SPS Help !!!

BHAMR6

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I need some help i have about 20 sps pcs and my problem is some of them are darkening up. They have great polyp extension but after a period of time they darken up. Some pcs look great like my orange cap but others like my red planet, miami orched all darken up i have them mid to top level.

My bulbs are old and need replacing should have done that already but money is tight right now.

A good example i bought a light brown with bright blue tip frag under 20k radiums but in my tank the brown darkened and the blue is now gone

I have 20k also
 

Sikryd

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Check your phosphates and nitrates.
99% sure that is the issue. High PO4 will cause this.

Whatever it is, it is related to water quality most likely.

This is especially true if the person you got them from has really low nutrients.
 

GPhiAce

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I agree that it sounds like water quality issue, but it is worth investigating your lighting set up too. I am always suggesting that you get the best setup in the beginning to you won't waste money in the long run. What bulbs and ballast do you have???
 

lhcorals

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Check your phosphates and nitrates.
99% sure that is the issue. High PO4 will cause this.

Whatever it is, it is related to water quality most likely.

This is especially true if the person you got them from has really low nutrients.



+1 on what Sikryd said. You also mentioned your lights are old and this could be affecting the situation also.
 

UC / Apsley

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Do not discount length of your photoperiod and height your lights are off the water surface. If nutrients are in check than it prolly is a lighting issue
 
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BHAMR6

BHAMR6

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My lights are pfo m-58 ballast the bulbs are South Pacific Sunlight. They are 2X 250 watts they are hung 13 inches off the water.

I just checked my nitrates and phos.

Nitrates are high on a api test kit
The phos. looked like 0 but hard to tell

I have always had nitrates ive dosed vodka but never really had any luck getting it to 0

By the way this is a 65g tank any thoughts would be great on my problem or getting my nitrates to 0
 
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BHAMR6

BHAMR6

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Sorry photoperiod is 10hrs metal halide

Nitrates where 10 kit was 0,0.5,10,20,40,80 like that by the colors
 
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BHAMR6

BHAMR6

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Sorry i thought of something else

I do water changes every 2 wks dont have a large fish load but i do feed my fish well could this be my nitrates
 

Sikryd

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Do you have access to a par meter?

No4 @ 10 is fine. Po4 is hard to tell, but if the water tints blue at all, it is too high for my liking. Phos is more of a color killer than anything.

I'm going to guess you might not be getting much par on them - ie. not enough light which can also cause the same issue.
That would definetely be where I would start looking now since you water seems to be fine.
 

ahayes13

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for nitrates, i would suggest doing some more frequent larger water changes to reduce them. personally to improve water quality, i think the more natural methods are best.
the browning out of the sps i think sounds like lighting. if your bulbs are old and all the other parameters sound okay then chances are they just arent getting enough par out of it to maintain their colors. just make sure when you do replace your bulbs you acclimate to the new ones.
 

gnoles

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I'm leaning towards bulbs... if you knew how he keeps his tank clean, you'd say bulbs too!
 
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BHAMR6

BHAMR6

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Thanks Gnoles most people dont know how ocd iam at cleaning

Ahayes13: I do 20 to 25g water changes every two weeks i even clean the pumps and skimmer with every water change. Thats why i have never understood nitrates because i know people that dont even clean but the nitrates are 0. If you add that up thats 40 to 50g a month in a 65g tank i prob. over clean

On a different note the people with 0 nitrates all have a fuge w/th chaeto ( my spelling might be off on that) what i was wondering is could i put some in my sump w/thout a light on it i know the chaeto wouldnt grow but would it still take the nitrates out

My bulbs are over a year and a half old and i have heard bad things about that bulbs par when they are new

This is why i like this web site i have got a conversation out w/thout it being on the 3rd page by now
 

ahayes13

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well i would say if the bulbs are a year and a half then its more than likely the bulbs. obviously since they are quite older then you prob. have quite reduced par. im not sure what you mean by bad things about new bulbs?
yes obviously once you put in the new bulbs you will have to shorten your photo period to acclimate or use sheets of eggcrate. but the browned out corals to me sounds like its due to the bulbs...

i know you said money is tight... maybe you could trade some frags into your lfs to help with the new bulb purchase... ?
 
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BHAMR6

BHAMR6

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Ahayes13, what i meant about bad bulbs was alot of people said that the bulbs that i have in there is not a good par bulb even when they are new so used i bet the are reaL BAD. That is a great idea about trading frags for bulbs exept i really dont have a store within 2 hrs from me but maybe i can trade to a local reefer
 

lhcorals

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Its good that you are changing that much water monthly. But if you were to do the water changes weekly say 12 to 14 gallons that would help reduce nutrient levels. I have a 265 gal Reef and do two 20 gal water changes a week. Not saying i am right or you are wrong but maybe it could make a slight difference. Remember that some nitrates in your system is not a bad thing, you just dont want it to get above 10 to 15. Hope this helps.

Lynn
 

ahayes13

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oh okay.... well sounds like you just really need to get yourself some new bulbs and a better brand.
maybe you could sell some frags to locals ... to get some new bulbs...
+1 on the weekly water changes, that would probably help with the nit.
 
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BHAMR6

BHAMR6

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Sorry i forgot to update i got a galaxy ballast, lumenarc mini relectors and radium bulbs. And it looks sick!!!! i will never have another bulb other than a radium. Alot of the sps pcs that were brown are coloring up nicely now even the ones that i thought had good color look way better on radiums
 
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