SPS + Lighting Acclimation Question

[Chicagoreef2016]

So, I have a 60 cube that is roughly 9 months old, parameters below. Just started running a BRS reactor with carbon and 1/4 amount recommended dosage of GFO to lower phosphates, as I just got over GHA outbreak. I was able to get rid of the GHA by normal methods: better tank maintenance, cleaning, less food, etc. Good corralling algae growth, so I picked up a few "easy" sps: a birds nest, and three others which I am told are hardier than avg. I have my Hydra 26HD mimic'ing the Radion SPS+ mode, with a 60 day acclimation period due to the fact that the peak intensity is so much longer than what I had previously set. I am currently half way through that.

It is kinda hard to see, but the SPS in this pic seems to be losing some of its "green" color. Still there, but not as much as when I got it a couple weeks ago. Could that be due to not enough light? My bird nest is in the process of going bald, not sure what is wrong there either. So my guess is light or flow? Any opinions? If I jack up the flow much more my RBTA may decide to find a different spot as it is happily camped out midway up my tank. Thanks in advance.

SAL: 1.025
Nitrates: 2.5
ALK: 8.5
CALC: 445

 

[zsuman101]

ime with sps i never put carbon in a reactor, just put it in a mesh bag and put it in your sump, using carbon actively (in a reactor) has always gave me trouble. also, i dont use gfo ever, all life needs some phosphorus to live. i believe your reef is a bit young for acros and not all birdsnest are easy. you will lose corals in the first couple years in a smallish reef. test your alkalinity atleast 2 times per day and dose to keep it stable untill your reef settles in. ime the smaller the tank the more you have to test to keep up. you should also buy tank raised frags as they will be much more tollerent of parameter swings. good luck. zsu

 

[anthonys51]

i never light accumulate my corals. i also dont buy my corals online. i buy them from lfs or other hobbyist. i look at there lights and ask them what intensity they use and try to match. never had a problem with bleaching an sps. i think a lot of people dont have the right water quality for them. my friend would kill his sps and would always think it was his light bleaching them, it turned out to be his nitrates.