Coloring up SPS

[stinky]

Hi guys,

I'm relatively new to SPS (1 year), but been reefing for many many years. Currently, I've been able to maintain the SPS with good growth. But have NOT been able to bring out the color.

Tank :
Lighting = 3 x 250W SE MH using reeflux 12,000K bulb
NO3, PO4 = undetactable
KH = 11ppm
Ca = 460ppm
Mg = 1480ppm
Sg = 1.025

Feeding & Dosing:
1 cube x Frozen brine shrimp per day
4 x Dried food per day
2 x Mixed coral foods per week
1 x Vitamine C daily or every other day
1 x Iodine per week

Current SPS Color :
Green = OK
Yellow = turn to greenish yellow
Red = Generally OK, but very slight brown
Blue = totally NOT able to maintain ... turn brown

What should I do to color up the SPS???

 

[peterink]

Your water parameters looks great. How old are your 250W bulb? Could it be due to 12,000K bulb stimulate growth more than coloration.

Another option could be try boosting some Actinic T5s.imo.

 

[stinky]

Ha ha ... my bulb is 14 months old ... time to change.

I wonder if this is the main issue. When I first started keeping SPS 1 year ago, the bulb was still new (about 2 months old). I've had issues with coloring up Blue & Yellow ever since.

I'd put a FULL purple, blue or yellow SPS in my tank, and after few weeks, it will lose its color. Sigh ...

 

[peterink]

Thats is terrible. Can the color lose so fast? If its so fast, very likely to be the bulb's temperature incorrect.

I think we could narrow down the issues to lighting.

 

[Russellaqua]

I'd definitely look at the bulbs color temp. Lower color temps promote growth, but generally 150000K or 20000K bulbs are required to get the best color.

 

[epicfish]

I'd definitely look at the bulbs color temp. Lower color temps promote growth, but generally 150000K or 20000K bulbs are required to get the best color.

+1. I would grow my corals with an Iwasaki 15,000K bulb (the monster PAR bulb), which would brown them all out. Then a month or so with a 20K Radium/Reeflux bulb would start to color them up nicely.

 

[KEEPERZ]

Which ballast are you using? The reeflux 12k will pop blues harder then any other color on electronic ballasts. Raise your lights up when you replace your bulbs for a couple weeks or you could bleach out the corals.Try to change bulbs every 6-8 months

 

[stinky]

Interesting ... I'm currently using coralvue ballast with Reeflux 12,000K. SE 250W. But, already 14 months old.

As you guys mentioned, the reeflux will bring out the blue, so what am I doing wrong? Old bulbs? They still look very blue to my eyes.

Some others recommended me to dose some additives to bring out the blue. Not sure what you guys think about that.

 

[gflat65]

FWIW, I replace all SE MH bulbs at 9 months. At 14 months, I'd think the color has shifted and par has likely dropped considerably. The only additive I add for color is alk. When my alk is low, I get no color. Now that it has come up and has been stable for a while (playing with the ca rx), everything is starting to return to former glory. No other changes to the tank except the ca/alk balance and I've noticed this before on several occasions (I've fought alk issues for some time...). Replace your bulbs (acclimate the corals to the new light again) and see how the color is in a few weeks (given your listed parameters above).

 

[Atomikk]

I'd definitely look at the bulbs color temp. Lower color temps promote growth, but generally 150000K or 20000K bulbs are required to get the best color.

I think quite the contrary.

For best coloration (natural), go with 10K bulbs. 20K, IMHO, are just for show. They stimulate deeper water, and are less intense. Now if you have 1000w 20K bulbs over 36" high tank, then you will get some good coloration.

I have been using 10K bulbs for years and have nothing but stunning colors. I can keep all ranges of colors, especially blue and purple.

HTH

 

[Zoanuts]

I think quite the contrary.

For best coloration (natural), go with 10K bulbs. 20K, IMHO, are just for show. They stimulate deeper water, and are less intense. Now if you have 1000w 20K bulbs over 36" high tank, then you will get some good coloration.

I have been using 10K bulbs for years and have nothing but stunning colors. I can keep all ranges of colors, especially blue and purple.

HTH

So Atomikk,

Do you supplement the 10 k bulbs with Actinic?

 

[Atomikk]

So Atomikk,

Do you supplement the 10 k bulbs with Actinic?

During the day, I let the tank run on 10K bukbs. When I am at home (usually later on in the afternoon) I have the 20K lights come on.

So its a dual setup, where I can enjoy the benefits from both types of bulbs.

 

[gflat65]

I agree on some levels to that, too. When I started running 250W DE AB 10K's, the water 'color' was very yellow, but once the corals adapted, they colored up into incredible colors and held them. I had hair and bryopsis outbreaks (obvious nutrient trap or some missed husbandry), but the sps kept color. I couldn't keep much else in that tank, though.