Purple bonsai not coloring up

Xbreakxitxdownx · Feb 1, 2015

Hello I have 2 colony's of purple bonsai and they aren't coloring up, I have 2 ecotech xr30w pro with tir lenses running radiance schedule at 60% in a 100 gal tank.. My flow is 2 ecotech vortech mp10w running 70% under reef crest my prams are
kh: 12dkh
Cal: 500
Mag:1,540
Salinity: 1.025
Ph: 8.1
Ammonia:0
Nitrites:0
Nitrates:0
Phosphate:0

Lazys Coral House · Feb 1, 2015

They seem to like quite a bit of nitrate. Try bringing it up to between 5 and 10. Also going to need some phospate. Your Alk, Calcium and Mag seems to be a bit high. Especially for such low nutrient levels. Consider bringing them down.

hinovak · Feb 1, 2015

Have you tried bringing up your flow some? In my personal experience, I found heavy flow rates, really helped in getting my Acros happy. I was amazed at the improved rate of encrustation. Plus 1 on the above poster, I have starved my acros before, I was surprised to find how hungry they really are. I keep my fish fat, but I keep up with the water changes. Hope this helps.

Touring · Feb 1, 2015

are they growing? you are leaving tons of info out. tank pic also please

Ryans85 · Feb 1, 2015

How long have you had them? I had one that took couple months to get good color.

Braves Fan · Feb 1, 2015

The light it is getting could be a factor also. I just got a really nice mini colony from a friend, the purple couldn't have been more purple. I mounted the coral high in my tank & my lights have faded it just a bit, still looks awesome, just not as purple as it was.

Pappy · Feb 1, 2015

Try lowering your alk and mg to recommended parameters and see if that helps.

Also no coral "likes" no3 not sure where that comment came from

reefndude · Feb 1, 2015

Had same issue with all my corals with alk at around 11 with nutrient levels being very low. Try bringing alk down to 7.5-8 range and feed your corals. That may help corals improve.
A little nitrate does help

EW_Fish · Feb 1, 2015

I have a frag of garf bonsai that lost all color but the green polyps. Its been about 2-3 months and just now started showing a hint of purple. I'm running med to low light and low nutrients Dosing Red Sea colors. I have a frag farmers red robin that I bleached with leds and hadn't regained color in almost 5 months. All other sps have top notch color and PE just trying to get colors back and be tough and take time.

I would bring down your ALK , CAL , MAG slowly.

Xbreakxitxdownx · Feb 1, 2015

Yah I don't dose I only use salinity salt. My flow is strong but I can amp it up a little more, they aren't growing I had them for 4 months now. I test my waters with Red Sea pro kits. I will try and keep my water a little more dirty. I will post new pics of bonsai when I get home..

Pappy · Feb 1, 2015

Sps does not like dirty water! Nsw 0. Since when does nitrates being present benefit a coral that grows beautifully in nature without them present?! Smh

Lazys Coral House · Feb 1, 2015

Pappy said:
Also no coral "likes" no3 not sure where that comment came from

In my experience SPS does like some Nitrates. I have a SPS tank and have noticed better color with Nitrates. The purple bonsai was always kind of brownish white with green polyps until I raised my nitrates. Not saying that is definitively what is needed here but with the info provided I think salts are to high and nutrients are to low to achieve good color.

tonymission · Feb 1, 2015

Pappy said:
Sps does not like dirty water! Nsw 0. Since when does nitrates being present benefit a coral that grows beautifully in nature without them present?! Smh

3-5ppm nitrate and .10 po4 is not dirty water

Squid · Feb 1, 2015

tonymission said:
3-5ppm nitrate and .10 po4 is not dirty water

+1 agreed. Some corals like a little no3 and po4 and a google search would show tons of experienced people agree.

Xbreakxitxdownx · Feb 1, 2015

lazylivin
What do you mean achieve color? Is there anything I should be putting in the water to make the color come out?

Pappy · Feb 1, 2015

tonymission said:
3-5ppm nitrate and .10 po4 is not dirty water

Contrary to your opinion 3-5 ppm is filthy and .1 po4 is about 1000 times what it should be.

Pappy · Feb 1, 2015

Here's some articles for you guys

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

I'm not trying to be a jerk here but can't understand why people think "their" parameters are better than the ocean! Lololol

tonymission · Feb 1, 2015

Pappy said:
Contrary to your opinion 3-5 ppm is filthy and .1 po4 is about 1000 times what it should be.

Lol

WWC runs their tanks at 30-40ppm NO3

Battlecorals has his PO4 at around .18ppm PO4

Tons of other examples

This isn't 2003 anymore.

Pappy · Feb 1, 2015

For the record I used to keep 5ppm no3 and .1 po4 and corals were fine. No different but they sure grew a lot slower. So did the "like" it...I dunno because they never whispered in my ear. But when they started growing faster and looking better I realized they were happy with as close to 0 as I can get

tonymission · Feb 1, 2015

Pappy said:
For the record I used to keep 5ppm no3 and .1 po4 and corals were fine. No different but they sure grew a lot slower. So did the "like" it...I dunno because they never whispered in my ear. But when they started growing faster and looking better I realized they were happy with as close to 0 as I can get

I've been 0/0 for six months with no color and no growth. Took my gfo offline, fed more and dosed KNO3 and only now am I seeing growth and color. Anecdotal? Sure. But I'm not changing anything now.

Now I'm importing a lot but still exporting heavily. Plus elevated NO3 keeps PO4 in check