iwasaki 15,000K bulb it seems to have helped speed it up for me vs. the XM 10,000K bulbs I used to run. That bulb is a par making machine too and the growth differences are extreme compared to the XM which isn't a slacker either.

 

[PUGroyale]

IME higher levels of DOC's [NO3 PO4] in your water generally translates into higher levels of zooxanthelea within your corals. Better water quality = better color

 

[dreaminmel]

IME green is usually the color zone between the normal color and the brown stage. Yours may be unhappy for some reason... can't say for sure. When I upgraded my sps from a 72 w/ pcs to a 125 w/ over 1000 watts of lighting they went from brown to green to their normal spectacular colors. I also never dose anything unless I am able to test for it...

My best guesses would be deteriorating water quality, lamp age or a gradual overdose of one of the added elements. It will really help us if you can test all your parameters and post the results.

 

[clkwrk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8144011#post8144011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PUGroyale
IME higher levels of DOC's [NO3 PO4] in your water generally translates into higher levels of zooxanthelea within your corals. Better water quality = better color

Agreed.

 

[twon8]

175 is a lttle low on watts for a 180 imo

 

[Buganddoug]

Tank levels
pH = 8.8
Nitrate = 0
Phosphate = 0
Calcium = 680
Alkalinity = 2.0 mEq/L

I have not put any PH buffer-kdh in my tank for more than 5 years.
I also have not put Calcium Supplement in 5 years .
I do not use kalkwasser.
I can not under stand why they are off the charts

 

[Buganddoug]

I am going to get new lamps from Champion lighting next week I am friends with Gary there. He is going to let me try the new Blueline 10,000k + (14,000) lamps in stead of what I have been using Blueline super white 10,000k.

Do you think my Protein skimmer might not be cutting it?

 

[Lobster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8145011#post8145011 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Buganddoug
Tank levels
pH = 8.8
Nitrate = 0
Phosphate = 0
Calcium = 680
Alkalinity = 2.0 mEq/L

I have not put any PH buffer-kdh in my tank for more than 5 years.
I also have not put Calcium Supplement in 5 years .
I do not use kalkwasser.
I can not under stand why they are off the charts

Your pH is really high. A pH around 7.9-8.3 would be safer. Are you sure these numbers are from reliable/in-date test kits?

Your Ca/Alk is out of wack. You should correct this to be nearer NSW levels. A Ca around 400-430ppm and Alk around 3.2meq/L is what I shoot for. Try this very helpful article by RHF:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

[Buganddoug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8145060#post8145060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lobster
Your pH is really high. A pH around 7.9-8.3 would be safer. Are you sure these numbers are from reliable/in-date test kits?

Your Ca/Alk is out of wack. You should correct this to be nearer NSW levels. A Ca around 400-430ppm and Alk around 3.2meq/L is what I shoot for. Try this very helpful article by RHF:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

I use Salifert test kits and I just got them today to replace my old Salifert kits.
My Local Reef store came up with the same numbers as I did today.
My PH and Calcium have been very high for all most 5 years now.
I have done 50% water changes to see if that would help. But in a weeks time they are up again.

 

[Norwood IND]

Agree that you need to correct your calicum and alk. Prbably the root of your problems.

What I would like to know is what is in that Eco Systems Reef Solution. I bet since you say you do water changes and your calcium still creeps up that it has to do with the concentrations in the Reef solution you are dosing.

 

[twon8]

stop dosing the kent junk, and ust kalk for top off

use baking soda

2 is very low for alk, im surprised your corals arent' doing worse than turning green.

 

[GMAX]

I would stop all supplementation until I could get tank balanced at NSW parameters. Large water changes over multiple days should hopefully bring you back closer fairly quickly.

 

[GMAX]

I think with as high a PH as you have you cant use baking soda straight out of the box, but must bake it first. Using baked baking soda should raise alk without raising PH. You calcium is so high that it will likely precipate calcium carbonate and draw your alk down as it drops. Water changes first then minor tweaking not vice versa.

 

[clkwrk]

Baked baking soda raise both ALK and PH.

Baking soda right out of the box will raise ALK but also have a PH declining effect.

 

[GMAX]

OOPS I had it backwards. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Buganddoug]

OK I will start doing 20 gallon water changes every day for the next week to see what happens.

Any more info would really help me.

Do you think my lighting is good 175 M/H and my actinics two URI VHO URI 72" 165 watts and it is only two inches of the water.
Thank you all