Brown Sticks

shornik · Jan 9, 2015

Help. Whenever I purchase an Acro they brown out - I have a 60 gallon with EcoTech Radion 30W Pro. They were definitely too low for a while but I've bumped them up to 80% intensity with UV, Royal Blue and Blue at 100% most of the Day and the Cool White maxing at 75% for a few hours during they day. I've been bumping up intensity and the whites by about 5% over the last several weeks. I guess my question is does anyone have a similar setup, 60 Gallon, Radion 30W with SPS? If so what are your settings. Oh mine sits about 12.5" from the top of the water level with the Acros varying about 6-8 " below the water line. I have Monti's at the same level, some lower and they are doing fine (and growing).

My params are all good so I'm guessing its the lights. Any thoughts, suggestions would be much appreciated.

GHill762 · Jan 9, 2015

I'm no acro expert (I've browned up my share), but one radion doesn't seem like a lot of light for that tank.. are the acros directly under the radion or off to one of the sides?

G_Sanab922 · Jan 9, 2015

GHill762 said:
I'm no acro expert (I've browned up my share), but one radion doesn't seem like a lot of light for that tank.. are the acros directly under the radion or off to one of the sides?

Would have to agree with this

shornik · Jan 9, 2015

GHill762 said:
I'm no acro expert (I've browned up my share), but one radion doesn't seem like a lot of light for that tank.. are the acros directly under the radion or off to one of the sides?

They are both directly under and off to the side. Interestingly I forgot to mention this in my earlier post I have a "deep water" Acro off to the side and lower in the tank which is doing great, nice color and growing! If I keep raising intensity and whites, is there a chance the brown sticks will get there color back?

pirate2876 · Jan 9, 2015

When I have brown outs it's usually due to nutrients, or fluctuations in water quality. Test water and post results.

my .02

james30ct · Jan 9, 2015

What do you have for flow?

Rob.D · Jan 9, 2015

pirate2876 said:
When I have brown outs it's usually due to nutrients, or fluctuations in water quality. Test water and post results.

my .02

I agree with this ^^^^^

Your lights are probably not to blame.

lakeviewink · Jan 9, 2015

pirate2876 said:
When I have brown outs it's usually due to nutrients, or fluctuations in water quality. Test water and post results.

my .02

Agree with thisâ€¦

shornik · Jan 9, 2015

pirate2876 said:
When I have brown outs it's usually due to nutrients, or fluctuations in water quality. Test water and post results.

my .02

I have one Vortech 10W - set at 45% (Tidal Swell) for 8 hours a day, 25% (Lagoon) for 12 hours a day, and then various intermediate settings. Should I increase flows.

Params from my last test on Tuesday:
[TABLE="class: tblStandard"]
[TR]
[TD]Temp 78[/TD]
[TD]Salinity 1.025[/TD]
[TD]PH8.0[/TD]
[TD]http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/measure?measurementId=[/TD]
[TD]Nitrite 0[/TD]
[TD]Nitrate 0[/TD]
[TD]Calcium 405[/TD]
[TD]Alk 10.9[/TD]
[TD]Phosphate 0.28[/TD]
[TD]Magnesium 1360[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Oh and I use Fuse about 2x week when I feed the corals, feed the corals probably 3-4.

rovster · Jan 9, 2015

Nutrients! Also what kind of time frame are we talking here? It can take months for an acro to color up! The better condition the tank it came from was and the better condition yours is the faster the transition. Here is 5 weeks off to the side under Radion pro...

Another example 5 weeks...

5-6 weeks

About 10 weeks....

5 weeks...

It ain't the lights!

rockskimmerflow · Jan 9, 2015

I'd have to concur that nutrients are the culprit. Deal with the phosphates and your colors will return. Raising the percentage of the white channel should be fairly low on the priority list until you establish that the nutrient parameters are within range and the alkalinity is stable. In my experience alkalinity and phosphate have the strongest effect on the color of Acropora. I would put flow and lighting spectrum/intensity after alk/phos on my list of things to troubleshoot. Best of Luck.

EW_Fish · Jan 9, 2015

Nice shots Rovster

shornik · Jan 9, 2015

rockskimmerflow said:
I'd have to concur that nutrients are the culprit. Deal with the phosphates and your colors will return. Raising the percentage of the white channel should be fairly low on the priority list until you establish that the nutrient parameters are within range and the alkalinity is stable. In my experience alkalinity and phosphate have the strongest effect on the color of Acropora. I would put flow and lighting spectrum/intensity after alk/phos on my list of things to troubleshoot. Best of Luck.

I just want to make sure I understand, by nutrients everyone is saying lower Phosphate, Alk needs to be stable (it actually has been, well pretty stable). What other nutrients (other than phosphate) do I need to be concerned with, based on my testing?

And a huge thanks to everyone who's replied with advice, it is very much appreciated!

shornik · Jan 9, 2015

rovster said:
Nutrients! Also what kind of time frame are we talking here? It can take months for an acro to color up! The better condition the tank it came from was and the better condition yours is the faster the transition. Here is 5 weeks off to the side under Radion pro...

It ain't the lights!

OK, so mine have browned and for the most part were talking about 3-5 weeks, so yes maybe in addition to parameters of the tank, I need to check my patience paramater

Thanks again.

Greg79 · Jan 9, 2015

In my experience po4 should be 0.04-0.08 for SPS
0.28 is way too high, drop your po4 and be careful with raising brightness in radions
You'll see difference when everything is stable for at least month sometimes more than that

Rob Top1 · Jan 9, 2015

While I am no SPS expert to quote one "seeing is believing" my Po4 sits at about .2-.3. I personally feel with better test kits we have become number chasers. Stability is far more critical in my opinion. With Alk being #1 . I don't see much brown in this shot with my "high" Po4. Well with the exception of the one second in from the left on the bottom. But I bought it brown. Look at the new growth, soft yellow and blue. Can't wait to see what that turns into.
My advice would be stability and as you said patience.