Best dosing method for color

[Diver86]

I have been reading a lot about dosing this and that and was wondering what people are using that works well. I have ok color but not great

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[Diver86]

Well I should reword the question... What are people doing to achieve the best color... My nutrients are pretty low.

Nitrates -5 if any
point of sale .2
Cal 450
Alk 9.3
Mag1380
Salinity 1.025
No ammonia
No nitrite


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[kchristensen8064]

Following! I don't have great color either.

 

[bknapp]

If your phosphates are at .2 instead of .02 that could be a major contributor to the color issues. What are you using to test your phosphates?

 

[mike007]

What lighting are you using?

 

[Diver86]

I'm sorry .02 ... It barely reads anything on my test I've had it checked at a few places and at home using and instant ocean kit and a few others as well... I'm running two ai Vegas at roughly 46 percent right now working my way up


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[Diver86]

Her are some more pics

I should also mention the tank is only four or five months old and it's only acros I have trouble with


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[Dowtish]

How are your swings from day to day for ALk and CaL? Are you using 2 part? or are you still just relying on WC's?

Also, I highly suggest getting a Hanna Alk and Phos checker. They are the best available test kits for these specific parameters.

 

[bknapp]

I honestly wouldn't trust those test kits, I would look into a Hanna checker of I were you. Very easy to use and a nice simple digital readout.

 

[Diver86]

I'm using two part daily and check cal and alk every few days... Very rarely is there a slight difference.... I am planning on getting a Better kit... I'm using salferit for cal and alk


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[Dowtish]

It might just be your tank is new. But I would test your cal and alk at say 5pm and then test the next day at 5pm and see what your demand is exactly.

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[Mrfresh]

Ok so I HATED this answer when I would ask abut sps growth and coral...but drop ur alk
I ran my alk at 9.8dkh then I let it drop to 7.8
I had an explosion of growth and the corals had better PE and have colored up nicely sense
Good luck
Post pics of the after for what ever path you decide to go with to coloring up ur sps

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Ok so I HATED this answer when I would ask abut sps growth and coral...but drop ur alk
I ran my alk at 9.8dkh then I let it drop to 7.8
I had an explosion of growth and the corals had better PE and have colored up nicely sense
Good luck
Post pics of the after for what ever path you decide to go with to coloring up ur sps

What did you do to drop it?

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[Dowtish]

I also run mine around 8. You just don't dose any for a say or 2. It will drop.

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[Diver86]

I may bring it down closer to 8 because in the past I think the growth was better at that level


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[Diver86]

well i either found the reason or i killed it. I recently moved an acro to an area of ultra high flow and within hours it has become much lighter on the half that is getting current. It is an ora Blueberry pearl so its a lighter acro. but the half that isn't getting the brunt of the current is still brown. I'm gonna wait it out and see because if it the case i have to up my flow a lot... I am running an mp 40 and its a 120 but i have been holding off on adding another cause i never saw the need to until possibly now.

 

[Dowtish]

If you plan on keeping acros you need another mp40.

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[larangcon]

drop the Alk to 7.8? mine is at 9 right now, I will try that. Thanks

 

[Diesel]

On a 120 with mostly acro's you need three mp40's.
I have 5 running, two on the left two in the back and one on the right.
Dropping alk to 8 is a must too.
I had my tank running a 9.5 and now it's steady at 8 and I see all colors of the rainbow.

 

[Diver86]

Well this has been quite the learning experience... I'm not planning to keep all acros but I think another mp 40 and strategic placement may be in order


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