What causes SPS to lose color?

[Calm Blue Ocean]

A simple but complicated question, I think. Not STN or RTN but just loss of color. What about loss of color where polyps remain bright and open? I've seen both high light and low light blamed. What are the mechanics that would lead to loss of color due to inadequate lighting? What about chemical warfare? Nutrients too high or too low? Is it just any "too" that causes loss of color?

 

[Saltyreef]

There are lots of variables. Not just one solid thing.

 

[Utubereefer]

There are lots of variables. Not just one solid thing.

Could be a micro element problem…right?

 

[Saltyreef]

Could be a micro element problem…right?

Go fluff yourself buddy

 

[Utubereefer]

Go fluff yourself buddy

I’m serious tho

 

[Utubereefer]

I dose Red Sea trace

 

[Utubereefer]

Go fluff yourself buddy

No offense meant whatsoever. Maybe an icp test will reveal more info

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Could be a micro element problem…right?

That's another one I've seen, with bottled products intended to help bring out particular colors, that would imply certain elements being important.

 

[Saltyreef]

I dose Red Sea trace

I dose tropic marin part A and K trace and still struggle with keeping color in sps.....
It comes and goes....then comes again....


Like i said...lots of variables.
Nobody is saying he has a trace element problem....

 

[Saltyreef]

No offense meant whatsoever. Maybe an icp test will reveal more info

Seemed like a carry over comment from the other thread so ill digress into a real convo with you now....lol

 

[Utubereefer]

Seemed like a carry over comment from the other thread so ill digress into a real convo with you now....lol

Totally just stumbled upon this because I enjoy caring for sps and I am 100% positive that I don’t know everything. Always hungry for more.

 

[Saltyreef]

No offense meant whatsoever. Maybe an icp test will reveal more info

It could, yes.

I could be wrong but to the OP @Calm Blue Ocean, are you having issues with dull sps?

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

There are lots of variables. Not just one solid thing.

Most definitely. A very vague question but I'm just curious, for lack of better wording, how color works. Which I guess is also way more complicated than the question and I'm sure research papers have been written on the subject but is there more than zooxanthellae involved?

 

[Saltyreef]

Totally just stumbled upon this because I enjoy caring for sps and I am 100% positive that I don’t know everything. Always hungry for more.

Im 110% positive i dont know half of it......

 

[Utubereefer]

BRS has a very interesting video on dosing aminos

 

[ScottB]

Lets us begin with the basics.
a) How old is system? Dead or live rock start?
b) Fish load and gallons. How much feeding?
c) Residual nutrients? NO3, PO4.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

It could, yes.

I could be wrong but to the OP @Calm Blue Ocean, are you having issues with dull sps?

I've a setosa that's been gradually fading over a number of months and an encrusting monti that lost tissue color. The head scratcher for me is that I have two tanks and when I threw the monti into the other tank it started coloring back up again. It's not the first SPS to have this reaction. Same salt mix, similar par (Seneye). Arguably the tank where the coral is thriving has less stability and weirder parameters (no nitrate, extremely high phosphate). I think I'll have to cave and do an ICP on both tanks to get to the bottom of it but I'm just trying to understand the mechanics a bit better so I can narrow down the issue. I keep mostly softies and LPS in both tanks. SPS seem to be a mixed bag for me but typically they love the darn nano and I don't know why. That tank should be a disaster.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

I most commonly sps lose colors when theres a lack of nutrients.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Lets us begin with the basics.
a) How old is system? Dead or live rock start?
b) Fish load and gallons. How much feeding?
c) Residual nutrients? NO3, PO4.

Both tanks are about 1 1/2 years old
Tank 1 - 50g AIO dead rock but has been supplemented since with live rock rubble from AquaBiomics
2xClownfish, 1xMidas Blenny, 1xRed-Lined Wrasse, 1xPink Streaked Wrasse
Smidgen of pellets in the morning and 1/4 to 1/2 cube of frozen in the evening, 1tsp live phyto daily (Reef Nutrition)
Nitrate 24, Phosphate 0.3
No algae issues, had dinos about a year ago
(has faded corals)

Tank 2 - 10g AIO live rock from LFS that I had in a previous year old system
1xYasha Goby
Tiny amount of pellets spot fed morning and night
Nitrate undetectable, PO4 beyond the top of my tester
No algae issues
(the place corals go to recover)

 

[PeterC99]

There are so many factors that could impact color. What’s your lighting and dosing parameters?