My Pale Red Dragon...Why?

usfpaul82 · Jun 26, 2012

Here is my red dragon frag. when i got it about 1 month ago it was fresh cut and a litte deeper red. Here it is today. It is growing, rather quickly actually. As you can see it has also started encrusting and it has great PE at night. This all tells me it is very healthy, i just don't know why it is so light in color. It is about 1/3 of the way up my 24" deep 90 gallon. I have 2 x 250 w radiums on M80 ballasts and it is pretty much right under one, but as i said it is 2/3's deep. I would say it is getting medium flow from my vortechs since it is so low.

My parameters are all spot on and my other SPS colors are good.

Ca = 430
ALK = 8.5
MG = 1350

PO4 = 0 - .02 on hanna checker
Nitrate = 0 on Lamotte

Any suggestions? Should I try going even lower, or maybe higher?

ritter6788 · Jun 26, 2012

It could be a number of things. It may just be adjusting to your tank and lights. You could try moving it lower or out from directly under the MH and see if it helps or hurts. I wouldn't move it a whole lot and stress it even more though. If it's just a bit lighter then it's not worth worrying about.

landlord · Jun 26, 2012

usfpaul82 said:
Here is my red dragon frag. when i got it about 1 month ago it was fresh cut and a litte deeper red. Here it is today. It is growing, rather quickly actually. As you can see it has also started encrusting and it has great PE at night. This all tells me it is very healthy, i just don't know why it is so light in color.

High lighting will cause that to happen. I have a six monther under a 400 watt 20k. Super light in color but like you grouwing well. I would simply thank the almighty that yours is plating out. I have found and heard that they very seldon plate out. Make it difficult to frag for sure.

I got i picture for your reference.

landlord · Jun 26, 2012

Well that came out horribly large. Sorry bout that

FOO-CAT · Jun 26, 2012

Isn't that considered a deep water coral? If so, I'd try lowering it a bit and see.

landlord · Jun 26, 2012

I believe that you are correct. I am OK with the trade off (depth of color for growth rate)

CUNAReefer · Jun 26, 2012

The color changed was initiated by increasing my K+, several large water changes, and increased feeding. This tank uses the full ZEO methodology.

And another 6-22-12 after I adjusted the white balance on my Canon Rebel T2i

6-22-12

6-8-12

5-24-12

5-18-12

5-11-12

4-30-12

ckozma · Jul 3, 2012

Wow it was almost completely white when you got it. You really did turn that frag around

CUNAReefer · Jul 3, 2012

Hi Chris,

I think your referencing my post.

Thanks for the comments. Its easy to have your SPS go extremely pale if you deprive them of food in ULNS conditions. When I feed the corals on a daily basis, I can get a much deeper color. Now that I acquired the deep red coloration, I backed off the feeding a bit. The colors have lightened somewhat, but the coral is MUCH healthier than the 4-30 pic.

Warmest Regards,
James

uriah · Jul 5, 2012

Wow, that almost looked dead and it completely colored back up. Nice!

Nuocmam · Jul 5, 2012

Mine is really pink too. I think it's a lighting or nutrient thing.

joker295 · Jul 5, 2012

here mind i have mind in lower light

slk55r · Jul 6, 2012

My colonies are in low light ... pretty much the lowest light area I have in the tank. Growing super fast and great coloration. Tank is under 2 400w MH and led supplemental lighting.