All acros turning green

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

Hey guys,

I recently began adding frags again after my tank failed last year due to a hurricane outage.

I've found that all my frags, whether they were colored up or not, have turned green.

Some started by bleaching out and then recovering green. Others just lost their colors and went green. My PC rainbow is bright metallic green! Weird! My yellow Pink Floyd is now green as well. At first I figured that they were just gaining some color, but they have just continued to go green.

My montiporas have resisted this trend, all keeping their red colors very nicely.

My lighting is a hydra 26hd and I estimate there is around 200par where these corals sit.

-Matt

ChiCity · Sep 23, 2017

I believe too much light turns acros green, but I’m no sps expert...

lilchris_357 · Sep 23, 2017

Are you dosing any trace elements as a part of a color system, ie Red Sea, Aqua Forest, Zeovit or Triton?

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

lilchris_357 said:
Are you dosing any trace elements as a part of a color system, ie Red Sea, Aqua Forest, Zeovit or Triton?

Just weekly water changes. No trace elements being dosed.

I do dose nitrates and phosphates as well as acropower.

Some of these corals came out of tanks with much higher par than I can give them with my hydra26hd. Could it be too little light?

lilchris_357 · Sep 23, 2017

Could be too little light at 200 par. What are your parameters, what's your tank size? How much water is being changed weekly?

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

lilchris_357 said:
Could be too little light at 200 par. What are your parameters, what's your tank size? How much water is being changed weekly?

I'm a little worried it could be too little light. Problem is, I turned it up and lowered the light and wound up bleaching a few acros and milleporas. My starburst montipora also nearly went.

My tank is 17g. It's 24 long and 17in tall. Lights are about 19in over the acros.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 77.5F
Alkalinity: 7.7-8dkh (having to dose this now)
Calcium: 440-460ppm
Magnesium: 1450ppm (don't know why it's so high)
PH is low at 7.7 but solid at that.
Nitrates : 4ppm (having to dose this)
Phosphates: 0 to 0.03ppm (dose this occasionally)

Flow is an mp10 at 100% reef crest mode.

I do 15% water changes weekly.

-Matt

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

A new observation: I have a vivid rainbow acro frag that HASNT turned green. It's dark brownish purple, which is how I bought it. It's also in the brightest spot in the tank.

Since these are known to need a lot of par, could the issue be too low of par?

Velcro · Sep 23, 2017

You could add a couple 24" t5 bulbs. Check out aquatic life's new retrofit fixture that can mate up with most LEDs

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

Velcro said:
You could add a couple 24" t5 bulbs. Check out aquatic life's new retrofit fixture that can mate up with most LEDs

I'd rather not complicate things with t5. If it becomes clear that the hydra26hd just isn't enough, I'd consider going to the hydra52hd. Just seems silly to have that much light over a nano tank

I could try stacking some of the rocks so the frags get closer to the light.

Velcro · Sep 23, 2017

Mattrg02 said:
I'd rather not complicate things with t5. If it becomes clear that the hydra26hd just isn't enough, I'd consider going to the hydra52hd. Just seems silly to have that much light over a nano tank

I could try stacking some of the rocks so the frags get closer to the light.

Check out the new BRS video on using multiple Primes vs the 52's. Definitely what I'd do on a 24" tank.

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

Velcro said:
Check out the new BRS video on using multiple Primes vs the 52's. Definitely what I'd do on a 24" tank.

I'm not sure that my problem is a spread issue as so much as a par issue. Don't seem to have any shading problems.

How about pH? Any link between low pH and color? Maybe the corals are stressed due to low pH and affecting their zooxanthelle? I guess the montiporas would be having issues as well, huh?

I may try to get these green acros up closer to the light. I'm afraid to lower the light since my montiporas seem to get upset. A JF fox flame also began to bleach when I had it up on the rocks. I've now got it down on the bottom, off to the side, hoping it recovers.

ksfulk · Sep 23, 2017

How old and large are the frags? Ive found that frags can turn all kinds of colors when they are little, and after they get settled, new growth will be the expected color, while the original frag can be dull, brown, green or some other color. I bought Tierra Del Fuego frag last year thats been green green green.... until about a month ago. The frag just sat there and not even encrusting on the rock - though it was getting "thicker". In the last month, its shifted to the more traditional coloration. I have another color that resembles the Fox Flame, and its growing, but the red has become a pink-grey color on the original stick - however the new growth is the rich red and the entire color has yellow tips.

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

Oldest frag is 3months old now. Most are typical 1in sized frags. A few, such as my fox flame and TCK king acro are two weeks old and much larger frags.

I redid my rocks so that I can get the corals another 4in closer to the lights. Trying not to lower the lights since the montiporas don't seem to like it.

Ty Hamatake · Sep 23, 2017

It's sounds like you've made a lot of adjustments in a short amount of time. As long as you aren't bleaching anything, I'd honestly just let it ride for a while. You may be doing more harm than good with all the tinkering.

Flippers4pups · Sep 23, 2017

I haven't read through all of this, so with that said, has anyone suggested a triton test for elevated iron?

Ty Hamatake · Sep 23, 2017

Flippers4pups said:
I haven't read through all of this, so with that said, has anyone suggested a triton test for elevated iron?

Not yet, and that is a good point!

rushbattle · Sep 23, 2017

Flippers4pups said:
I haven't read through all of this, so with that said, has anyone suggested a triton test for elevated iron?

I second this, I got a super green Acro situation when I accidentally overdosed iron every day for a while.

Amoo · Sep 23, 2017

Flippers4pups said:
I haven't read through all of this, so with that said, has anyone suggested a triton test for elevated iron?

What's the link there Flippers other then you're obviously suggesting increased iron = green corals. Got a link or something?

Mattrg02 · Sep 23, 2017

I forgot to mention that I'm using reef crystals. Seems to mix high in a lot of things, maybe a trace element is too high?

lilchris_357 · Sep 23, 2017

The triton test maybe worth it but you know something is wrong just by looking at your tank. Start inspecting all your pumps, probe holders etc to see if anything has rusted out. One thing that jumps out is a 15% water change every week on a 17 g tank. Are you making sure your new water parameters are identical to the tank water. That could cause a spike in alk and explain why your mag is high. What salt are you using? Acro like stability and WCs can make your parameters unstable. I would let your tank go for about 10 days, do nothing and see how things are doing. Only add top off water. No dosing, no WCs. What % do you have your lights at?