Why is my SPS not maximum color?

I

icliao

New member
Why is my SPS color not maximum? Some of them color up quite well and several I bought as brown color has got purple tips now.
However, 40% of them not color up well and is a bit brownish.
I thought I have good tank spec and water quality. But do I see reasonably quick diatom growth which I have to clean my glass every 2-3 days.

Tank spec as follow:
Display Volume: 120GL 150cmX70cmXH55cm
Refugium & sump volume: 80GL
System: SSB + huge DSB refugium, no plenum
Light: 10,000K 250W XM (even some corals right below it is not showing maximum color)
Circulation: 2000 GL per hour
Wave maker: Seio 2600 X2 (4000GL per hour)
Skimmer: 48" Single Beckett + Iwaki MD55
1/2HP chiller set to: 78F
Korallin Calcium reactor: 1501 (Much undersized due to fast growth)

Fish: Halequin Tusk, Pencil wrasse, cleaner wrasse, powder blue tang, foxface, percula clownX2, skunk clown, scooter draganet, purple chin trigger, Zebra angel.

Parameters:
SG: 1.027
PH: 8.1-8.3
KH: 8-10 (Ca-reactor + Seachem ReefBuilder)
Ca: 380 - 410 (Ca-reactor + Seachem Adv Calcium)
Nitrate: 0-1 (LaMotte)
PO4: was 0 and now hint of blue (maybe got to replace Phosban)
Coral feeding: OmegaVit, ZooPlan, ReefPlus (X2 per week)
Trace element: Iodine, Strontium

By the way, I have not change water for 5 months since setup as part of experiment.
 
I looked in your gallery and your tank is looking SWEET! You should be happy with it :)
If your corals are browning it's most likely a phosphate problem.
 
Thanks Richard.

But you know this hobby drives people nuts.

Quest of "Perfect tank" and "Perfect color" has being ongoing for years and still difficult to be satisfied.

I do have good color in some colonies but I can't maintain the same brightness as I bought it.

I will replace and double my Phosban see what happens.
 
By the way, I have not change water for 5 months since setup as part of experiment.

Stop the experiment.
 
Yeah, i would recomend doing a water change also.... in my tank i did a water change every 3-4 months. but if i waited any longer then that then i noticed a decline in the color of my acros. but every tank is differant so maybe you can go longer without a water change then i could.


Jon
 
i just keep adding topoff water and drip kalk and water change every month or so on my 180 and ihave excellent growth. as long as your happy and it works for you keep doing it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7116890#post7116890 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquajon
i just keep adding topoff water and drip kalk and water change every month or so on my 180 and ihave excellent growth. as long as your happy and it works for you keep doing it.
Click to expand...

But the original poster is not happy. The logical and first choice would be to do a water change.
 
I would agree BTW, waterchanges are an important part of getting maximum health and color out of your corals.

IMO,
Whiskey
 
I think water change will be a good start....

And any reason for running your SG at 1.027? I think running at 1.025 is more preferable IMO...

How many 250W lights you have over the tank?

Might want to consider upping your flow. 4000g/hr (I assume thats the total for the 2 Seios) works out to about 15,000l/hr. Suggest you go for Tunzes, at least TS24 (24,000l/hr). JMO
 
Last edited:
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7119890#post7119890 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
Actually 1.027 is as close to 1.026 as 1.025 is.
Click to expand...

Just a thought coz back then when I finally got by refractometer, I found my reef was running at 1.028 (the swing arm shows 1.024 :lol: ) and my corals weren't doing well.

And 1.028 is as close to 1.027 as 1.026 is which in turn is as close to..:lol: :lol: :p :p

Just a joke dude!!:rollface: :rollface:
 
If I only have 0 ~1 ppm of Nitrate and can suck all PO4 out with Phosban (I use 1 liter at given time), is there still need to change water in order to get the color?

I am only using 2X250W metal halide but even with that amount, at least the light is enough for corals positioned right below the lamp and on the upper potion of the tank? I got a beautiful (at this it was) Pink acropora now it is kind of light red brown and so is my blue acropora not so blue anymore.

However, some corals does show very good color and several acropora I bought in brown color (as experiment) has return it's color to purple, pink tip, blue tip.

Do you think NO3 and PO4 is the key reason for this?
 
I think that doing a 25% water change would be a cheap experement to see if it makes a diffrence. I beleave that regular water changes are very important.

Whiskey
 
Doing water changes does more than remove nitrate and phosphates from the system. It also replaces trace elements that corals use to help construct their skeleton and grow tissue. Poor coloration could be a sign of any number of problems, however I think starting with a water change would deffinatly help.
 
Ok. I will try change water since I am going to convert to BB this week as experiment too.
I have a Ca-reactor which replenish trace and also adds iodine, strontium and occationaly mixed trace.
 

Ok. I will try change water since I am going to convert to BB this week as experiment too.
Click to expand...


If you are going to convert to BB make sure you do your research (reading) first.

I went BB a while ago and I think it is the best thing I ever did, but make sure you read all there is to know before embarking on this mission. With a 500 gallon tank, it will be one heck of a mission :D

Whiskey
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7121579#post7121579 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wiskey


If you are going to convert to BB make sure you do your research (reading) first.

I went BB a while ago and I think it is the best thing I ever did, but make sure you read all there is to know before embarking on this mission. With a 500 gallon tank, it will be one heck of a mission :D

Whiskey
Click to expand...

I am not going to change anything on my 500GL. Only taking experiment on my 200GL. So I will have both DSB and BB.
I have a 48" Single beckett driven by Iwaki MD55, I wonder if that amount of skimming is enough for 200GL? If I disconnect the refugium, I will get 150GL volume left. I am also adding 2X Tunze 6100 and use my Seio 2600 to "swep" the aquarium floor.

I am using natural sea water and the temperature which I take reading is 1.027 with my refractionator so I kept it that way.
 
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