Oregon Tort Color Help

[reefer1]

Hi,
I have an oregon tort in my tank that looks faded (light blue with a white undertone). It's doing great otherwise - nice polyp extension and it's grown over the plug and encrusting the rock.
The frag is about 4" from the water surface so it's getting plenty of light. Lighting is from a T5/LED combo. T5 bulbs are blue plus and coral plus. T5 wattage is about 70W. LED's are heavily slanted to blue's. (60% intensity vs 9% whites). LED wattage is about 100W (after correcting for intensity levels). The light fixture is about 4-5 inches above water. I estimate the PAR level at the tort at about 400.
Any ideas on why the color is light blue instead of a rich blue?
Too much light energy? (PAR too high)
Too much blue light?
Thanks

 

[alten78]

What are your water parameters? Light/pastel colors makes me think of low no3 po4

 

[reefer1]

1.027, 78 degrees
8.2 pH
9.5 alk (Salifert)
425 cal (S)
1500 mag (S)
10ppm nitrates (S)
0 phophates (Hanna) - run GFO in a reactor
450 potassium (S)
Keep in mind, the polyps are extended and it looks healthy (as well as some other sps corals).

 

[alten78]

How's the color on the other SPS? I got better color once my hanna read something other than 0.00. I'd take the GFO offline as it sounds like there isn't enough po4. I had one that couldn't get enough light so I think you are ok there. Just my .02, good luck with it!

 

[reefer1]

The other sps placed high in the tank also look faded.
I have a couple others midtank that look to have a little better color - but they are digitata style.

 

[Jimbo]

I'd take the GFO offline and wait and see if it darkens up. Very easy to be too aggressive with the GFO

 

[reefer1]

GFO is now offline. What is a good phosphate level to target? (I was under the impression 0ppm was good. Also, 0ppm may not be zero since what is present could be taken in by algae. It seems that some phosphate is needed to satisfy the Redfield ratio. Is this correct? Looking for some better understanding.)
Thanks

 

[alten78]

Some phosphate is good, I try to target .03 (hanna). SPS don't like sudden changes, thats where people have issues when they have high po4 and then add too much gfo which strips it too fast.

 

[Jimbo]

GFO is now offline. What is a good phosphate level to target? (I was under the impression 0ppm was good. Also, 0ppm may not be zero since what is present could be taken in by algae. It seems that some phosphate is needed to satisfy the Redfield ratio. Is this correct? Looking for some better understanding.)
Thanks

Yes, you can test 0 for PO4 because it's being eaten up by nuisance algae. Is that what's going on in your tank?

 

[reefer1]

I doubt it. Not much nuisance algae visible - just a little on glass

 

[scardall]

What are your water parameters? Light/pastel colors makes me think of low no3 po4

adding Amino acids will take care of this. (ME Polyp extender)

 

[Richard]

I was told typically if sps look pastel in color too much light and if they turn dark too little light. That's assuming your parameters are okay.

 

[Ike]

How long is your photo period? Sounds like too much light perhaps even combined with low nutrients. I've always had Oregon tort in my tank and it's generally not harmed by low nutrients like I've seen with other corals, but it will lighten up when blasted with too much light.

 

[McMullen]

Lighting issue!

 

[reefer1]

My lights ramp up and ramp down. They cross about 2/3rd peak level at 10:30am and then 3:00pm.
The peak PAR level is 350-400.
What lighting changes do you suggest? Should I gradually change the levels/duration?
Thanks!

 

[thirst]

How are you measuring your par? I would have guessed that 8" from the light source you may be getting more than 400 par. Keep in mind most par meters have a hard to accurately gauging led par.

 

[reefer1]

I calculated it based on some measurements I have seen for T5 and LED fixtures. My fixtures are run at less than full strength. I suspect though that it is too strong.
I think it might be a good idea to reduce the peak intensity of the LEDs a few per cent every couple days until the peak intensity is about 15% lower.
Does this seem reasonable? Thanks

 

[maroun.c]

I'd make sure of the light reading to be on the safe side. And if not an issue then make sure to test phosphate and nitrates to make sure you're not starving ur Corals.

 

[hart24601]

I would also say there might be too much light rather than phosphate being too low. How much flow? We don't talk about this enough, but with more PAR you need more flow for the heat being released by the coral. You can have a lot of PAR if you really have crazy flow, but they go hand-in-hand.

 

[maroun.c]

lets see some pics of your corals as well