How to improve SPS color?

[lcj2046]

I run my tank at 1.028 for years. To each their own.

ok Thats works for you. Go on reefs hack and read this The Ultimate Guide How To Successfully Grow Beautiful SPS Corals. low phos and nitrate causes color lose and sometimes bleaching due sps starving . My tank parameters Alk 7.7-8.0 cal 420 mg 1350 - 1400 salinity at 35 ppt. phos 0.2-05 nitrate 0.2-05. All corals doing great great corals. Been reefing for 22 years. was just trying to help.

 

[Sod Buster]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/high-salinity-am-i-a-one-man-gang-or-anyone-else-in.399025/

A pretty good source for sps knowledge also.

 

[Big E]

This is an old article that I still view for some guidance. Being 10 years old, can some of you pros add anything to it for an updated article?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1dcsvfDGXykSYeJNj_sPuI

That article was garbage ten years ago, so not much to update

Acropora colors from my experience--

Nutrient levels---whether you want the pastel (zeo) type look or a more deeper color look with higher zoo densities they need to be in a range that is suitable.

Lighting-- you have to have the correct spectrum covered to excite pigments and chromo protiens. If you don't, there are some colors you'll never get like you want.

The other part is the correct intensity (par). Coverage is a large part of this as well.

Good Flow-- You need good flow for oxygenation and growth.

Good growth=good colors.

 

[Dkeller_nc]

Excuse me , But your salinity is to high it should be at 1.023 refractometer should read as 35 ppt

That's incorrect, at least if you're trying to match seawater in the ocean, which has a specific gravity of 1.026 - 1.028.

 

[SDK]

That's incorrect, at least if you're trying to match seawater in the ocean, which has a specific gravity of 1.026 - 1.028.

35ppt is 1.0264, so you are both advocating the same SG. Thinking the 1.023 was possibly cj2046 not having coffee before posting ;)

 

[djbetterly]

A lot of good advice in here. Over the past 5-6 years of reefing I was never successful at keeping SPS, mostly due to instability issues. About 4-5 months ago I started doing auto water changes and feeding more. I cannot even explain how much that has helped the corals out..I’m continuously amazed at how stable my tank is now.

The only issue I have now is a lot of fuzzy’s on my rocks, not really sure what’s causing that, but I’m hoping it goes away eventually.

You have to stay patient and do not make sudden changes. Monitor your numbers and be diligent about your routines.

 

[Skindog]

Gday, you don’t mention PO4 which you want around 0.04, and you want your nitrate at around 5-25, not zero, also sg should be at 1.025-1.026

 

[Reefs anonymous]

double post

 

[Reefs anonymous]

If your parameters are truly in line, buy yourself a potassium test kit, I’d bet it’s low. Shoot for 400 (don’t remember the units). Bring it up and keep it steady there, feed chili powder or amino acid and report back in about a month :).

 

[Cassian]

Gday, you don’t mention PO4 which you want around 0.04, and you want your nitrate at around 5-25, not zero, also sg should be at 1.025-1.026

I do not have a PO4 test kit yet, probably need to get one. thanks for mentioning this.

 

[Cassian]

If your parameters are truly in line, buy yourself a potassium test kit, I’d bet it’s low. Shoot for 400 (don’t remember the units). Bring it up and keep it steady there, feed chili powder or amino acid and report back in about a month :).

I will order one and see what it is. thanks!

 

[Cassian]

So, just a little update, I have brought up my salinity slightly, changed my lights to 11 hour photoperiod (goal is 9 hour), feeding fish 1x per day, changed my top off water to RODI, and doing reef chili 2x per week. I am getting good PE from my SPS and my LPS are loving what im doing. they were huge today. Still no color change, but I wouldn't expect it this early anyway. im going to add 4 more fish as soon as they are done with qt and im going to order the two test kits recommended above, rent a PAR meter, and continue lowering my KH. going to check KH again tomorrow and I will report back what it is. thank you all for your help! (I was also surprised to see my thread in the featured section, so thank you very much for that too!)

 

[Reefs anonymous]

You flow is way too low at 150 GPH. I’d say you need to move 50 times your display volume.

 

[Cassian]

You flow is way too low at 150 GPH. I’d say you need to move 50 times your display volume.

I dont know my pumps GPH exactly, ill have to check it. I do have a lot of flow in my tank though because all my LPS and softies move like crazy

 

[Reefs anonymous]

I dont know my pumps GPH exactly, ill have to check it. I do have a lot of flow in my tank though because all my LPS and softies move like crazy

Read specifically the flow requirement on page 5 of 10.

Cheers

https://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/World_Wide_Corals_CoralLab.pdf

 

[Cassian]

Read specifically the flow requirement on page 5 of 10.

Cheers

https://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/World_Wide_Corals_CoralLab.pdf

ah thanks! ill check my pumps GPH and see my turnover rate

 

[Reefs anonymous]

ah thanks! ill check my pumps GPH and see my turnover rate

It’s water movement NOT sump return. Usually you filter 5 times display volume and water movement at 50 times display. These are suggestions for sps reefs, not a rule. Sps in General needs lots of wave/water movement, lps and softies don’t need as much.

 

[Cassian]

It’s water movement NOT sump return. Usually you filter 5 times display volume and water movement at 50 times display. These are suggestions for sps reefs, not a rule. Sps in General needs lots of wave/water movement, lps and softies don’t need as much.

ooohhhhh now I understand what you are saying. sorry about that. so I guess there is no way to measure water movement unless I have a powerhead?

 

[Reefs anonymous]

Basically if you have a 100 g tank, you would want a sump pump of at least 500gph at 3 to 4 foot head pressure. Then put power heads to complete water movement at around 5000 gph minimum. I would select a propeller type piwerhead so you get a wide flow. Try and get something that will give you a random flow. If you can’t afford that then get at least one random flow and aim it at the other power heads which will “crash” the flow from the constant power head causing turbulence in the tank.

 

[Cassian]

Basically if you have a 100 g tank, you would want a sump pump of at least 500gph at 3 to 4 foot head pressure. Then put power heads to complete water movement at around 5000 gph minimum. I would select a propeller type piwerhead so you get a wide flow. Try and get something that will give you a random flow. If you can’t afford that then get at least one random flow and aim it at the other power heads which will “crash” the flow from the constant power head causing turbulence in the tank.

I will consider it. thank you