Ways to improve coloration?

[customdusty]

I'm relatively new to keeping SPS and have had some success with growth, but everything seems to slowly lose the brilliant colors after becoming acclimated to my tank. It is really disappointing to watch everything become bland.

Thinking that it may have been inadequate lighting, I upgraded my light fixture somewhat recently and have not noticed any improvements. Actually, I nuked a few corals under the increased intensity and nearly lost them before moving them lower in the tank. My new lighting has been up for over 2 months now.

I think my water quality is good. Regular water changes with RO/DI water and testing via multiple brands of test kits and Pinpoint monitors for pH, salinity, and temp. No detectable phosphate or nitrate. I top off with limewater which keeps the Calcium and Mg pretty high - although I do struggle to keep the pH / Alk up during the winter due to high C02 levels. pH and alk have come up over the past few weeks with windows open periodically - these paramaters being the only that vary, likely due to the seasonal change.

I run carbon in a reactor and have a fuge with cheato that grows quickly. I do have several fish in the tank and they are fed mysis shrimp and Rod's food. No other additives and food are added to the tank.

Not sure what other information might be relevant, just ask and I'll be happy to share.

So what can I be doing differently to improve the color of my SPS?

 

[concept3]

What I did differently as I had the same "non"-issues (especially with PO4/NO3):

changed lights from 6500K to 12K
decreased photoperiod from 9 to 6 hrs total
increased salinity to 1.026
fed the fish a lot heavier with home made food concoction
made the tank a ULNS system

 

[Canadian]

How much "seasonal" variation are you getting in your alk, Ca, and Mg?

 

[customdusty]

I currently keep my salinity at 1.025 and run a 7 hr photoperiod.

I'm not sure of the color temp of my lighting cumulatively, but I currently run the following T5 bulb combo:

Blue +
Pro Color
Blue +
Aquablue Special
Blue +
Aquablue Special
Blue +

 

[customdusty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14841666#post14841666 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Canadian
How much "seasonal" variation are you getting in your alk, Ca, and Mg?

Winter/High C02 season pH: 7.8-8.0
Winter/High C02 season Alk: 2.0-2.5 meq/l

Low C02 season pH: 8.1-8.3
Low C02 season Alk: 3.0-3.5 meq/l

I honestly haven't paid much attention to the total variation in the Ca and Mg, mostly because they always test towards the high side. Typically, Ca 450 and Mg 1350.

 

[customdusty]

Should I be feeding anything to the corals?

Trace element additives?

 

[Fsurocks99]

Try feeding. I feed rotifeast and oysterfeast by reef nutrition every night and have seen better colors from my sps.

 

[capture]

Are you having any issue with hair or other nuisance algae?
I was having the same issue and couldn't figure it out. Not a heavy bio load by any means and no detectable phosphate or nitrate levels but everything was browning and algae was getting on my nerves. I'm guessing now that my source for RO/DI wasn't quite where it should have been.

I have since started feeding more regularly, dosing elos amino acids, as well as dosing vodka and MicroBacter 7. Not all at the same time. I tried one and after no results moved to the next just for monitoring reasons.

As of now the vodka and MB7 have actually made such a drastic change I'm a bit freaked out. In a good way though. It took a while to see results but it has definitely paid off.
I'm still keeping a close eye on it to make sure everything is good. There are quite a few folks around here who are big proponents of vodka dosing and its affects. It might be something to consider.

Good luck.

 

[customdusty]

The only place I get nuisance algae is in my fuge, and it only happens when my cheato grows out so much it blocks the flow and creates stagnant areas.

No nuisance algae in the tank other than the light film that gets on the glass every couple days.

The only thing I have ever added to the tank besides fish food was Lugol's Solution, which didn't seem to do anything and also DT''s Phytoplankton. I currently use neither.

I was considering going back to DTs Phyto and perhaps trying aminos. Not sure if I can or should do both.

Haven't considered vodka dosing.

 

[gaetanocallista]

I think that a carbon source + bacteria + fresh fish food whipping (for sps)
make difference

 

[Nap]

I think I have the same problem. It's not a browning problem...it's a pale problem. The corals are healthy and growing but just paler than when I got them. I am curious that you are using nearly the exact same lightbulb set-up that I am.

Aquactinics constellation
4 blue plus
1 75/25
1 Aquablue
1 Aquasun

I love the look of the lighting and none of my LPS are pale but most of my sps are creamy white where they should be light brown. My photo period is only 6-7 hours and I have been feeding my fish extra (yay now i have a cyano outbreak).

Sound familiar?

 

[Marklu]

I have the same problem. I have assembled a theory after having this problem for some time and reading constantly looking for relief, tell me what you guys think.

Perhaps there is an imbalance of phosphate and nitrate. What i mean by that is, there is zero nitrate present while there is still some phosphate. Aquarist have become more adept at removing nitrate, leaving their tanks completely nitrate free while phosphate remains (albeit in small amounts) leading to paler, stunted corals. I think raising nitrates could help with colors in growth in tanks such as those described in this thread.

 

[Reefun]

I had the same problem with very close to the same bulb combo. I think it's the bulbs I replaced a few of my bulbs with ATI actinics(they have almost a 3rd of the par output. And in about two weeks no more light colored coral. I'm now thinking of adding one of the ATI 12k back in. I took out three. To get a good in-between color. The biggest change was in my sunset monti. It was almost white and now after a month it looks like it should.

 

[ngn8dogg]

sounds like your corals are starving. try getting more fish and feeding more often

 

[Reefun]

A pic would help.

The only thing that grew more when I fed more was algae. And my coral was still light colored.

 

[trueblackpercula]

salinty has been an issue for me. I have been lowering it to 1.023 over time . It was at 1.030 and gas been a chalange to get it down but I see a big change in color for the better so far.
Water quality is the most important for colors then light.

 

[Reefun]

What size is your tank???
And you might want to try using somthing other than lime water to help with the ALK. If you have a lot of sps it will not be able to keep up with the demand and lo ALK is more than likely the reason for your lo ph. A pic really would help us get a deter idea of what is going on in your tank.

 

[Nap]

Reefun, i am curious what your bulbs were before and after? My bulbs are a year old and I am about to get new ones.

-Ian

PS-My system is a standard 120 (4X2X2)

 

[Reefun]

I've gone through a lot of bulbs$$$ playing with different combos but the bulbs I have now are
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI actinic
ATI 12k Aqua blue special
ATI actinic
ATI actinic
Fiji Purple
ATI Blue Plus

Before that I had
ATI Actinc
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aqua Blue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
Fiji purple
ATI Blue plus
ATI Blue Plus
This was before I found out the Blue plus has almost the same par as the aqua blue. I was still able to burn coral even with all that blue light.
Before that I had
ATI actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI 12K
Figi Purple
GE 65k
ATI 12K
ATI Blue Plus
ATI actinic
That combo Was the best for bleaching the color out of my corals. Most of them would still grow but they had very little color. I had my sunset monti at the bottom of my tank and it turned almost white. I think I'm getting close to the ideal lighting for my tank now but may add one aqua blue back in place of one of the actinic. Also I have a lot of bulbs for a tank my size (8 bulbs on 75 Gal)

Hope that helps

 

[Reefun]

One more thing I moved my light cycle from 10hr blue light 8hr with all to 8hr blue 5hr all This is why I'm thinking of adding one of the 12K Aqua blues back in.