Star polys losing intense green color. Now mostly brown.

[MUTiger]

My star polyps use to be a vivid green. They are growing like a weed, but now are mostly brown. I have a mixed reef Red Sea reefer 250. 2 Red Sea Reef LED 90s. All other corals are doing amazingly well. Zooanthids, Acans, Hammer, torch, Scoly, gonios, favor, Duncan., SPS. All tall parameters are in good range.

Any ideas why?

 

[blaxsun]

Congrats - you've discovered a new species!

Which parameters did you all test? Salinity and temperature are fine? My GSP are either out in their full minty green glory or have retracted from something ticking them off. I'm sure your lighting is fine, but have you ever checked your PAR levels?

 

[MUTiger]

I do not have a PAR meter
pH 8.18 (Hanna pH)
SG 1.025(Red Sea refractometer)
Nitrates 2-4
Phosphate 0
My lighting schedule:

 

[Glenner’sreef]

They sure look healthy. It may have to do with lighting. Did you just get them or have you changed your lighting?

 

[MUTiger]

The lighting has been running for 15 months. the GSP have been in the tank for about 12 months.

 

[blaxsun]

Agree with @Glenner’sreef - GSP looks healthy (albeit weird).

 

[NanoJHB]

Had the same thing with my GSP... once it started taking off, the colour intensity faded

 

[Reffetsevla]

Ideally your phosphates should be "detectable" too, 0's can affect coral coloration in my experience. Might be worth looking into. Really you want about 0.05-0.10. For me I keep my tank around 0.07. With the LR Hanna testing variance (+/- 0.04) that gives me an actual range of 0.03-0.11 (I need to buy the ULR Hanna) but that range is good enough for now.

Feeding a bit extra should be enough to raise those a tad, you could dose too but I've always been a fan of "less" chemicals if possible.

 

[gbroadbridge]

My star polyps use to be a vivid green. They are growing like a weed, but now are mostly brown. I have a mixed reef Red Sea reefer 250. 2 Red Sea Reef LED 90s. All other corals are doing amazingly well. Zooanthids, Acans, Hammer, torch, Scoly, gonios, favor, Duncan., SPS. All tall parameters are in good range.

Any ideas why?

You mean they're not meant to look like that? Mine always have