Struggle with SPS colour, please help!

[kenpau]

I would guess lack of nutrients, too much light or the 2 issues together

My acros started looking really good and growing really fast when I let my po4 and no3 rise above recommended levels.

Yeah I have a little algae, but I'll take it over pale corals.

This is a strange one. You're absolutely right, a lot of people have seen improved colour with a rise in nutrients. But then if you look at a Zeovit system which is ultra low nutrients you see vibrant colours too.

 

[toothman]

consider using zeostart as your carbon source vs vinegar it has some nitrate in it, nitrate will darken acros. If that sounds too drastic, you can use phol's extra special it does not seem to change any water parameters you will just notice a richer coral color in a matter of days. You do not need to use it every day or have to use at full dose strength.

Don't forget about zeostart as a carbon/nitrate source, phol's extra special will also almost immediately boost color as well as aminos

These are my corals a while ago with nitrate .2 phos .02, phols' extra special really works, as well as adding amino acids.

 

[trueblackpercula]

Don't forget about zeostart as a carbon/nitrate source, phol's extra special will also almost immediately boost color as well as aminos

These are my corals a while ago with nitrate .2 phos .02, phols' extra special really works, as well as adding amino acids.

OMG because of this picture I just ordered a bottle of Korallen-Zucht ZEOvit Pohl's Xtra Special 250ml Lets see how it goes. can you share your tank thread?
outstanding sps
Michael

 

[toothman]

trueblackpercula, I know you have been into reefing for a long time as have I. Phol's is very gentle and really no chance of adverse results with this additive. I have used this additive for a while now and would only recommend adding it if I thought it would help.

Phol's extra or extra special is especially effective if you have low nitrate and low phosphate and have pale coral. With in one day of adding it your coral will get more color simple as that. The question is how much darkening do you want, I do not add everyday like the bottle directions. I would say that is the good thing about zeovit, you get to know what the bottles do and decide for yourself what your tank needs. I guess I have finally decided it does not matter what is in the bottles, just what they do. Just wish they were not so expensive. They most likely have about $3 of chemicals in a $75 bottle.

That picture is my tank prior to self destruction from flat worms and a good bit of destruction from my dipping the massive colonies. I basically have a total rebuild as of Nov. of last year. This time isolation tank, bayer dip. The new rebuild is going better than ever concentrating on a tank with acropora only. Mainly with wild aussie and mariculture pieces. I am still with 400 watt halides. I still can not figure out how to run led, did try ai sol at my office tank with poor results. The good news my new red planet is about 5" after 4 months from frag and others are doing well. I would say in about a year the tank will be well grown in.

 

[undertai]

You can also try acropower by tlf. Some people say they get better coral coral by using it. Or another type of amino acid, sold by other manufacturers.

 

[kevin_e]

This is a strange one. You're absolutely right, a lot of people have seen improved colour with a rise in nutrients. But then if you look at a Zeovit system which is ultra low nutrients you see vibrant colours too.

It's because they supply it via dosing. You have low nutrients without dosing.

 

[SneekaPeek]

It's because they supply it via dosing. You have low nutrients without dosing.

+1 to this.
Somethings I have learned is we incorporate massive amounts of removal and not enough introduction. I don't know what it is but I have seen myself bite the bullet numerous times due to this premise. I would do gac/gfo biopellets 3 large water changes a week. And I found my corals would never color up until I started feeding more and adding nutrients/aminos. Now I'm a little older and a little wiser, I have found once you can control the nutrients to 0ppm, then you can control how much is added into the system to get the desired levels and tweak accordingly. zeo uses this method and it works. they drive down the nutrients and add accordingly.

 

[ug.mac]

Wow, lots of good information since I check on this thread last time. Really appreciated!

So, I decided to take a natural approach as many of you suggested. After spent few days reading about different methods of nutrition exporting, growing micro algae seems to be more of a natural way than skimmer+carbon dosing (not trying to start ATS vs. skimmer war here.:lol2, so I made a waterfall ATS for my tank to replace skimmer today. I will keep posting in this thread as things progresses, and hopefully I will eventually get TOTM worthy SPS in my tank :bounce3:

Thanks again and happy reefing! :dance:

 

[swk]

I still use a small amount of vinegar as I think some of the extra bacterial is good for the lower, smaller life forms and sponges.

I only use 27 ml of vinegar in a 75 gal tank with 20 gal sump. I avoid GFO like the plague though. I want the po4, personally...

 

[imaan]

Hi guys. i'm sorry. i can't speak english. i have 7 sps. in first, his colour was brown, cream, blue or pink. but after 1 month colours changed to green. Do you know what is problem ?
no3 : 0
po4 : 0
ca : 420
mg : 1320
kh : 8
ph : 8.3
Salinity : 1.024
Temp : 25
Light : t5 giesemaan 120cm 54W 15000k x 1 - 16-17000k x 1 - 22000k x 1 - 421nm x 1
421nm 8hour - 22000k 7hr - 15000k and 16-17000 5hr
Display Tank : 130 x 50 x 60
Water Circulation : seio 530 and seio 1000
Use sugar
po4 reactor with brightwell extraphos
Skimer : Aquamedic Blue 1000
Refigume : 100L
Water change : 12% per 2 weeks
Feeding : amino acide - aquamedic plancto ( phytoplankton ) - coantitinium zoo.blast ( zeoplankton )
Additives : Sodium bicarbonate, Calcium, Magnesium, Iodin, Iron ( in refigium ), kent purple tech and trace elements
Tanks

 

[bluecoyote79]

Hi guys. i'm sorry. i can't speak english. i have 7 sps. in first, his colour was brown, cream, blue or pink. but after 1 month colours changed to green. Do you know what is problem ?
no3 : 0
po4 : 0
ca : 420
mg : 1320
kh : 8
ph : 8.3
Salinity : 1.024
Temp : 25
Light : t5 giesemaan 120cm 54W 15000k x 1 - 16-17000k x 1 - 22000k x 1 - 421nm x 1
421nm 8hour - 22000k 7hr - 15000k and 16-17000 5hr
Display Tank : 130 x 50 x 60
Water Circulation : seio 530 and seio 1000
Use sugar
po4 reactor with brightwell extraphos
Skimer : Aquamedic Blue 1000
Refigume : 100L
Water change : 12% per 2 weeks
Feeding : amino acide - aquamedic plancto ( phytoplankton ) - coantitinium zoo.blast ( zeoplankton )
Additives : Sodium bicarbonate, Calcium, Magnesium, Iodin, Iron ( in refigium ), kent purple tech and trace elements
Tanks

Your coral is doing better. The green is probably it's natural color, not brown.