Best color for SPS

[DanielCervantes]

What is the best no3, po4 levels to get the best colored sps.
I run po4 at .08 and no3 at 1 and can’t get the full color out of my pieces

 

[ectoaesthetics]

That’s a very hotly debated topic friend. Given your numbers I’m assuming you are not running a carbon source (unless you are adding things back in). If you are simply using skimmer and refugium to keep them low let it take them as low as they can. Chemical or carbon removal is a little different... and that number is subject to much debate right now -and on the phosphate end a little limited by the accuracy of most hobbies test kits. Not a super helpful answer for someone who is really chasing a specific number. But if you are using “traditional” methods just go as low as you can. I have not known a reefer who has ever taken their tank too low with a slimmer and fuge. I’ve heard legend and lore about them... but so far they seem to be very elusive.

 

[DanielCervantes]

That’s a very hotly debated topic friend. Given your numbers I’m assuming you are not running a carbon source (unless you are adding things back in). If you are simply using skimmer and refugium to keep them low let it take them as low as they can. Chemical or carbon removal is a little different... and that number is subject to much debate right now -and on the phosphate end a little limited by the accuracy of most hobbies test kits. Not a super helpful answer for someone who is really chasing a specific number. But if you are using “traditional” methods just go as low as you can. I have not known a reefer who has ever taken their tank too low with a slimmer and fuge. I’ve heard legend and lore about them... but so far they seem to be very elusive.

Well you can put me down as the first to have their system go down too low with a skimmer and a fuge. Couldn’t get no3 up to save my life. Almost went through an all out Acro crash because they were starving. I had to dose sodium nitrate to get them detectable.
Just trying to see how to pull out all the colors on my rainbow tenuis’

 

[29bonsaireef]

Lowish nutrients and good strong light, ime. Every tank will color corals differently. Gotta find a balance between your water chemistry and the lighting/flow. If you run strictly LED I'd suggest adding T5s if there are certain colors you can't bring out.

 

[tangtime]

Higher nutrients, better color.

 

[jda]

My best color is from .1 N and .01 P. These are the brightest with the most contrast. Some people like the rich, saturated colors that higher N and P can bring. These colors are not as bright nor is the contrast as stark, but can be very satisfying. To each their own.

As said above, there is no risk to killing coral just from low N and P using natural methods. Natural methods leave enough to drive the equilibrium and never go to true-zero.

In all honesty, lighting is probably your main issue if you are having color issues. If you do not have a best-of-breed light, then upgrading that a bit will do more than chasing any numbers.

As I am sure that you know, some Rainbow Tenius only will look good under gel filters and photoshop... but certainly not all. I would not chase too much for just one tenius.

 

[hyprc]

My montis colors went nuts when I started testing and dosing trace elements. Started with K and saw an improvement. Then moved on to testing K/Fe/Io regularly and dosing then color REALLY took off... also dosing sodium nitrate but that's because test kits (RS and salifert) show perfectly CLEAR on no3 tests with dosing.