Acan turning orange.. Not enough light?

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

So I got a small 3 head acan frag last week.. very nice colors.. dark blue/light blue on the outside with red stripes and purple around the mouth. Since it has been in my tank it has become very orange in the center. Now I have read lots of stuff about acans turning orange when given too much light... however since it has been in my tank I have had it in the corner of my tank mostly under a shaded area... is it possible that it's not getting enough light? All of my other corals are very happy and thriving- this is my first coral that I seem to be having and issue with.
I have a Nuvo 20 gallon with a AI Prime HD.
Here's a shot of my lighting schedule with it at its highest setting in the day.

Any ideas?

ahiggins · Feb 10, 2017

My acans turn brighter/yellower/oranger when I put more light on them. I run the AI prime as well. I dont have nearly as many settings as you do though lol
Here's some shots of mine. I have 3 main settings-the acans that I have are 6" down from light source and 5" to the side. The ones I move closer color up more to yellow white orange.
Day time lights:

Afternoon lights/early night:

Then night viewing which is just barely any white light:

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

Thanks for the info! It does look like I'm using a bit more like then you. Maybe no MORE light but more spectrum of lighting is being used.
Hmm... I will go home tonight and mess with my lighting schedule. Everything else loves the lighting I have now... wondering if I'm willing to compromise my other coral for the sake of my one acan frag

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 10, 2017

Are you sure its not supposed to be that color?

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

Nope. I saw it before I took it home. There was no orange. Lol

ebushrow · Feb 10, 2017

Alan's are funny....it's possible that it was actually the orange color you are getting now, but in reality, when you bought it, it was not getting enough light and turned the colors you bought....I have often fragged acans and the frags or new growth are completely different colors from the mother colony....it seems that this coral is very interesting. I have had red acan colonies have new growth that was green or blue...

Another thought....check your parameters....Acans love dirty water ....not as much as softies, but a lot more than typical corals IME.

Nick92515 · Feb 10, 2017

Acans love the blues..

ahiggins · Feb 10, 2017

It could be a possibility. I had a red/orange that turned a brown/red color until I upped its light. Then it went back to normal

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

Thanks for the info. My water not pristine... nitrates between 5-10 regularly and phosphates is usually at 0.03

Preme · Feb 10, 2017

I agree with the other I once bought an scan from the LFS that wasn't getting enough light there... ended up changing colors after being in my tank for a few weeks

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

Hmm.... maybe I need to mess with my lights

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 10, 2017

NakiFantaki said:
Hmm.... maybe I need to mess with my lights

if everything else is cool, Im not sure I would. Its quite possible that what color its supposed to be.
Each frequency specifically targets different things . SO if the acan was under say 20k lighting or super blue 20+++++, now giving it different spectrums may produce different colors, as some had noted. Ive had similar experiences as well.
IMO just keep an eye out for bleaching really, or browning.

A really good article that explains this relationship.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/lighting-spectra-photosynthesis-and-you.81/

Vaughn17 · Feb 10, 2017

Acans are reputedly harvested from shallow, turbid waters, which would indicate lower light at a warmer spectrum. Mine have maintained their original color or gotten even better colored under whiter light.

ebushrow · Feb 10, 2017

NakiFantaki said:
Thanks for the info. My water not pristine... nitrates between 5-10 regularly and phosphates is usually at 0.03

They should be happy with that....don't think this is the issue then.

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

Yea it's gotta be the lighting. I will turn things down slowly and see what happens

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 10, 2017

NakiFantaki said:
Yea it's gotta be the lighting. I will turn things down slowly and see what happens

ok.

mcarroll · Feb 10, 2017

NakiFantaki said:
Thanks for the info. My water not pristine... nitrates between 5-10 regularly and phosphates is usually at 0.03

I would not assume you're doing something wrong since you have a tank of corals singing in unison with you on the point.

Blame the store or blame the new coral or blame yourself for not matching it's new light conditions more closely to where it came from.

But don't blame your lights or start messing with your old corals by tweaking your lights.

Are you lux-metering? I think we've maybe talked about that before?

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

mcarroll said:
I would not assume you're doing something wrong since you have a tank of corals singing in unison with you on the point.

Blame the store or blame the new coral or blame yourself for not matching it's new light conditions more closely to where it came from.

But don't blame your lights or start messing with your old corals by tweaking your lights.

Are you lux-metering? I think we've maybe talked about that before?

Haha. I'm gunna blame...myself! Lol. Kidding. I haven't done any lux metering as of yet.
I really love the look of acans but not when they all have that bright orange color... I was thinking about getting more but maybe not...I think my corals would be okay with a LITTLE less light though... I love my LED light and it has great color and shimmer and I don't think it's the actual fixture. Just maybe my settings.

mcarroll · Feb 10, 2017

Get yourself a lux meter and go back where the Acan came from and take a reading! (note what lights they have if they aren't pretty similar to yours)

When you come back you can simply move your Acan to a new spot with similar light.

Done!

You can probably pull this off with one of the free smartphone lux meters since you're pressed for time, though I really recommend at least using a handheld....they're usually less than $15, delivered. A basic model like the "LX-1010B" I use is all you need.

Vaughn17 · Feb 10, 2017

Again, IME, it's more spectrum than intensity. My acans will take quite a lot of white light, more than I ever would've imagined. I hit them with a 6500K Home Depot spotlight bulb through the glass. When I turn it on they puff up and go full PE. In the evening, when I turn the aux. light off and the main lights go full blue they start to withdraw and look unhappy, but I subject them to the blues for my viewing pleasure, lol.