Flow to increase coloration?

[Dana Riddle]

@Dana Riddle how do you feel about the test tanks brs did showing flow did not have corals grow faster or slower? Their tanks showed the amount of flow didn’t matter. I know you say their is a “barrier” around the coral the needs flow to push it away.

First of all I appreciate the effort BRS puts into producing their videos - I think they do good work. I'd have to have more information about their testing but a couple of things caused some concern. In the shot where a coral is being weighed on the scale, there was a fair amount of water on the balance. The frags and plugs should be blotted dry before weighing. I found that testing could not proceed more than about two months due to uneven calcareous algae growths on the ceramic plugs. Orientation to flow is critical and it is not clear to me that the corals were placed back into the same place after weighing (I used a Sharpie to make alignment lines on the plugs and supporting egg crate.) I would feel better if flow velocities were reported. I used a $5,000 electronic flow meter. I would expect that each coral needs to acclimate to a new flow regimen, something I expect would take a few weeks. Their results might be valid, but I would like to get more details.

 

[bubbaque]

First of all I appreciate the effort BRS puts into producing their videos - I think they do good work. I'd have to have more information about their testing but a couple of things caused some concern. In the shot where a coral is being weighed on the scale, there was a fair amount of water on the balance. The frags and plugs should be blotted dry before weighing. I found that testing could not proceed more than about two months due to uneven calcareous algae growths on the ceramic plugs. Orientation to flow is critical and it is not clear to me that the corals were placed back into the same place after weighing (I used a Sharpie to make alignment lines on the plugs and supporting egg crate.) I would feel better if flow velocities were reported. I used a $5,000 electronic flow meter. I would expect that each coral needs to acclimate to a new flow regimen, something I expect would take a few weeks. Their results might be valid, but I would like to get more details.

Thank you for your response. I’m gonna tag @Ryanbrs and @Bulk Reef Supply to see your response as I believe they are extending or redoing the test.

 

[Da8]

The problem about testing with animals (an corals are very complex in this terms, is the difficulties to match the settings)

Just if one colony is hybernating or unable to fully react to the test, it can lead to misinterpretation of the results.


IMO more usable quality flow helps the coral to clean itself, and also to feed more efficiently. That can help deal eliminate zoanthela.
Guess can regulate better inner ph levels
But got nothing to prove it.


This gets more importance when having big colonies. Usually they die off the inner branches where flow is almost stoped.

 

[Cully]

The only thing that jumps out to me is that, for the most part, the higher flow tanks did slightly edge out the lower flow counter parts. However, coral growth is exponential. Over time, a year, two years, does the gap widen? It’s compelling but they themselves admit it leaves out “reef tank” related factors like aquascape. They didn’t discuss fish load, feeding schedules, maintenance regimens etc. I’d have a tough time believing increase flow doesn’t assist with nutrient delivery and export in a real reef scenario.

Thankfully I don't Have to make a living at this so it’s all just fun to me. You cannot convince me that flow pattern does not affect coral growth patterns as well. So type and amount of flow to particular areas of the tank does aesthetically matter as well IMHO.

As an isolated variable it seems the consensus agrees, flow does not directly affect coloration, at a minimum, anecdotally. As a component of a healthy reef, particularly nutrient delivery and export, looks like many agree it does.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Thank you for your response. I’m gonna tag @Ryanbrs and @Bulk Reef Supply to see your response as I believe they are extending or redoing the test.

Looking forward to their reply! Again, I'm not trying to invalidate their results.

 

[Salthead007]

Been at this a long time. Great success with Halides. Limited with LED. Finally getting really good growth but coloration is lackluster. Ran an ICP test through Triton and everything was dead nuts except phosphates were non-existent. Taking counter measures to increase this.

Turning down refugium (H380) photoperiod. Increased and diversified feeding. Not dosing PO4 yet but may. Seems to be working.
My flow on a standard 120 is via return Vectra M1 and 2 MP40s on the back wall on reef crest to create gyre. Just added a 3rd on side wall.

as a stand alone variable, have you guys seen coloration improve by adding flow?? Thanks!

lighting is 2 radions, 1kessil ap700, 2 ati blue+ and 1 actinic, 1coral+.
Thanks!

It has been my experience that corals turning pastel in color is a result of a lack of Nitrates, and or Phosphate. I have seen this with various flow rates. It comes on quick, and takes a while to correct, even if the problem is solved quickly. As for the growth patterns, is the surface where the corals are reaching less turbid? Could there be more light penetrating into the water there?

Your tank looks awesome. Bump up those numbers, and give it a few weeks. Those colors will sharpen up...

 

[Big E]

Yes, there is science that shows that spectrums from about 350nm to 850nm provide more color. Some in the form of emission, usage and expulsion at a lower energy... some in the form of straight reflection and some in the form of "sunscreen" pigments that divert waves that the coral has no intention of using.

All of the "studies" that you see about blue only being important are both complete bunk and only partially true about photosynthesis, not coloration. Remember that light colors and nourishes. Why would these organisms spend valuable time in nature evolving to use every spectrum available only to have humans try and outsmart them and only run blue spectrum - nearly everything that we have in our tanks are collected on one-breath at depths of less than 3 meters, or so... they get full 6500k spectrum in nature.

In general, full spectrum daylight will render the best colors and then you can "blue it up" to illuminate any way that you wish. Growing corals just under blues will not usually yield the same color as corals grown under daylight. The best LED lit SPS tanks that I have seen run their panels at 100% on all channels for most of the day and then "blue it up" and night when they are home to view. Even better than this are MH or T5 tanks that have XHOs (or the like) that they can turn on at night.

This is a good explanation and hits the nail right on the head..............bluing up more makes the corals look better to our EYES and that's it. A complete spectrum didtribution will excite all the color pigments in each acro species( or any coral's) . These are recorded and known facts before LEDs even existed.

For those that have been around for a while this is old hat.........most went through how 20k halides became popular and before that VHO actinic bulbs provided the extra blue for that pop.

The only reason heavy blue tanks became popular is because it was the only way to set up some LEDs without trashing the corals. Even today most of these profiles look overcast in blue...........much higher than MH 20k setups...........These overly blue profiles give a dark cave light look and nowhere near the overall ambient brightness as MH or T5.
This is why T5 supplements have become so popular they fill the spectrum and brightness void.

Still as Doug mentioned..........you want peak colors use traditional lighting as the heavy lifting and LEDs to supplement. If you've never seen acro tanks in person with bright lighting and blue supplementing than you have nothing to go by to compare.

 

[Big E]

On flow........it does increase growth when a coral was previously not getting enough and in that respect produces better color. Good growth= good color, this is especially seen if the coral has colored tips and coralites. Even a coral's main body will be brighter if it's growing well.

I've always looked at it as a three legged table.......you need complete spectrum, intensity and good flow. If one is off or not enough you have a crooked table

 

[Da8]

Couldn't be better explained @Big E

 

[sghera64]

Trace elements and stability have been keys to color for me

 

[LStorm]

Cully, what alkalinity do you run your tank at? IMO, higher alkalinity, say greater that 8.5-9, in the low nutrient environment you have could negatively affect coloration. Tissue growth slow relative to calcification promoted by higher alk.