ORA Tricolor Valida

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

Hey everyone, I'm relatively new to reefing thus, new to acro keeping. I got a tricolor valida a couple of weeks ago. It seems to be doing great but I'm curious on the color change and the causes. When I received it had a brownish base with purple tips. Now, it has a green base with purple tips. Any idea the factors to cause this? Lights/chemistry? Thanks for the input!

Tahoe61 · Feb 23, 2017

Both lighting (being one of the biggest factors) and chemistry. Sounds like the typical coloration of Valida though.

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Tahoe61 said:
Both lighting (being one of the biggest factors) and chemistry. Sounds like the typical coloration of Valida though.

+1 on the lighting and parameters. What type of lighting are you running?

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

Highgrade said:
+1 on the lighting and parameters. What type of lighting are you running?

Kessil 360 on a 40 cube. Again, it looks great. Good polyp extension and has been encrusting. Personally, I like the green more than I did the brown.

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Jrco226 said:
Kessil 360 on a 40 cube. Again, it looks great. Good polyp extension and has been encrusting. Personally, I like the green more than I did the brown.

I grew an Ora Valida with a Kessil A360WE in a JBJ28 gal no problem. It was one of the fastest growing Acros in the tank. The Kessil was roughly 8in off the water and never really ran over 65% intensity. The Valida was placed midway in the tank ( Roughly 17-18in from the light) I found it preferred the blue spectrum/Color to keep the brown away along with good water clarity. Also you may want to check with a Red Sea colors test kit or triton. Then add Iron for greens and other trace elements such as KZ component (2) product or Red Sea Colors (D) program. Another thing I found regarding any Purple Acros they don't do to well in ULNS. They prefer higher NO3 So if your tank is ULNS and not dialed in to keep up with depletion of elements you may have a problem there.

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

Highgrade said:
I grew an Ora Valida with a Kessil A360WE in a JBJ28 gal no problem. It was one of the fastest growing Acros in the tank. The Kessil was roughly 8in off the water and never really ran over 65% intensity. The Valida was placed midway in the tank ( Roughly 17-18in from the light) I found it preferred the blue spectrum/Color to keep the brown away along with good water clarity. Also you may want to check with a Red Sea colors test kit or triton. Then add Iron for greens and other trace elements such as KZ component (2) product or Red Sea Colors (D) program. Another thing I found regarding any Purple Acros they don't do to well in ULNS. They prefer higher NO3 So if your tank is ULNS and not dialed in to keep up with depletion of elements you may have a problem there.

I don't run a ULNS. I honestly don't test very often usually once every 2 weeks and just to making sure something isn't really off. I haven't even gotten my kessil over 45% yet. Seems to burn up my montipora when I go over that limit even when using the acclimation mode over a few weeks.

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Jrco226 said:
I don't run a ULNS. I honestly don't test very often usually once every 2 weeks and just to making sure something isn't really off. I haven't even gotten my kessil over 45% yet. Seems to burn up my montipora when I go over that limit even when using the acclimation mode over a few weeks.

May just need more light (for the Valida) or there may be too many nutrients. Usually brown acros are associated with not enough light or too high of nutrients. Not that this totally applies to Valida. Since they seem to change colors quite often or pretty easily. The purples in Valida seems to be the harder color to keep without browning, turning dull or pinkish/opaque. What is your NO3 and NO4 at? How often do you do water changes?

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

I do a 20% water change weekly. Tested NO3 last week at .3
And PO4 .02

donnievaz · Feb 23, 2017

I have a Tri-color that semi-recently went brown at the base (along with a bunch of other stuff) due to high nitrates over 30ppm. I've gotten a handle on the nitrate situation and it's turning back nicely. Sounds to me like you got the coral from a high nutrient system and it's coming back to where it should be in your tank. Personally if I were you I'd go for between 1-5ppm of NO3 and keep PO4 around .03. You could probably cut your water change to 10% and see where that puts you.

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

donnievaz said:
I have a Tri-color that semi-recently went brown at the base (along with a bunch of other stuff) due to high nitrates over 30ppm. I've gotten a handle on the nitrate situation and it's turning back nicely. Sounds to me like you got the coral from a high nutrient system and it's coming back to where it should be in your tank. Personally if I were you I'd go for between 1-5ppm of NO3 and keep PO4 around .03. You could probably cut your water change to 10% and see where that puts you.

I got it from unique corals online. They show it on their site as having the brown base so maybe they have a higher nutrient system. Cutting back on water changes that's good new haha.

ahiggins · Feb 23, 2017

random note, when I got mine it was not bleached but verrrrrrry pale. Now its got green branches and the base is just pale. with time yours will get back to "natural color"

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

On a similar note I was thinking of trying out another Acro. Any suggestions?

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Jrco226 said:
I do a 20% water change weekly. Tested NO3 last week at .3
And PO4 .02

Those numbers are fine. Most corals I've ever received from Unique corals definitely are not the true colors the corals should be ( This is based on all aquacultured I've received from them, not their maricultured or wild- those are a gamble). Seems once they settled in my tank and adjusted they would take off with growth and color up nicely.

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Jrco226 said:
On a similar note I was thinking of trying out another Acro. Any suggestions?

Any particular color or growth pattern you're looking for?

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

Highgrade said:
Any particular color or growth pattern you're looking for?

I would like something red/pink and or blue but I'm not sure how you maintain the blue coloration.

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Jrco226 said:
I would like something red/pink and or blue but I'm not sure how you maintain the blue coloration.

Red planet or Most Tenuis with blues are fairly easy to maintain and hold colors well .

Jrco226 · Feb 23, 2017

Highgrade said:
Red planet or Most Tenuis with blues are fairly easy to maintain and hold colors well .

I've been reading up on the red planet seems like a favorite for most. I've also seen the Secale which I really like the look of.

Highgrade · Feb 23, 2017

Jrco226 said:
I've been reading up on the red planet seems like a favorite for most. I've also seen the Secale which I really like the look of.

Higher light on the red planet brings out the red/pinks. Mid-lower you will get a mix of green in there also. Hardy acro that is a great grower. Secale isn't too common from what I know.