Maintaining purple on sps

icemountain · Jan 16, 2013

I am having trouble keeping the purple colors on my sps. They seem to fade away or become brown and this just for that color. I have full spectrum LEDs over the tank that have 65k whites, 10k, 450nm blues, 420 violets, UV, red, and greens. What am I missing to keep this color as bright as I get them? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Fishinizer · Jan 17, 2013

I'm probably no help but I have seen this quite a lot with LEDs there is probably many threads. Sorry I can't really help ill look for you.

icemountain · Jan 17, 2013

I have seen quite a few led lit tanks that have many purple sps and are as bright as can be. My purple zoas are just fine and they are keeping that bright purple.

Fishinizer · Jan 17, 2013

I've also seen many I guess it's not completely known becouse it can even be something besides the LEDs but that's probably the main cause is the light to intense sometimes less light makes them color up more for some reason.

ddpham · Jan 17, 2013

Let me know when you find a solution, becuase the purple on my sps is not as pop compared to other sps.

seamonkey84 · Jan 17, 2013

I never got my purples to show until in started dosing k-balance, seems to do wonders on all my Sps.

Clammania · Jan 17, 2013

You need to have strong par. What is the par next to the coral? Your phosphate need to be below .0004 ppm. What is your phosphate?

icemountain said:
I am having trouble keeping the purple colors on my sps. They seem to fade away or become brown and this just for that color. I have full spectrum LEDs over the tank that have 65k whites, 10k, 450nm blues, 420 violets, UV, red, and greens. What am I missing to keep this color as bright as I get them? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Clammania · Jan 17, 2013

Also you need to use a reliable test kit on the phosphate. Hanna checker does the job.

icemountain · Jan 17, 2013

I have very strong par in the area where all my purple sps are. I think its around 550-650par. My phosphates are around .25 which is high and it just hovers there. Thinking of starting to dose vinegar but I am currently dosing vit C so not sure if i should stop vit c and start vinegar or would I able to do both.

dankreef · Jan 17, 2013

Too much intense light. I have bright popping purple at 350par.

roryb24 · Jan 17, 2013

I think stable and steady water parameters are more the key yes lighting plays a role in it but water quality is a huge factor doseing and parameters etc.

Chameleon · Jan 17, 2013

Id say def need to lower them phosphates

sleeri · Jan 17, 2013

roryb24 said:
I think stable and steady water parameters are more the key yes lighting plays a role in it but water quality is a huge factor doseing and parameters etc.

I agree. I think stabilty & the right parameters are far more important than lighting. I've seen great purple colored SPS in our local reef club under T5s, LED, and MH.

icemountain · Jan 17, 2013

My water parameters are steady. I dose to keep everything in check. Phosphates are actually steady too at around .3ish I am going to bring them down and since I am starting vinegar dosing, they should come down soon. All the other colors on my sps are there. The only color that seems to fade away or brown out are the purples on the sps.

Steveowhits · Jan 17, 2013

I had to raise my Orphek fixture pretty high over my tank before full colors came out of my SPS and LPS. I also changed my light cycle an hour less because my model is not dimmable.