What is considered dark corals in the zeovit system?

[windcoast reefs]

Hey everyone!

So im still trying to get the hang of the zeovit system and I have a question. What does everyone mean by dark coral coloration? Its on all the zeovit sites, but Im not really sure what they mean. Do they mean brown coral coloration, or something else?

[Din Gior]

Hey everyone!

So im still trying to get the hang of the zeovit system and I have a question. What does everyone mean by dark coral coloration? Its on all the zeovit sites, but Im not really sure what they mean. Do they mean brown coral coloration, or something else?

Bold colors in high nutrient system vs pale colors in ULNS. If I understand it right, in the systems with high nutrients corals accumulate more zooxantelas which gives darker, bold colors.

[albert_dao]

Let's see if I can muddy this up for you, lol:

http://i.imgur.com/j5pRZ.jpg

On the right is a coral that is proper colors (albeit, closed up due to my handling).

On the right is a coral that has become pale.

With corals that have become "dark", you'll notice a loss of contrast at the color gradients. In this instance, the green and purple would merge visually as a dark maroon or brown.

[lastlight]

Let's see if I can muddy this up for you, lol:

On the right is a coral that is proper colors (albeit, closed up due to my handling).

On the right is a coral that has become pale.

Perfectly muddy. I think you meant the coral on the left has become pale =)

[windcoast reefs]

Ah I see that clears things up actually!

So its more about the contrast in the coral? Makes sense because the best zeovit systems seem to have allot of contrast in their sps.

[albert_dao]

Perfectly muddy. I think you meant the coral on the left has become pale =)

... Shut up Brett. I can be wrong if I want to.

[daniella3d]

I have a high nutrient system with 0.25 of phosphates and my corals are quite dark yet they are very colorfull. exemple of non-anorexic corals:

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P8041820s_zps6b7b71a0.jpg

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P6080870s_zps1bf37976.jpg

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P6080859s_zps345e4047.jpg

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P5130476s_zpsb768416a.jpg

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/IMG_0206s_zps4b2493e1.jpg



and these are anorexic corals that were kept in low nutrient system when I got them, very pâle color, almost bleached:

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P6070830s_zps82cf5ad6.jpg

The same coral after a month in my tank:

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P8041802s_zpse248df66.jpg

Again when I got the coral, very pâle:

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P6070802s_zps6550a5f6.jpg

and after a month in my tank:

http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy143/daniella3ds/P8041803s_zps5a2ca3c6.jpg

[albert_dao]

I have a high nutrient system with 0.25 of phosphates and my corals are quite dark yet they are very colorfull. exemple of non-anorexic corals:


Nice corals.

Not quite what is meant by "dark" on the KZ boards though :P

[Reef Pilot]

I have a high nutrient system with 0.25 of phosphates and my corals are quite dark yet they are very colorfull.
Well, Daniella, sure can't argue with your success, despite often defying conventional wisdom. With .25 phosphates, I'm surprised you don't have any algae problems. I was running near zero phosphates, and my tank was looking good. But when my phosphates got over .10, algae started appearing again.

I wonder if there are good and bad phosphates. I believe you feed your corals various additives and food. So maybe the phosphates that come from that are not so bad??

In my case, the phosphates came from another tank (when I combined 2 tanks into 1 sump) that had live rock and sand with high phosphates.

[daniella3d]

I really don't know where the phosphates are coming from. Probably from the frozen food. I give PE mysis to my fish and corals.

I don't think there is 2 types of phosphates though :)

[windcoast reefs]

I really don't know where the phosphates are coming from. Probably from the frozen food. I give PE mysis to my fish and corals.

I don't think there is 2 types of phosphates though :)

In the case of waste water quality, there is a few different tests for phosphate, ortho vs total. They are used to test for different types of phosphates like biphosphates and triphosphate, and lots of other forms. So there are different types of phosphates, but I really don't know if they make a difference in the reef.

But all that said, your corals look great!

[daniella3d]

The funny thing is, I am currently using GFO to lower my phosphates and it is now at .15 instead of .25 and some of my corals are turning brown. This is wierd. They had better colors when my phosphates were higher or maybe this is just a coincidence and has another cause. Not all of them are turning brown but some are going lighter but more brown.

[Reef Pilot]

The funny thing is, I am currently using GFO to lower my phosphates and it is now at .15 instead of .25 and some of my corals are turning brown. This is wierd. They had better colors when my phosphates were higher or maybe this is just a coincidence and has another cause. Not all of them are turning brown but some are going lighter but more brown.
Could be a few things. But have read that you should not lower phosphates too quickly, as that can shock them. Although, I wouldn't have thought going from .25 to 15 would be too fast...

Currently my P04 is running between .08 and .13. Was down to zero earlier in the year, and trying to get it back down there again. SPS does not seem to be affected, though. But I did get some algae.

[paddyob]

Perfectly muddy. I think you meant the coral on the left has become pale =)

+1