SPS acro color question

[Lavey29]

So I have noticed my SPS frags fade when they come from sources that use halides and go into my led tank. AND take long time to adjust color even though they grow

Mine have been bright for like 6 months only recently faded slightly. My coral vendor uses the same lights that I use.

 

[IKD]

I dose red sea 4 bottles. My prio ICP tests had good trace levels.

Ok, I haven’t used those. I have good luck with Seachem Fuel

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Ok, I haven’t used those. I have good luck with Seachem Fuel

Isn’t fuel an amino not a trace

 

[IKD]

Isn’t fuel an amino not a trace

Yes, I was just about to reply with that clarification!

 

[IKD]

Red Sea makes Reef Energy Plus which I assume is a similar additive to Fuel

 

[Lavey29]

Red Sea makes Reef Energy Plus which I assume is a similar additive to Fuel

I use Red Sea AB plus for my aminos 2X per week and dose their 4 bottles of trace elements once every other week in between my water changes.

 

[IKD]

I use Red Sea AB plus for my aminos 2X per week and dose their 4 bottles of trace elements once every other week in between my water changes.

Ok, I used to use AcroPower but had better results with Fuel. Not sure about Red Sea AB

 

[Lavey29]

Ok, I used to use AcroPower but had better results with Fuel. Not sure about Red Sea AB

I tried acropower for a few months but I think it was actually raising my alk slightly too so I stopped it.

 

[Biologic]

Isn’t fuel an amino not a trace

Aquavitro Fuel has trace elements in it.

aquavitro - fuel

 

[gbroadbridge]

Its a mixed reef so I keep nitrates 10 to 15 for my LPS and softs.

With NItrates at 15 you don't need Aminos, it'll probably just brown the SPS.

 

[Max93]

I don’t think lighting is your problem (I’m not a pro but I finally got my acros going after trying everything else for 17 years) without measuring par and what you’re using.

Do you do water changes? How long is your photoperiod? Are you using a skimmer?

 

[Lavey29]

With NItrates at 15 you don't need Aminos, it'll probably just brown the SPS.

Interesting, how do you know this? I thought amino just helped them use the nitrates more efficiently.

 

[Lavey29]

I don’t think lighting is your problem (I’m not a pro but I finally got my acros going after trying everything else for 17 years) without measuring par and what you’re using.

Do you do water changes? How long is your photoperiod? Are you using a skimmer?

Change 18% every 2 weeks run skimmer 24. 7 and my photo period is 10 hours with ramp up and down

 

[adsf430]

Saw someone awhile back say to use a red flag coral which I second. I had color issues for awhile and used my red monti cap as an indicator. It was dullish red gray and is now so bright red I feel bad throwing chunks out all the time. Think the difference was feeding the corals every two days a mix of phyto, oyster feast, and reef roids, more light, and dosing trace elements (be careful with red sea trace you'll overdose iron following the instructions). Also for lighting, find a coral that tells you par or buy a par meter. I use a PC rainbow frag at the highest par point in my tank as an indicator. It's still mostly green so I know I'm not going to bleach anybody by slowly ramping the lights up more. I would only go up 1% a week to be safe.

 

[Lavey29]

Saw someone awhile back say to use a red flag coral which I second. I had color issues for awhile and used my red monti cap as an indicator. It was dullish red gray and is now so bright red I feel bad throwing chunks out all the time. Think the difference was feeding the corals every two days a mix of phyto, oyster feast, and reef roids, more light, and dosing trace elements (be careful with red sea trace you'll overdose iron following the instructions). Also for lighting, find a coral that tells you par or buy a par meter. I use a PC rainbow frag at the highest par point in my tank as an indicator. It's still mostly green so I know I'm not going to bleach anybody by slowly ramping the lights up more. I would only go up 1% a week to be safe.

I dose phytoplankton daily, red sea AB plus 2x per week and benepets once per week. Lights have been consistent for a year now.

 

[GarrettT]

Move it to that one stop in the tank where everything thrives. Mine is next to my powerhead on the side wall.

it’s not that simple and could be a number of things.

- Nitrates too high (some coral are more sensitive)
- Inappropriate flow in that area.
- Inappropriate light for that coral specifically
- Unstable Alk
- etc.

Garf is a good example. Coloration tends to be best under moderate (not high) par and when nitrates are under 5ppm. Every coral is different and can’t be treated the same.

The first thing I would do is move the coral and see how it reacts.

 

[Lavey29]

Move it to that one stop in the tank where everything thrives. Mine is next to my powerhead on the side wall.

it’s not that simple and could be a number of things.

- Nitrates too high (some coral are more sensitive)
- Inappropriate flow in that area.
- Inappropriate light for that coral specifically
- Unstable Alk
- etc.

Garf is a good example. Coloration tends to be best under moderate (not high) par and when nitrates are under 5ppm. Every coral is different and can’t be treated the same.

The first thing I would do is move the coral and see how it reacts.

Not easily done, they are heavily encrusted. 95% of my corals are thriving. Out of 25 SPS frags only couple are slightly faded in color. Still seem healthy just not as bright as before.

 

[GarrettT]

Out of 25 SPS frags only couple are slightly faded in color. Still seem healthy just not as bright as before.

This would lead me to believe that the coral isn't in an ideal location or is more sensitive to the higher nutrients than the others. It likely won't die or anything, just won't look as vibrant. Sometimes a system has a few sacrificial lambs. If you purchase the same coral and put it in the same location, I'd imagine you'd end up with the same result - assuming its related to the flow, par, or the higher nutrients. If the polyps are extended out, then I'd assume the latter.

 

[Lavey29]

This would lead me to believe that the coral isn't in an ideal location or is more sensitive to the higher nutrients than the others. It likely won't die or anything, just won't look as vibrant. Sometimes a system has a few sacrificial lambs. If you purchase the same coral and put it in the same location, I'd imagine you'd end up with the same result - assuming its related to the flow, par, or the higher nutrients. If the polyps are extended out, then I'd assume the latter.

But they seemed fine past 6 months or more since I got them. The color dulling is a recent change on only a few of them. They appear healthy just not as bright.

 

[Lavey29]

With NItrates at 15 you don't need Aminos, it'll probably just brown the SPS.

Ok, so I have been researching your post and I think you may be on to something here. I have 10 fish and do heavy in heavy out typically so I keep a good amount of nutrients in the water. I was dosing AB plus twice a week and benepets once a week so amino acids going into the tank 3x per week. Internet search shows that over dosing amino may brown up some SPS which is probably why I'm seeing a little color fade here and there. I think I'm going to cut way back for a month and just rely on fish fertilizer and see what happens with the color.