Looking for deeper colors.

[Sharkattackmack]

Hey everyone, my tank has been set up for over a year now. I've been having trouble getting deeper colors. A few months ago I had a large swing and everything browned out/lost all PE but it has all come back around. I'm still missing out of some deeper colors in some corals. I haven't done an icp but my nitrates are 11.5, phos is undetectable and alk is 8.3. I'm thinking it could be an phosphate issue being too low. I just started to dose phosphate but I'm wondering if there is something else I should check.

I do weekly water changes with reef crystals and dose all for reef/acro power off a doser.

 

[FrugalReeferJon]

Tank looks great to me.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

Tank looks great to me.

Thank you! Just hoping to get that little extra. I'm going to pick up an icp tomorrow and maybe I'm missing some trace.

 

[DenverSaltyFarm]

the growth is looking great! I think everything could still be recovering from the browning out. takes a long time to get good colors back after that happens. A couple of things that will help color is getting your phosphate up, check your trace elements (iodine is a important one to keep in check). I personally had a bad experience using aminos and even dosing red sea AB+. All that did was dull everything out in my tank.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

the growth is looking great! I think everything could still be recovering from the browning out. takes a long time to get good colors back after that happens. A couple of things that will help color is getting your phosphate up, check your trace elements (iodine is a important one to keep in check). I personally had a bad experience using aminos and even dosing red sea AB+. All that did was dull everything out in my tank.

I started dosing some a few weeks back. It's still undetectable on my Hanna tester but I've been taking it really slowly to not upset anything. I'm picking up an icp test tomorrow so hopefully I'll get a good look at what's going on in the tank.

 

[Science/G]

I agree, get phosphates up and if you can, make some slight adjustments to your spectrum to get the pop you're looking for. Check out this video for some insight.

 

[REEFRIED!]

Tank looks great. When we all happen to achieve those all too short moments of success with an SPS tank, there are always a few pieces that we all want to look better. It’s a fine line. Next thing you know 5 pieces STN and we are wishing we were back to a few weeks prior. It’s a tough circle!!

 

[Lavey29]

You can try small adjustments to your lights but go slowly. ICP tests twice a year are essential to checking everything in the tank.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

Thanks for the replys everyone. I sent off a FM ICP test this morning. For lighting I'm running a modified ab+ plus schedule with the whites up fairly high for the beginning part of the day and less in the afternoon. I don't believe lighting is my issue as most would call duel xr30 pros on a tank this size overkill but they only run at 50% and I didn't want shading on my acros. The tank also gets up to an hour of natural sunlight every morning when the clouds aren't out.

I slightly up'd my phosphate dosing and hopefully will get some icp results back soon.

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks for the replys everyone. I sent off a FM ICP test this morning. For lighting I'm running a modified ab+ plus schedule with the whites up fairly high for the beginning part of the day and less in the afternoon. I don't believe lighting is my issue as most would call duel xr30 pros on a tank this size overkill but they only run at 50% and I didn't want shading on my acros. The tank also gets up to an hour of natural sunlight every morning when the clouds aren't out.

I slightly up'd my phosphate dosing and hopefully will get some icp results back soon.

What are your par numbers? That sure is a lot of unnecessary white light but if your tank likes it then keep with what works. I found adding a little Zinc once a week to.my tank helped with some colors but I also dose red sea ABCD once a week too.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

What are your par numbers? That sure is a lot of unnecessary white light but if your tank likes it then keep with what works. I found adding a little Zinc once a week to.my tank helped with some colors but I also dose red sea ABCD once a week too.

I'm working on renting one. Just seems like it's always out when ever I get the chance to be home and pick it up.

Maybe I'll try turning the whites down but keeping the intensity the same.

 

[BryanM]

I'd definitely play with your light settings and see if removing 1/2 or more of the whites doesn't do what you want.

You might also consider feeding amino acids if you're not already.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Hey everyone, my tank has been set up for over a year now. I've been having trouble getting deeper colors. A few months ago I had a large swing and everything browned out/lost all PE but it has all come back around. I'm still missing out of some deeper colors in some corals. I haven't done an icp but my nitrates are 11.5, phos is undetectable and alk is 8.3. I'm thinking it could be an phosphate issue being too low. I just started to dose phosphate but I'm wondering if there is something else I should check.

I do weekly water changes with reef crystals and dose all for reef/acro power off a doser.

That’s not looking bad at all. I have a suggestion for you to try.

Keeping the PH up at night will make your stony corals grow faster and color up.

I dosed kalkwasser continuously for years. Last year I started dosing the same daily amount during 12 hours overnight. My acros are growing faster than ever. Alkalinity consumption increases much faster now.

I’m dosing over a gallon a night, which is most my evaporation.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

That’s not looking bad at all. I have a suggestion for you to try.

Keeping the PH up at night will make your stony corals grow faster and color up.

I dosed kalkwasser continuously for years. Last year I started dosing the same daily amount during 12 hours overnight. My acros are growing faster than ever. Alkalinity consumption increases much faster now.

I’m dosing over a gallon a night, which is most my evaporation.

id love to be able to keep my pH more regular with either a refugium or a skimmer like on my old tank. I do have kalk in my ato but maybe just making some and dosing it would be better. Probably prolong the life of my ATO also. Could also mean I could dial back the all for reef.

 

[Sharkattackmack]

ICP results are in. I have a few trace elements that I might look into dosing but right off the hop will be getting my phosphate up. Here are some photos I took of the corals tonight.

 

[Science/G]

Iodide, Flouride, Boron and Iron (trace)
potassium (major element) but really go by what your ICP test shows. These elements were low on my last ICP and once brought up.....I saw the difference in color with my SPS . I also added a bit more red spectrum to my evening heavy blues and my corals look better visually. More pop!

 

[Biff0rz]

Your detected Aluminum level (177) seems high.

 

[IPT]

I had some issues with SPS health and some low trace elements and Iodine. I started dosing Tropic Marine A and K and within 2 days saw better color.

Overall though your tank looks great.

 

[IPT]

That’s not looking bad at all. I have a suggestion for you to try.

Keeping the PH up at night will make your stony corals grow faster and color up.

I dosed kalkwasser continuously for years. Last year I started dosing the same daily amount during 12 hours overnight. My acros are growing faster than ever. Alkalinity consumption increases much faster now.

I’m dosing over a gallon a night, which is most my evaporation.

Don't mean to Hijack this thread, but I think the OP is on the right track now after the ICP test.

Regarding your idea, doesn't dosing it all at night reduce your overall PH during the day (presumably when most of the coral growth and activity is happening)?

How did only dosing at night effect your 24hr ALK numbers? I'd imagine the ALK would be more stable with consistent dosing over 24hrs.

 

[Science/G]

Don't mean to Hijack this thread, but I think the OP is on the right track now after the ICP test.

Regarding your idea, doesn't dosing it all at night reduce your overall PH during the day (presumably when most of the coral growth and activity is happening)?

How did only dosing at night effect your 24hr ALK numbers? I'd imagine the ALK would be more stable with consistent dosing over 24hrs.
[/QUOTE
Ph stability throughout the entire day been something I'm focusing on on as of late. The way that I'm going to attack this variable is with a small algae scrubber.