Coral colour

[Doug]

I have several acro,s & blue stags I recently purchased. Over a month. Now I have lost the blue tips and overall blue colour.
My reds & greens are beautiful. Its like they don't have enough light. I have a 6 bulb Sunpower. I even changed out a couple ATI aqua blue + for AquaBlue specials to increase the white light.


Thinking of going back to an Evergrow 2080

[gobytron]

Spectrum can play into it as much as par.

I never had much success with SPS under t5's but have seen some who really have.

You might try moving the blue tipped up in your tank, just to see if getting more of the same light makes the difference....or lowering your lights over the tank if thats possible.

[Slyguy00]

The lighting should be fine. I get pretty awesome results with my T5s and get pretty vibrant blues and i use 4 blue plus one actinic and one fiji purple. What are your water parameters at? Spikes or sudden drops in phosphates can also cause color loss. Some sps is more sensitive then others so maybe that is one that is more susceptible to parameter fluctuation?

[gobytron]

you guys should discuss the differences between your t5 fixtures and tank dimensions to really be able to say it works for me so it should work for you...

[Slyguy00]

Odds are the lighting itself makes no difference. 6 bulb is 6 bulb. The fact that some sps are fine and others arnt makes me question parameters. Its possible our lighting is different but t5 is t5. Tons of people have great success with t5.

[Doug]

Spectrum can play into it as much as par.

I never had much success with SPS under t5's but have seen some who really have.

You might try moving the blue tipped up in your tank, just to see if getting more of the same light makes the difference....or lowering your lights over the tank if thats possible.

They are the highest & my lights are just 6in above the tank.

The lighting should be fine. I get pretty awesome results with my T5s and get pretty vibrant blues and i use 4 blue plus one actinic and one fiji purple. What are your water parameters at? Spikes or sudden drops in phosphates can also cause color loss. Some sps is more sensitive then others so maybe that is one that is more susceptible to parameter fluctuation?

My parameters are good. I try keep the alk steady. Going to fire up my calcium reactor soon. I add small amounts of gfo. I nuked some before from a to much of a drop.

I'm amazed your colours are good. You have very little in the whiter spectrum and heavy blues. Are the blue + not lower in par than the coral + or the new aqua blue specials? Perhaps I should switch them our for a similar combo to yours. I have all those bulbs.

[Slyguy00]

I have no idea what kinda par I'm running. All I know is I'm getting great results and colour.

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad204/Slyguy00/PSX_20141231_202125_zpsc2pl8exm.jpg (http://s936.photobucket.com/user/Slyguy00/media/PSX_20141231_202125_zpsc2pl8exm.jpg.html)

[Slyguy00]

Here's more updated pic. Last pic was about 2 months ago
http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad204/Slyguy00/Mobile%20Uploads/PSX_20150127_140537_zpsckx8tolr.jpg (http://s936.photobucket.com/user/Slyguy00/media/Mobile%20Uploads/PSX_20150127_140537_zpsckx8tolr.jpg.html)

[rsisvixen]

Could it perhaps be a shortage of trace elements?

I know Redsea has diff trace elements for diff coral colours.

[waynemah]

I would aim my sights at the light source of the original owner and the change in climate for the coral.

I purchased some frags from a guy that ran 10K metal halides, in his tank they looked "ok". On the day I brought them home they were bright and growth tips were crazy. After a month in my tank the colors weren't quite as impressive and growth tips receded. After a while (several months) the color and growth tips seemed to recover significantly, but not to their original glory. I've had some corals get much nicer under the T5's as well.

[Doug]

Could it perhaps be a shortage of trace elements?

I know Redsea has diff trace elements for diff coral colours.

I do enough water changes for that but I also do use Red Sea products, plus starting back on my Prodibio routine, so will be adding amino acids from them after lowering the nutrients.

I would aim my sights at the light source of the original owner and the change in climate for the coral.

I purchased some frags from a guy that ran 10K metal halides, in his tank they looked "ok". On the day I brought them home they were bright and growth tips were crazy. After a month in my tank the colors weren't quite as impressive and growth tips receded. After a while (several months) the color and growth tips seemed to recover significantly, but not to their original glory. I've had some corals get much nicer under the T5's as well.

Yes thats interesting. I thought of that also.

Odds are the lighting itself makes no difference. 6 bulb is 6 bulb. The fact that some sps are fine and others arnt makes me question parameters. Its possible our lighting is different but t5 is t5. Tons of people have great success with t5.

Agreed. Mine are over 3ft. 50g. I originally switched to T-5 to get the better colour many were reporting.

[trilinearmipmap]

Two words before I get burned at the stake.

Supplement nitrates.

[Ryanerickson]

What are your phosphates at? Doesn't really sound like a bulb issue

[Doug]

Two words before I get burned at the stake.

Supplement nitrates.

Heard of that for clams but not sps. Just for heck I will measure

What are your phosphates at? Doesn't really sound like a bulb issue

Not sure. Will measure tomm.

[reefwars]

Potassium?

[Doug]

I think my one word is " hybrid"

[Doug]

Ok 1st. step. Switched out tubes to 4 AB +, 1 PP & 1 CP

[Ryan7]

Potassium?

+1

[Doug]

Is that ZeoVit Potassium Iodide. Im using Prodibio Iodi +. Wonder if its similar.

[reefwars]

Is that ZeoVit Potassium Iodide. Im using Prodibio Iodi +. Wonder if its similar.

I'm not really sure as i dont know whats in iodi+ but do you test for it?

[Doug]

I'm not really sure as i dont know whats in iodi+ but do you test for it?

Not yet. I also just started to use Red Sea Reef Energy A & B

[reefwars]

Not yet. I also just started to use Red Sea Reef Energy A & B

get the salifert test for potassium and find out where you sit , you can then decide if you need to add some or not :) will help with colors in some pieces:)