sps color

[thatguy559]

so i purchased a bunch of sps from a guy getting out of the hobby. they were all colorful ans now they are turning brown we have the exact same lighting setup except i have 15k and he had 20k. there is good polyp extension i feed the tank oyster feast every other day. i have lost a few and some are still colorful. everything is on frag racks higher light frags higher up and the less demanding ones lower they all started at the bottom of the tank to get them acclimated to my lights then slowly moved them up


when i first got them

now

\

water parameters
1.026 salinity
9 dkh
1300 mag
650 cal
8.4 ph
0 ammonia,nitrite,nitrate.

equipment
120g aga rr vortech mp40
2x250w icecaap hqi ballast
2x250w 15k xm radium bulbs 3 months old
1 48" led icecap actinic.
reeflo dart return split to 1" sea swirl and 1" scwd
30g sump
ati bubblemaster 200 skimmer.
filter socks, and carbon

set up since may (rocks and sand since 2007) had to move from ca.

any help greatly appreciate.

 

[allsps40]

Your calcium is way high it should be 400-450. Mag could come up a bit but you need to fix the high calcium first. Sps will stress when being moved from one tank to another, browning or loss of color is the result. Going from 20ks to 15ks will also change the color you see and the corals color to.

 

[stephenrsaiz]

First, they're likely never going to look the same in one tank as they do in another. So, to compare them to the day you got them is good from a physical/growth perspective, bit I wouldn't do it for colors unless they are way off from when you got them.

Since your complaint seems to be about browning, this would lead me to believe it is a nutrient issue. Excess nitrates and or phosphates. You posted a nitrate reading, but I didn't see a phosphate reading. Buy/borrow a phosphate meter and check the results. Also, your nitrate kit may be expired, you may have done the test incorrectly, etc. I've learned from past experience that it's best to have a friend test your water when you're questioning things. They may us a different brand of kit, etc.

It's tough to say, but in my experience, browning has been a nutrient issue.

 

[thatguy559]

the kit i used it brand new tested with lfs as well. i will get a phosphate kit tomorrow.

 

[philipchan]

Over Dose Iodide could make SPS turn brown too...
but 650 CA is way too high, as said, coral get stress

 

[jackson6745]

the kit i used it brand new tested with lfs as well. i will get a phosphate kit tomorrow.

Don't waste your money on a regular testkit for po4. They are prtty much useless.

 

[ryshark]

Don't waste your money on a regular testkit for po4. They are prtty much useless.

I agree, in my experience, they all read 0. Hanna works better.

 

[thatguy559]

okay did 30g water change this morning cal is at 580 now i do not dose my tank at all i use reefcrystals salt mix. the time frame when i first got them was almost 4 weeks ago

 

[zangmann]

I don think that 70 point CAL swing is going to do your SPS any favors ... Go slow.

 

[allsps40]

I also use RC salt and my Ca stays around 420-450 when I dont dose 2 part. You are adding something that has Ca in it or the salt mix is messed up. I dont like RC it is bad for color and low in alk.