Color up sps coral single best factor.

[Pappy]

Wow!!! Running the daylight at 95% for 10 hours prob is the culprit! I have LEDs and my blues kick on at 10am ramp up to full at 12 then ramp down at 8. My whites come on at 12 ramp up til 4 full power for 15min only then ramp down til 9. Colors are super!


Mike D "like the beastie boys" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CUNAReefer]

Hi DevonJevon,

Happy 4th!

I can help with the color question (SPS anyway). To really get your colors to pop, you need to bring your nitrate down to .25 (or at least close to it) and your phosphate to .02. I prefer these levels as 0 trates and 0 phates can lead to starvation, pale colors, and tissue necrosis (learned this one the hard way via the ZEO system). Here are some guidelines I pulled from the Red Sea Program:

Recommended water parameters for enhanced coloration
• Algae nutrient levels of 0.25 ppm nitrate and 0.02 ppm phosphate; to maintain a reduced level
of Zooxanthellae, reducing the brownish tint of the corals and inducing the protection response of
enhanced coloration.
• Reduced levels of the Foundation Elements [Alkalinity 8.2dKH / 2.9meq/L, Ca 430ppm, Mg
1310ppm]to lower the energy demand from coral growth
• Availability of the minor and trace elements (Coral Colors) used in the soft tissue for increased
coloration
[I2 0.06ppm, K 380ppm, Fe 0.15ppm]
11
These general guidelines will help you get to brighter colors. I run the full ZEO system and can manipulate my SPS coloration pretty easily. Amino Acids for deeper colors (take it easy with aminos). Potassium for blue coloration. ZeoSpur2 to show colorful pigment below the zooxanthallae. Increased feeding of Oyster Feast if the colors get too light. Once you get your nutrients within the parameters above, you can easily manipulate your SPS coloration. LPS I can change too, but it takes more work.

I'm getting excellent growth outta my system and sps are growing like weeds. However I'm not satisfies with the color of my coral.
I currently only dose kalk ca , alk, magnesium.
I don't feed my corals just my fish.

What would u suggest to supplement to enhance the color of my corals?

History lights= radion 12 hrs on
Flow = vortech
Cal= 430
Alk=10.5dkh
Mag= 1450
Ph= 8.1
Biopellet reactor, Cheata refugium , uv, ozone, aquac ev 240 skimmer
Very little algae phosphate undetectable ( haven't cleaned the glass in 2 weeks)


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[Devonjevon]

Wow great info
I use the Hanna test kit for phosphate
I will lower alk levels as directed and max light time.

Would love to use the k test kit.
Who makes the best k test kits and iodine test kits?


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[Pappy]

I'm just throwing this out there...my nitrates were just at 60-80(have no idea but haven't tested in a while. Maybe a wrasse that disappeared caused the spike). Did couple wc's and they're fine now. My point is that all the colors on all corals still looked amazing even though the nitrates were super high! I really think this is a lighting issue IMO.


Mike D "like the beastie boys" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ironworker]

i only have a few sps, and like pappy i had a major nitrate spike with no change in coloration. actually my fish are what turned me on to it

 

[CUNAReefer]

Sahin just did a review of the Salifert K+ Test kit. He really likes it. I'm not sure if its available in the US yet. I use the Red Sea Pro and its a little difficult to notice the color change. The K+ dosing does work, but its more important in tanks that use zeolite media. The media absorbs potassium along with ammonium. You could perform a test, dose, and keep your potassium level where you want for some time. Different salts have different potassium levels. I like NeoMarine Salt.

Lighting also does play a factor in coloration. Some corals become lighter (they have the color "pop") in brighter light, while they become a deeper more vivid color in lower light. Setosa is a great example of how this occurs in SPS.

Wow great info
I use the Hanna test kit for phosphate
I will lower alk levels as directed and max light time.

Would love to use the k test kit.
Who makes the best k test kits and iodine test kits?


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[Pappy]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=274 just thought I'd share this.


Mike D "like the beastie boys" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[robby2782]

Sahin just did a review of the Salifert K+ Test kit. He really likes it. I'm not sure if its available in the US yet. I use the Red Sea Pro and its a little difficult to notice the color change. The K+ dosing does work, but its more important in tanks that use zeolite media. The media absorbs potassium along with ammonium. You could perform a test, dose, and keep your potassium level where you want for some time. Different salts have different potassium levels. I like NeoMarine Salt.

Lighting also does play a factor in coloration. Some corals become lighter (they have the color "pop") in brighter light, while they become a deeper more vivid color in lower light. Setosa is a great example of how this occurs in SPS.

My Red Sea Pro shows my K at 450 but there's no way that's right since my frag tank and new saltwater tests around the same. I'd be interested to see what a different test showed.

 

[s2nhle]

great thread. tagging along.

 

[NeveSSL]

FWIW, this thread is over a year old and probably won't be updated.

Brandon

 

[cee]

That's too much daylight at 95% keep that down to 7hrs max.


____________________________
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I run 10 hours 100% and have great color.

Run any carbon? I have had my sps colour up big time when I stopped running it.

I also run carbon; always have. Lower the alkalinity, run a bit of phosphate from feedings / lots of fish, and skim like hell.

 

[poolkeeper1]

I run 10 hours 100% and have great color.



I also run carbon; always have. Lower the alkalinity, run a bit of phosphate from feedings / lots of fish, and skim like hell.

Hello Dave, With LED's at 100% for 10 hrs not knowing what kind of Par that you are putting out could be a recipe for disaster IMO Since running several different fixtures including the So Called best out there and DIY in my experiance 60 % max for 4-6 hrs plus ramp up and down for a total of 10 hrs is what i have found the best with no loss of coral due to frying them. Do agree on the carbon though and have alway's ran it full time too.
Just thought i would offer my 2 cents.
Hope all is well with you and your better half.
Bill

 

[cee]

They are 3 W bulbs running at about 2 W so it is really closer to 65-70% compared to some fixtures. I've been running this way for almost 6 months with no problems but a slight lightening.

Hello Dave, With LED's at 100% for 10 hrs not knowing what kind of Par that you are putting out could be a recipe for disaster IMO Since running several different fixtures including the So Called best out there and DIY in my experiance 60 % max for 4-6 hrs plus ramp up and down for a total of 10 hrs is what i have found the best with no loss of coral due to frying them. Do agree on the carbon though and have alway's ran it full time too.
Just thought i would offer my 2 cents.
Hope all is well with you and your better half.
Bill