Torch coloration help.

Joiningsession · Aug 19, 2023

Looking for some help from someone who knows a thing or two. Trying to learn about coloring up corals. Been trying to read on nutrients, Par, zooxanthellae, etc.. some torches, not all, I feel like are not coloring up after a couple months of being in the tank. HGs, Rapunzel, etc are missing some green and gold.

My tank is an IM40g AIO, torches are 6-8in under waterline.

I read two different things and it’s confusing me lol:
LPS tank should have higher nutrients?
Higher nutrients can be the cause of color loss/duller colors?

My nutrients:
Nitrate 10sh
Phos .8-.1

Lighting matters too, xr15 g6 PRO: blues etc 100%, whites up to 65% to bring in more par for a total output of about 80% power.

Can you help me and explain like I’m 5, or what would you try? More light? Less nutrients? I have a second xr15 I can throw on it if it could be lighting.

blaxsun · Aug 19, 2023

Throw a quarter in any direction and you'll get a different take on nutrients. I have friends with successful low-nutrient tanks (<10ppm), mid-nutrient tanks (10-15ppm) and I myself have a high-nutrient tank (35ppm+).

IMHO, your nitrates and phosphates are pretty much the ideal target range (10-15ppm, 0.05-0.15ppm).

As for the lighting, a single XR15 G6 is plenty for your tank. If you are curious about the actual amount of light it's receiving renting or borrowing a PAR meter is really the only way to know for sure.

leemont · Aug 19, 2023

How long have the torches been in your system? They could still be a bit ticked they're not in their old system. You're nutrients are fine.

ninjamyst · Aug 19, 2023

My gold torch lost a lot of color when my phosphate got up to 1.2. They regained some color at 0.5. I am hoping to get PO4 down to .2 soon and they should be happy.

MDReefguy · Aug 19, 2023

I read somewhere that if you want torches to really color up keep the UV (purple) spectrum of the light no higher than 50%. Whether its true or not, no idea, but my torches have colored up nicely under my Kessils and I follow that advice.

Joiningsession · Aug 19, 2023

leemont said:
How long have the torches been in your system? They could still be a bit ticked they're not in their old system. You're nutrients are fine.

The ones in question 2-4 months. For example, My Rapunzel about 2 months now and has the slightest amount of green on bottom and slight gold towards tip. The rest is just that brownish color lol

ninjamyst said:
My gold torch lost a lot of color when my phosphate got up to 1.2. They regained some color at 0.5. I am hoping to get PO4 down to .2 soon and they should be happy.

I could try lowering it too .05 or so and see if it helps in a couple weeks.

MDReefguy said:
I read somewhere that if you want torches to really color up keep the UV (purple) spectrum of the light no higher than 50%. Whether it’s true or not, no idea, but my torches have colored up nicely under my Kessils and I follow that advice.

This is an interesting one as I don’t recall seeing that anywhere but you are going to have me go digging now

Nate Chalk · Aug 19, 2023

Picture?

Joiningsession · Aug 19, 2023

Nate Chalk said:
Picture?

Will grab one in a couple hours

Joiningsession · Aug 19, 2023

Phone pictures are always hard for me to grab but here’s the Rapunzel (which is almost done splitting, didn’t mention that earlier, not sure if that can affect color a little) Orange filter at 20k and 15k.

Nate Chalk · Aug 19, 2023

Joiningsession said:
Phone pictures are always hard for me to grab but here’s the Rapunzel (which is almost done splitting, didn’t mention that earlier, not sure if that can affect color a little) Orange filter at 20k and 15k.

I think this is your lighting and expectations from photography.

Torches look healthy

Nate Chalk · Aug 19, 2023

Same gold torch. 24k , whatever you wanna call it.

Different light. Different filter. Etc .

I can even make it look holy grail if I try hard enough.

Joiningsession · Aug 19, 2023

Nate Chalk said:
I think this is your lighting and expectations from photography.

Torches look healthy

I think that is probably a big part of it. I know these online pictures are usually enhanced etc.. but I don’t have anyone local that has a nice torch collection or any local store for that matter to be able to know the real life view.

May I ask on a different note, is it also normal for torches to shrink down towards the middle/end of your light cycle? Mine are always expanded large for the first half or so of the day then start to shrink a little, not much maybe 30% or so.

Nate Chalk · Aug 20, 2023

Joiningsession said:
I think that is probably a big part of it. I know these online pictures are usually enhanced etc.. but I don’t have anyone local that has a nice torch collection or any local store for that matter to be able to know the real life view.

May I ask on a different note, is it also normal for torches to shrink down towards the middle/end of your light cycle? Mine are always expanded large for the first half or so of the day then start to shrink a little, not much maybe 30% or so.

100%

Hammers do it too. Sometimes they stay a little more open than usual even. Leading me to thinking something is off. When they do shrink more than other nights.

Yours look super healthy I wouldn't worry. I've seen bleached white from over lighting or dull from under lighting. That's about the only difference.

If you wanted to "color up" you could slowly move higher up in tank. But you risk bothering it more.