Blue SPS pale

[Fishfinder]

Any pictures you could share fishfinder? Curious to see how they look ;]

Yes I will tomorrow

 

[Fishfinder]

...sorry that I am in late. To summarize, you have never changed water, but done some ICP and purchased and dosed some supplements and have not seen any difference? Perhaps this is too basic, but you could have changed 200 gallons of water for the price of that ICP test and could have been assured that all of your parameters were in check.

No carbon dosing, GFO or the like? If so, then stop or cut back.

If the tank is more than a year old, then look lights. It is nearly always lights if you have a mature tank and do not strip building blocks with chemicals or additives. What kind do you have? ...if T5, then which bulbs?

Yes this is correct I have never done a water change, and I could have for the cost but regular changes would be too expensive. No carbon dosing or GFO. A combo of LED and T5

I probably do strip too many building blocks

 

[jda]

I might suggest that you consider doing water changes when things are not to your liking and just scale back when everything is going well. I change water because it is BY FAR cheaper than sending out tests and buying supplements - 44 gallon water change for about $10-11.

What did ICP say that your phosphorous and nitrate were? If they are above .005P and .1N, then you are fine there - hannah is good at measuring this for phosphate, but there is no way for a hobbyist to measure to nitrate that low.

The no water change systems are not less work, nor less money - just a different kind of lifestyle. They sometimes require more work and more money, but not always. There are some DSR tanks that are amazing, but they work at it.

Which LEDs and what intensity... and which T5 bulbs and how many. It can matter if you want the best color possible.

 

[DSC reef]

@Fishfinder I wouldn't sweat the lights man, you have a really nice setup. Some more nutrients over time I believe will help you out. I think you being modest about your colors I bet they look better with Samsung pics;Hilarious

 

[Fishfinder]

I might suggest that you consider doing water changes when things are not to your liking and just scale back when everything is going well. I change water because it is BY FAR cheaper than sending out tests and buying supplements - 44 gallon water change for about $10-11.

What did ICP say that your phosphorous and nitrate were? If they are above .005P and .1N, then you are fine there - hannah is good at measuring this for phosphate, but there is no way for a hobbyist to measure to nitrate that low.

The no water change systems are not less work, nor less money - just a different kind of lifestyle. They sometimes require more work and more money, but not always. There are some DSR tanks that are amazing, but they work at it.

Which LEDs and what intensity... and which T5 bulbs and how many. It can matter if you want the best color possible.

I agree buying supplements is usually a waste of time. My ICP showed a NO3 of .01 and a PO4 0f .004 I feel that is my issue. I'm working on it.

For lighting I've got 3 T5 blue+ and reef breeders LED

 

[jda]

Those building blocks are lower than most. If you feed a lot and have high export, then you are fine - throughput is more important than anything else. Is the tank new(er) - aragonite can bind up a lot of phosphate when it is fresh/new but it usually will absorb enough to let the tank level get to .01 in a few months. I have my N at .1 and P at .005 to .01... that is 100x more N than yours even though both are low. I am a heavy import and heavy export guy.

Therman and Adam at BC note better colors when running their RB at 100% on all channels and raising them up pretty high (at least Adam has them up high). This cannot always work for other people since they cannot raise them up.

 

[Fishfinder]

My RB are 16-18" but I wouldn't consider my N+P throughport high. I only have 8 fish in a 300g.

 

[jda]

As some of Dana Riddle's studies have shown, yellow and red spectrum can stimulate blue fluorescent pigments. There is plenty of these spectrums in the Blue+ that you are using, but no idea if three tubes adds enough. Without knowing how your run the Photon, then no idea there.

8 fish is not much. I only have 4 in my 225 and I live at about the same levels as the other tank, but this tank is only 9 months old and still in flux some - coralline is starting to annoy me, but the parms jump around a bit still. I do feed them a lot.

 

[Fishfinder]

I'm at 60% blue channels, and 15% all others. Along with 3 blue+ tubes on each side of the tank.

Again not an SPS failure or dying problem. Just tying to improve my blue coloring

 

[jda]

I hear ya. It is an ongoing battle to get to the highest level of color. Seems like getting the first 80% is pretty easy and then it gets incrementally harder after this. Also, it seems easier to grow than to color.

 

[Reefer40b]

Shut off your skimmer for a week or 2 and see the results. honestly only 8 fish in a 300 you probably don't even need a skimmer... I recently did this as my needle wheel broke and the part took a while to get here... had really pale blues on acros... well now my color is coming back and it looks much healthier although I did turn back on my skimmer after the 2 weeks not to mention the growth spurt I got kinda surprising. Just going to feed more often. Also my skimmer is rated up to 500gal system and running it on a 200gal

 

[Fishfinder]

Shut off your skimmer for a week or 2 and see the results. honestly only 8 fish in a 300 you probably don't even need a skimmer... I recently did this as my needle wheel broke and the part took a while to get here... had really pale blues on acros... well now my color is coming back and it looks much healthier although I did turn back on my skimmer after the 2 weeks not to mention the growth spurt I got kinda surprising. Just going to feed more often. Also my skimmer is rated up to 500gal system and running it on a 200gal

Wow that's a big skimmer

 

[Reefer40b]

Yes it idles too often, going to start running it only at night I think. Only got it because it was a super good deal compared to how much skimmers can cost! will see or maybe back off my cheato led light

 

[Fishfinder]

My skimmer is only running at night. Keeping my ph up

 

[Fishfinder]

I've concluded it is a light intensity to nutrient issue. The pieces that I moved to my "lower light" areas have completely colored up. They are much darker and richer blue.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Sounds like you nailed it down. Time add more fish.