Coloring my SPS

[FishTacos2]

My goal is to have a colored SPS tank.

I have spent a lot of effort dialing in my chemistry and started RMS about 4 months ago and am sending monthly ICP-ms. I’m dosing AFR, ammonium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, and all of RMS elements as per the calculator.

Parameters are stable
ALK 8.4
Ca 400
Mg 1300
Ph 8-8.3
Phos 0.6-0.9
Nitrate 4.3

I have 3 XR 15 blues running AB+ at 100%

This gives me about 320 par at the top of the tank.

Corals are growing and I have good PE. Despite my efforts my colors are muted.

Do I need more light? Another radion to push my PAR above 400???

Any other ideas?






Red dragon and ORA red planet.

 

[FishTacos2]

 

[billyocean]

Are there 3 radion xr15s over a 40 gallon tank? 240 gallon tank? Is it uniform across the tank at 320 and how fast does it die down? What is the lighting schedule? If everything looks happy then perhaps just let them settle in for a while longer to see if they color up due to the rms changes youve made. Have you noticed any improvement over the last 4 months?

 

[bubbgee]

Colors are anecdotally trace dependent. ICP testing is likely necessary (this is my approach currently).
I am using this guide for ideas.

Guide of SPS coral coloration (make them more vivid, bright) | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

This guide endeavors to assist you with the ever popular SPS coral. This was written by member Shadowramy and it explains specific ideas and strategies in which you can do to affect the color of your…

reefbuilders.com

 

[Troylee]

I’ve been doing this 20 years and came to the conclusion it’s either growth or color?!? Which one do you want lol..being in all these grow out contest and trying to fill a 300 gallon tank without breaking the bank put me in accelerated growth mode… corals look good they got color but pale here or there and could look better but grow like weeds.. this is due to elevated ph, alk, and intense lighting at full spectrum.. you want color? Turn the lights down and run a very blue spectrum and the colors come out like crazy. I’ve proven this over and over the lasts several months by cutting frags off my colonies and putting them in blue light in the sump! Not much growth but the colors are insane! Move that piece back up to my display it looks great for a week then starts to pale out and back into growth mode… just my experience! Take it for what it’s worth.

 

[Matt L]

Elevated nitrate and lots of flow help mine. I also made this if you have time.

▶️ How To Color Up Your Coral!

Here’s this week’s video on how to color up your coral! Feel free to share your tips as well! Happy Reefing!

www.reef2reef.com

 

[UMALUM]

Phosphate that high can't be doing you any favors. If coming back to earth with that isn't an option I'd raise my alk. and nitrate.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I use GFO mixed with carbon to keep my phosphates around .1 - .6 is way past my comfort zone.

320 par at the top of the tank is a little low for acros. What’s the par where the acros sit?

 

[FishTacos2]

Phosphate that high can't be doing you any favors. If coming back to earth with that isn't an option I'd raise my alk. and nitrate.

Typo
Phos 0.06-0.09

 

[UMALUM]

Typo
Phos 0.06-0.09

Well in that case, when you find out what the secret is

 

[FishTacos2]

Elevated nitrate and lots of flow help mine. I also made this if you have time.

▶️ How To Color Up Your Coral!

Here’s this week’s video on how to color up your coral! Feel free to share your tips as well! Happy Reefing!

www.reef2reef.com

Nice video. You reference full spectrum light.

Do you know if AB+ on radion blue is considered full spectrum?

 

[rhitee93]

Not what the OP was looking for, but I'm in one of those moods...

Edit to add an even better masterpiece:

 

[Troylee]

Nice video. You reference full spectrum light.

Do you know if AB+ on radion blue is considered full spectrum?

They claim it is.. a g5 blue is totally different than the g6 both set at ab+ so take it for what it’s worth. Ab was a popular t5 setup aqua blue if I’m not mistaken and radion was the first to mimic it with LEDs.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Not what the OP was looking for, but I'm in one of those moods...

Edit to add an even better masterpiece:

I mean technically he is coloring sps coral. So it is somewhat applicable to the post, haha

 

[Reef Puncher]

I use GFO mixed with carbon to keep my phosphates around .1 - .6 is way past my comfort zone.

320 par at the top of the tank is a little low for acros. What’s the par where the acros sit?

heyyyyy i mix a few tablespoons of carbon in with my GFO too, i thought i invented this lol. i didnt know other people did this too. I figured the GFO would strip phosphates, and the carbon would filter out any organics that would break down to phosphates, and to suck up any toxins from coral mucous.

 

[Fish Fan]

heyyyyy i mix a few tablespoons of carbon in with my GFO too, i thought i invented this lol. i didnt know other people did this too. I figured the GFO would strip phosphates, and the carbon would filter out any organics that would break down to phosphates, and to suck up any toxins from coral mucous.

Yeah, I think Chemi-Pure beat you both to it

The only down side to doing this is that the media will deplete at different times, so it's an inefficient use of one of the two, though quite a convenient setup.

 

[X-37B]

My goal is to have a colored SPS tank.

I have spent a lot of effort dialing in my chemistry and started RMS about 4 months ago and am sending monthly ICP-ms. I’m dosing AFR, ammonium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, and all of RMS elements as per the calculator.

Parameters are stable
ALK 8.4
Ca 400
Mg 1300
Ph 8-8.3
Phos 0.6-0.9
Nitrate 4.3

I have 3 XR 15 blues running AB+ at 100%

This gives me about 320 par at the top of the tank.

Corals are growing and I have good PE. Despite my efforts my colors are muted.

Do I need more light? Another radion to push my PAR above 400???

Any other ideas?






Red dragon and ORA red planet.

I run 3 xr15 gen 5 blue over my 30×24×16. AB+ @ 100%.
I run my 15" nano cube the same.
I pull good color, imo.
Let me know what you think?