Pale Colors

[Nate5154]

Hello, I have a green hammer coral and a duncan coral in my tank right now.The polyps on both seem to be extended pretty good (maybe just a little less than good on the torch) but still pretty good. When i look at my tank from above I see cool green colors on my hammer but from the side it looks a little bit washed out. I can still tell that it’s green but it’s just not popping and if i look closely the arms almost look a tiny bit on the clear side. Does anyone know what may be causing this and what I can do to check?

 

[BonnieB]

Can you post white light pics for us so we can see what you’re talking about?

 

[Rixar]

You should give a little more information; no one can help you like that. What are your parameters? Your nutrient levels? Do you measure them regularly? Are they stable? How old are your tank? I talked a little about everything, for free.

 

[Nate5154]

Can you post white light pics for us so we can see what you’re talking about?

Here’s the Whitest I can get with my orphek bars.

 

[Nate5154]

You should give a little more information; no one can help you like that. What are your parameters? Your nutrient levels? Do you measure them regularly? Are they stable? How old are your tank? I talked a little about everything, for free.

Alkalinity - 7.3 Dkh
Magnesium - 1300
Calcium - 450
pH - 8.2
For nitrates and phosphates I only have an API test kit so i’m not even sure how accurate that is but it reads close to 0 nitrates and .1 phosphates. I measure those parameters regularly and they are all consistent, tank is around a year old

 

[BonnieB]

Thanks for the pics but I can’t tell what you are referring to in pale color. I will say that a top down view as opposed to a side view will have different visual coloration because the lighting aspects are different. Are your lights all blue all the time? LPS corals need moderate lighting spectrum and moderate flow to thrive and grow.

Next, your alkalinity is too low so you need to raise that closer to 9 dKH. Do so slowly by one dKH at a time. Your magnesium is also a little low for LPS corals. I would raise that to 1400-1440. Finally you don’t have enough nutrients in your tank with practically nonexistent nitrate and phosphates. You need to try and add them because right now the corals are being starved.

 

[Rixar]

Alcalinidad - 7,3 Dkh
Magnesio - 1300
Calcio - 450
pH - 8,2
Para nitratos y fosfatos, solo tengo un kit de prueba API, así que ni siquiera estoy seguro de su precisión, pero la lectura es cercana a 0 nitratos y 0,1 fosfatos. Mido estos parámetros regularmente y todos son consistentes; el tanque tiene alrededor de un año.

Phosphate and nitrate are the most important parameters you should monitor, just as important as alkalinity. They are responsible for feeding your coral, algae, cyanobacteria, and dinoflagellates. Get quality test kits and adjust these values.

 

[Rixar]

When corals cannot feed properly, they become pale.

 

[Nate5154]

Alcalinidad - 7,3 Dkh
Magnesio - 1300
Calcio - 450
pH - 8,2
Para nitratos y fosfatos, solo tengo un kit de prueba API, así que ni siquiera estoy seguro de su precisión, pero la lectura es cercana a 0 nitratos y 0,1 fosfatos. Mido estos parámetros regularmente y todos son consistentes; el tanque tiene alrededor de un año.

Phosphate and nitrate are the most important parameters you should monitor, just as important as alkalinity. They are responsible for feeding your coral, algae, cyanobacteria, and dinoflagellates. Get quality test kits and adjust these values.

Sounds good, thanks for the help

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Alkalinity - 7.3 Dkh
Magnesium - 1300
Calcium - 450
pH - 8.2
For nitrates and phosphates I only have an API test kit so i’m not even sure how accurate that is but it reads close to 0 nitrates and .1 phosphates. I measure those parameters regularly and they are all consistent, tank is around a year old

If your nitrates truly are zero, I would raise those. You can feed more or go the dosing route (like NeoNitrate). I would get some good test kits though (Salifert or Hanna's)

 

[Nate5154]

Alkalinity - 7.3 Dkh
Magnesium - 1300
Calcium - 450
pH - 8.2
For nitrates and phosphates I only have an API test kit so i’m not even sure how accurate that is but it reads close to 0 nitrates and .1 phosphates. I measure those parameters regularly and they are all consistent, tank is around a year old

If your nitrates truly are zero, I would raise those. You can feed more or go the dosing route (like NeoNitrate). I would get some good test kits though (Salifert or Hanna's)

Okay sounds good I’ll get a better test kit for this

 

[Nate5154]

Thanks for the pics but I can’t tell what you are referring to in pale color. I will say that a top down view as opposed to a side view will have different visual coloration because the lighting aspects are different. Are your lights all blue all the time? LPS corals need moderate lighting spectrum and moderate flow to thrive and grow.

Next, your alkalinity is too low so you need to raise that closer to 9 dKH. Do so slowly by one dKH at a time. Your magnesium is also a little low for LPS corals. I would raise that to 1400-1440. Finally you don’t have enough nutrients in your tank with practically nonexistent nitrate and phosphates. You need to try and add them because right now the corals are being starved.

I have 2 reef day plus from orphek which is more of a whiter spectrum I believe and 1 blue plus which is blue.

 

[Nate5154]

Thanks for the pics but I can’t tell what you are referring to in pale color. I will say that a top down view as opposed to a side view will have different visual coloration because the lighting aspects are different. Are your lights all blue all the time? LPS corals need moderate lighting spectrum and moderate flow to thrive and grow.

Next, your alkalinity is too low so you need to raise that closer to 9 dKH. Do so slowly by one dKH at a time. Your magnesium is also a little low for LPS corals. I would raise that to 1400-1440. Finally you don’t have enough nutrients in your tank with practically nonexistent nitrate and phosphates. You need to try and add them because right now the corals are being starved.

I have 2 reef day plus from orphek which is more of a whiter spectrum I believe and 1 blue plus which is blue.

Here’s the spectrum pictures from the website, I have two of the first picture and one of the second.

 

[BonnieB]

Thanks for the pics but I can’t tell what you are referring to in pale color. I will say that a top down view as opposed to a side view will have different visual coloration because the lighting aspects are different. Are your lights all blue all the time? LPS corals need moderate lighting spectrum and moderate flow to thrive and grow.

Next, your alkalinity is too low so you need to raise that closer to 9 dKH. Do so slowly by one dKH at a time. Your magnesium is also a little low for LPS corals. I would raise that to 1400-1440. Finally you don’t have enough nutrients in your tank with practically nonexistent nitrate and phosphates. You need to try and add them because right now the corals are being starved.

I have 2 reef day plus from orphek which is more of a whiter spectrum I believe and 1 blue plus which is blue.

Here’s the spectrum pictures from the website, I have two of the first picture and one of the second.

See if you can program a ramp up and ramp down. There may be a preset program within the app. This will give all your corals a more natural morning to lights out day. I, personally, do not do moonlight and go complete darkness from 10 pm to 10 am. Then my light cycle begins.

 

[Nate5154]

Thanks for the pics but I can’t tell what you are referring to in pale color. I will say that a top down view as opposed to a side view will have different visual coloration because the lighting aspects are different. Are your lights all blue all the time? LPS corals need moderate lighting spectrum and moderate flow to thrive and grow.

Next, your alkalinity is too low so you need to raise that closer to 9 dKH. Do so slowly by one dKH at a time. Your magnesium is also a little low for LPS corals. I would raise that to 1400-1440. Finally you don’t have enough nutrients in your tank with practically nonexistent nitrate and phosphates. You need to try and add them because right now the corals are being starved.

I have 2 reef day plus from orphek which is more of a whiter spectrum I believe and 1 blue plus which is blue.

Here’s the spectrum pictures from the website, I have two of the first picture and one of the second.

See if you can program a ramp up and ramp down. There may be a preset program within the app. This will give all your corals a more natural morning to lights out day. I, personally, do not do moonlight and go complete darkness from 10 pm to 10 am. Then my light cycle begins.

I currently have a 12 hour period with 4 hour ramp up and 4 hour ramp down with clouds on the whole time

 

[Nate5154]

Thanks for the pics but I can’t tell what you are referring to in pale color. I will say that a top down view as opposed to a side view will have different visual coloration because the lighting aspects are different. Are your lights all blue all the time? LPS corals need moderate lighting spectrum and moderate flow to thrive and grow.

Next, your alkalinity is too low so you need to raise that closer to 9 dKH. Do so slowly by one dKH at a time. Your magnesium is also a little low for LPS corals. I would raise that to 1400-1440. Finally you don’t have enough nutrients in your tank with practically nonexistent nitrate and phosphates. You need to try and add them because right now the corals are being starved.

I have 2 reef day plus from orphek which is more of a whiter spectrum I believe and 1 blue plus which is blue.

Here’s the spectrum pictures from the website, I have two of the first picture and one of the second.

See if you can program a ramp up and ramp down. There may be a preset program within the app. This will give all your corals a more natural morning to lights out day. I, personally, do not do moonlight and go complete darkness from 10 pm to 10 am. Then my light cycle begins.

Just an update but I did a decent size water change today and my corals already look a lot better, and are fully extended. I’m guessing this is probably a nitrate/phosphate issue?

 

[BonnieB]

Yes, they’re nonexistent in your tank do corals aren’t getting needed nutrients and if I remember you need to bump up your alkalinity and magnesium a bit as well. Water changes and visual improvements are an awesome sign you’re in the right direction! Good job!