Dull SPS

[Jizu Puentes]

Im having an issue with some of my sps losing color. I will post my parameters in a sec but for now Ill give some history on their progress. I started my sps collecting with a few different montipora that showed great colors and were growing well. Soon after the montis I added my first acroporas that also did well. At one point I upgraded my lights to a 4 bulb 80w ATI Sunower fixture and my sps faded a bit from the drastic change. Most of the sps regained their color after a while except for a large green monti. A few months ago I upgraded tanks and added GFO to deal with any phosphates from the new sand/rocks and my sps faded again. Once I removed the GFO most regained their color but some are still dull. I have since added a couple more acros that look great but the older ones are definitely lacking in comparison. A couple of the newer frags were tips that broke off of colonies at my LFS and had dulled in the tank there but regained color in my tank then slowly faded. Throughout all of this I have only lost a green slimer frag and I currently have a yellow mariculture milli that has STN. Here are my tank stats

System: 2 Displays, 1 Frag tank and 1 sump= about 300 gallons

Lighting in main display: 4 bulb ATI Sunpower (blue+, actinic, aquablue and blue+) a 15" Blue XHO reefbrite on one half of the tank and a single 54w fixture with a blue+

Lighting Schedule: 8am-Reefbrite on, 8:30 54w blue+ on, 9am-7pm ATI sunpower on, 7:30 54W off, 8 Reefbrite off

Last WC July 30 and these tests are from today.
CA-460, Mg-1600, Alk-11.2, P04 undetectble, Nitrate 0 according to API, PH 8.2

I have a macroalgae tank and use an algae scrubber so im not surprised that I cant read P04 but my Nitrate reading may not be accurate. My bioload is low in my opinion as I have 18 fish throughout the total system. I feed twice a day a homemade frozen blend as well as a reef caviar cube and sometimes full spectrum flakes mixed in. Im wondering if my high ALk with low Nitrates is an issue but Im no pro haha. Here are some pics, please let me know what you guys think.

 

[Jizu Puentes]

Current full tank shot

Full shot from April

The green acro on the right island is a good example of the color loss. The pink milli in the middle of the right island is now on the right side of the left island and has gained a lor of color and then loss a little. The blueberry muffin on the left island has a lot of new growth but subpar color, the blue crush and cherry shortcake on the right island have great uncrusting and subpar color.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Alkalinity can change day by day. Calcium can deplete also. Those two things need to be checked daily. Are you dosing?

Nitrates and phosphates need readings. Nitrates < 10pmm and Phosphates 0.01-0.04

You can raise no3 without raising po4 with amino acids like AcroPower.

 

[Jizu Puentes]

Alkalinity can change day by day. Calcium can deplete also. Those two things need to be checked daily. Are you dosing?

Nitrates and phosphates need readings. Nitrates < 10pmm and Phosphates 0.01-0.04

You can raise no3 without raising po4 with amino acids like AcroPower.

Sorry I forgot to add that I use Kalkwasser. My CA and Alk are stable at their readings through the use of that. I won't be able to read po4 if I have algae using it will I? Ive been thinking of adding amino acids but I was hoping my fish would provide enough to feed the coral.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Sorry I forgot to add that I use Kalkwasser. My CA and Alk are stable at their readings through the use of that. I won't be able to read po4 if I have algae using it will I? Ive been thinking of adding amino acids but I was hoping my fish would provide enough to feed the coral.

How often are you doing water changes?

 

[Jizu Puentes]

How often are you doing water changes?

30 Gallons biweekly

 

[reeferfoxx]

30 gallons on a 300 system? Not saying you need to perform more water changes but I think your system is really clean, so to speak. And like you said your alk is a little high for the low nitrates.

If it were my setup, I would start dosing some Acropower for amino acids. That will raise help raise nitrates. I think you are replenishing enough trace elements with the 30 gallons.

Also, maybe get more fish. The algae scrubber is beneficial in more ways than one, but your corals are competing for nutrients. With high alkalinity equals fast growth. With lack of nutrients to keep up with the growth, your corals aren't going to look their best.

So acropower and more fish

 

[Jizu Puentes]

30 gallons on a 300 system? Not saying you need to perform more water changes but I think your system is really clean, so to speak. And like you said your alk is a little high for the low nitrates.

If it were my setup, I would start dosing some Acropower for amino acids. That will raise help raise nitrates. I think you are replenishing enough trace elements with the 30 gallons.

Also, maybe get more fish. The algae scrubber is beneficial in more ways than one, but your corals are competing for nutrients. With high alkalinity equals fast growth. With lack of nutrients to keep up with the growth, your corals aren't going to look their best.

So acropower and more fish

Thanks for your input, those are easy fixes

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

FWIW it looks like your doing a great job! I have seen A LOT worse colors, even in my own tank..

 

[reeferfoxx]

Agreed! His setup is something I dream of.

 

[Jizu Puentes]

FWIW it looks like your doing a great job! I have seen A LOT worse colors, even in my own tank..

Thanks! I like to think that I KINDA have a grip on things but I always find that I can improve....a lot haha

 

[reeferfoxx]

Sometimes I like to think of as one of those things where you know what you need to do. Just being reassured helps tremendously. I do that a lot.

For example, I always stress that GFO removes to much. But then last week I began to use it and then not even a day later, removed it thinking, 'what the heck was I thinking?' LOL

 

[Jizu Puentes]

Sometimes I like to think of as one of those things where you know what you need to do. Just being reassured helps tremendously. I do that a lot.

For example, I always stress that GFO removes to much. But then last week I began to use it and then not even a day later, removed it thinking, 'what the heck was I thinking?' LOL

Yes I second guess myself all the time as well as ignore my gut all the time haha. That's why I like these forums so I can get multiple opinions

 

[LakeCityReefs]

Increase N03 & P04 slowly (there are several ways to do this).
Your colors aren't terrible. Maybe they will get a little better with added nutrients.

 

[Jizu Puentes]

Increase N03 & P04 slowly (there are several ways to do this).
Your colors aren't terrible. Maybe they will get a little better with added nutrients.

Thanks, I guess only im able to tell how much theyve changed since I saw them in their prime haha. I will be adding some fish and trying to up the nutrient level slowly.

 

[pablue]

really though your colors are much better them most of ours! i agree though your tanks probably slightly to clean