SPS (acros) best coloration: what elements do you add?

[reefstacks]

So, I have been doing a lot of reading on how to get the best color out of your acros, and have of course seen many mixed opinions. Some say that the basics (lighting, flow, Calcium, Alk., Magnesium, etc.) are all that are needed to get optimal color in your sticks.

However, after beginning the addition of Kent Coral-Vite and Acropower, I have seen quick and noticeable improvement in color and growth for my Acros. I do not believe this is a coincidence since this was the only changing variable. I also feed Reef Chilli once a week at this point.

So, I'm asking all of you Stick gurus, what additives do you use to get the best color out of your SPS? I know many subscribe to the "if you don't test for it, don't add it" school of thought, but there has been too significant of a change for me to ignore what I believe caused this improvement. And I would love to know if there is anything additional, or alternatives, that I should try to get those Acros to pop and look their best. Thanks!

 

[Sabellafella]

So, I have been doing a lot of reading on how to get the best color out of your acros, and have of course seen many mixed opinions. Some say that the basics (lighting, flow, Calcium, Alk., Magnesium, etc.) are all that are needed to get optimal color in your sticks.

However, after beginning the addition of Kent Coral-Vite and Acropower, I have seen quick and noticeable improvement in color and growth for my Acros. I do not believe this is a coincidence since this was the only changing variable. I also feed Reef Chilli once a week at this point.

So, I'm asking all of you Stick gurus, what additives do you use to get the best color out of your SPS? I know many subscribe to the "if you don't test for it, don't add it" school of thought, but there has been too significant of a change for me to ignore what I believe caused this improvement. And I would love to know if there is anything additional, or alternatives, that I should try to get those Acros to leveld look their best. Thanks!

Honestly for me, it was testing and dosing potassium. Feeding alot of nutrient/vitamin rich fish food. Playing with p04 levels, and flow/placement worked. I tryed acropower worked great for everything else but my acros, couldnt really tell wether or not if my acros benefited from it.

 

[Wilsoni]

+1 on Potassium!

 

[Wilsoni]

I would fully agree with maintaining your nutrients in addition to proper lighting and placement for flow though. I dose NoPox which allows me to feed heavy so my corals stay fed and my water stays clean

 

[WetWhistle]

I don't specifically use any product for color. I do soak my fish food in OminOmega by brightwells and have a large productive sump that provides lots of live foods. You add proper light spectrum, water changes and proper flow and you have colorful corals. I found products like acropower or KoralColor didn't do anything for me so were a waste of money for me.

 

[reefstacks]

I do want to up the reef chilli feeding to 2-3x per week. No reason not to, my Nitrate and Phosphate are basically at 0, which is actually a bit lower than I would prefer. I like having a little bit of those nutrients present for my corals to feed on. Do you guys agree, or do you prefer keeping those levels as close to 0 as possible? I know that is a whole other conversation, but just curious as a follow up to your comments. Thanks for the input guys!

 

[reefstacks]

I don't specifically use any product for color. I do soak my fish food in OminOmega by brightwells and have a large productive sump that provides lots of live foods. You add proper light spectrum, water changes and proper flow and you have colorful corals. I found products like acropower or KoralColor didn't do anything for me so were a waste of money for me.

Can you expand on that, as far as what types of food you are cultivating in your sump/fuge?

 

[Wilsoni]

Yeah I would definitely try raising them up a little, your water is too clean.

Do you have any stick pics?

Haha but really some photos would be helpful

 

[WetWhistle]

Can you expand on that, as far as what types of food you are cultivating in your sump/fuge?

Proper sump setup is key. I grow large amounts of caulerpa and chato and the algae spores when they go into sexual phase help cultivate large population of Copepods. I set my sump up with a cryptic zone as well so a section under the algae is dark. I find this kind of refugium is very productive and are my main source of filtration as well as my food web. I also stir up some detritus off my rocks and top layer of substrate a few times a week. Corals love detritus and because of its small size and nutrient density almost everything eats it. If you use mechanical filtration like a filter soc of floss you feed your tank and remove nutrients from the water column before it breaks down. win win I say. Been feeding my coral this way since I started.

http://www.ultimatereef.com/articles/crypticzones/

You could try some nutritious foods by Reef nutrition as supplemental feeding. A little goes a long way so be careful how much you feed. Once every few years or so I will dump in a bottle of live tiger and Arcti pods by Reef nutrition into my sump.

 

[rovster]

If your nutrient levels are really that low, you will have success with anything, including upping the feeding of your fish. Color additives usually shine when corals are relatively pale and malnourished. If your corals are dark and you have algae, stay away from them.

I've used Fuel, Acropower, Pohls Xtra, and KZ Coral Vitalizer all with good results. I only use them when my corals start to look a little pale. If my colors come back and are vibrant I back off on the additives. If you've never dosed anything, Acropower seems to be a very popular one without too many side effects and most report positive results, even if minor.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

Reef Energy every hour and feeding heavily coupled with nopox gives colors that will make you wonder why you never did it in the first place. After achieving this you'll no longer be jealous of tanks anymore. Unless perhaps it's specimens you want!

 

[Alanc425]

Reef Energy every hour and feeding heavily coupled with nopox gives colors that will make you wonder why you never did it in the first place. After achieving this you'll no longer be jealous of tanks anymore. Unless perhaps it's specimens you want!

Every hour? What amount do you dose

 

[reefstacks]

Yeah I would definitely try raising them up a little, your water is too clean.

Do you have any stick pics?

Haha but really some photos would be helpful

Haha that's on my list. Everything is small still but I am liking the growth and coloration that comes with it. Some very nice pieces on the way now, so hopefully I'll have them up soon

I do consider the nutrients and how clean I want the water quite a bit. I believe that very low nutrients plus the additives has given me the best color yet, but I may need to raise them a bit and continue the additives to know for sure.

 

[reefstacks]

Proper sump setup is key. I grow large amounts of caulerpa and chato and the algae spores when they go into sexual phase help cultivate large population of Copepods. I set my sump up with a cryptic zone as well so a section under the algae is dark. I find this kind of refugium is very productive and are my main source of filtration as well as my food web. I also stir up some detritus off my rocks and top layer of substrate a few times a week. Corals love detritus and because of its small size and nutrient density almost everything eats it. If you use mechanical filtration like a filter soc of floss you feed your tank and remove nutrients from the water column before it breaks down. win win I say. Been feeding my coral this way since I started.

http://www.ultimatereef.com/articles/crypticzones/

You could try some nutritious foods by Reef nutrition as supplemental feeding. A little goes a long way so be careful how much you feed. Once every few years or so I will dump in a bottle of live tiger and Arcti pods by Reef nutrition into my sump.

Thanks for your input. I had a tank crash a couple months ago (woke up to 30+ gallons on the floor as a result of a random tank leak), and luckily I was able to piece together a temporary setup so most coral and fish survived. However, my pods are another story, so I do need to restock. I do have some rock rubble and lots of chato.

 

[reefstacks]

If your nutrient levels are really that low, you will have success with anything, including upping the feeding of your fish. Color additives usually shine when corals are relatively pale and malnourished. If your corals are dark and you have algae, stay away from them.

I've used Fuel, Acropower, Pohls Xtra, and KZ Coral Vitalizer all with good results. I only use them when my corals start to look a little pale. If my colors come back and are vibrant I back off on the additives. If you've never dosed anything, Acropower seems to be a very popular one without too many side effects and most report positive results, even if minor.

So far so good, although my zoas don't seem to love the clean water! My love quickly shifted to SPS though anyways, so it's a risk I'm willing to take.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I have never used it but alot of people swear by Oyster Feast.

 

[reefstacks]

Reef Energy every hour and feeding heavily coupled with nopox gives colors that will make you wonder why you never did it in the first place. After achieving this you'll no longer be jealous of tanks anymore. Unless perhaps it's specimens you want!

Hmm I'll have to look into nopox , second time mentioned in this thread. I see the logic though if it allows for feeding that would otherwise be excessive

 

[CastAway]

Tagging along....

 

[reefstacks]

I have never used it but alot of people swear by Oyster Feast.

I have heard a lot of that too from people with SPS skills. I like the convenience anx storage of reef chilli, but maybe I'll throw Oyster Feast in the mix too. Especially since I can afford to add some additional feedings.

 

[reefstacks]

Honestly for me, it was testing and dosing potassium. Feeding alot of nutrient/vitamin rich fish food. Playing with p04 levels, and flow/placement worked. I tryed acropower worked great for everything else but my acros, couldnt really tell wether or not if my acros benefited from it.

I have read that Potassium can do a lot for certain colors...I think I'll track down a supplement and test kit for this and maybe Potassium iodide. I know it is in one of the additives I have been using in at least small amounts, but it's never a bad time to step my game up.