How to color up brown SPS corals? I will pay big money for the secret!

[Bouncingsoul39]

Proper water chemistry, good lighting, adequate coral feedings, amino acids and vitamin supplements.

Photoshop helps too

Additional dosing of Aminos and Trace elements is not a requirement of good coloration in SPS. This is in fact a myth that hobbyists keep perpetuating. There are many long time reef keepers over the years who have successfully grown fully colored up SPS coral colonies by adding nothing other than fish food and 2 part + mag to their tanks and maintained stable water parameters with water changes.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2014/2/myths

 

[MJC]

One key is to buy coral with color already and try to keep it colorful.
Don't by brown coral and try to color it up.

 

[Mattrg02]

A doser probably helps big time once your corals begin to grow. I just ordered one now that I'm seeing a 0.5dkh drop every few days as well as my nutrients going to zero throughout the week.

The three big ones seem to be stability, flow, and lighting. Got to get those solid.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Additional dosing of Aminos and Trace elements is not a requirement of good coloration in SPS. This is in fact a myth that hobbyists keep perpetuating. There are many long time reef keepers over the years who have successfully grown fully colored up SPS coral colonies by adding nothing other than fish food and 2 part + mag to their tanks and maintained stable water parameters with water changes.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2014/2/myths

The article you referenced grouped amino acids with trace elements. It also stated that while they have been shown to benefit corals, the dosing of these additive isn't totally necessary. The author then goes on to state that these benefits that dosing supposedly creates were replicated for the benefit of the corals in their aquarium with "10% weekly water changes, and calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate to maintain calcium and alkalinity levels" in addition to "regular feeding with Artemia nauplii to provide the corals with proteins and other organic compounds".

While I agree that they aren't totally necessary, the fact of the matter is that they can help in densely populated systems where the density of coral relative to water volume is high. Sometimes water changes and feedings can't be conducted often enough at a high enough volume in order to replace what corals use up, and that's where these additives and supplements step in.

I akin it to professional bodybuilders; they don't need protein, BCAA's, and pre/interim/post workout supplements to get bigger and stronger, but they sure do help people build muscle quicker and more efficiently.

I know personally, my corals, not just SPS, all started to look better when I started using amino acids supplements several months ago. I used to think the supplements were some sort of snake oil and a waste, but used at the proper amount they don't do anything to water quality and have made corals like my Blastomussa and Season's Greetings Montipora color up amazingly and display really good polyp extension. That's all the proof I need to know something is beneficial, however, I'm not saying that every tank needs it since each aquarium is different and it's up to the owner of that aquarium to figure out what it needs.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

1) Stable water parameter (no sudden spike on elements, temperature and salinity)
2) Enough nutrients in the water (very subjective, you have to work out what is best for your tank)
3) Adequate flow (dancing polyp is good indicator they received enough flow)
4) Adequate light intensity (you need a light meter for proper evaluation)
5) Correct light spectrum (i like warmer spectrum towards the end of my light schedule, it produces more color pigmentation according to my eyes)
6) Additional coral foods (some might say not necessary, but for me different food does make a difference)
7) Spend some extra time looking at your corals (some changes happen overnight, some take months. Seeing is believing!)

 

[ycnibrc]

stable cal alk and mag only make the coral healthy and grow. For better color u have to play with amino or coral food.

 

[reefpeach]

I had an acro that was browned for months. It was fully encrusted though with signs of small growth. I moved it half a ft towards the middle of the tank and now It's fully coloured up in 2 days lol

Such a small difference in positioning but it's made massive difference

 

[BaliReefBox]

I had an acro that was browned for months. It was fully encrusted though with signs of small growth. I moved it half a ft towards the middle of the tank and now It's fully coloured up in 2 days lol

Such a small difference in positioning but it's made massive difference

congrats 5+ years thread from the dead....we have a new champ

 

[A. grandis]

First of all, the coral must be predisposed to 'color up.' The rest is due to lighting and water motion. We didn't have all these 'magic potions' back in the 90's and had to manipulate light, water chemistry, and water motion in order to induce coloration...

I came too late. LOL! That's it!

 

[alonsooro]

A lot of good advice has been given to you.
1. Stability. You need to have key value parameters in check. From chemistry, to good water flow to, good lighting. Also think in other non common things like feeding
2. Genes. Get corals from someone that you can see mother colonies, so you have an idea how can your coral looks in the future
3. Compatibility. Sometimes your corals don't color up because they are not happy. And this can be as simply as coral placement or as difficult as flow or neighbors.
4. Patience. Sometimes everything is fine and still don't color up. I suggest to don't throw every thing you read about and simple stick to Stability, be patient.
Good luck

 

[Yanir34]

I've been growing SPS for the last 10 years.
The lessons that I have learned, is that this type of corals are not forgiven (not like most types of LPS , softies).
I learned it in the hard way - big damage to my wallet and crappie felling when the STN have started.

Since then, I have come to a number of conclusions that I apply, without any shortcuts:

1. Lightning : I think that the gold standards is MH/T5 .
These types of lighting have earned their reputation for integrity.
For many years, thousands of hobbyists have grown beautiful corals with them, simply because they work and with an excellent spectrum for corals.

I personally work today with a metal halide lighting fixture together with 4 LED strips. At the same time, these days it is very difficult to obtain quality reflectors for metal halide lamps, and before you choose this lighting you have to take that into account.

2. Strong flow - super important factor for growing healthy colonies of SPS.

3. balanced chemistry - one of the basic foundation in SPS growing. right levels of ALK CAL, MAG trace elements are super important.

this Millipore coral is 2 months old, started as 50% of that size (this picture was footage today).
As long that you will keep it simple , good care and a lot of love- you will succeed.
there is no magic potion or other crappie snake oil that will give the SPS strong color.
Have a great reefing !