SPS Coloration

drdude05 · 04-08-2007, 07:50 PM

I need some help/advice for SPS. I have noticed that everytime I try and keep a purple colored sps it turns brown slowly. I have tried a purple tort, purple monto cap, and purple digi, and all are more of a purple brown color than the original purple the started out as.

My tank perams should be ideal, as of yesterday they were:
SG 1.024
Alk 7.7
pH 8.2
Mg 1300
PO4 0
NO3 0.1
NH3 0
Ca 410

For lighting I use three 250W MH two 10K and one 14K bulb as well as two 140 VHO actinics. Tank has been up and running since last July. No sign of cyano or hair algae. What do I need to do to keep purple corals from turning brown?

JY13131 · 04-08-2007, 07:55 PM

I think that blue and purple are hardest to keep because of the specific lighting they need. Beyond that, I am clueless! (Unless you have a medical trivia quiz question, then I can probably help!)

drdude05 · 04-08-2007, 07:57 PM

I'll have to come up with a few more for M-ville.

JY13131 · 04-08-2007, 07:59 PM

Yee haa!!

leveldrummer · 04-08-2007, 08:11 PM

you might not have quite enough light, or maybe the blues and purples are a little more fragile? i have the same thing happen, some stay nice and pretty, some brown out, i got a nice sized acro colony that browned out pretty good, but its slowly comming back, barely showing some purple tint now, all i can say is leave it alone, give it really good light and good flow, and it should come back.
do you have any idea what the lighting was at the lfs you got it from?

Geoff · 04-08-2007, 08:21 PM

if corals turn brown, than your phosphates are to high.

G~

drdude05 · 04-08-2007, 08:51 PM

How can your phosphates be high if they test 0? And if you tell me that there can be phosphates that the kit can't measure then my next question is. if you can't measure it how do you know that's what's causeing the problem and if it is causing the problem how do you fix it if you can't measure what you're trying to get rid of?

drdude05 · 04-08-2007, 08:53 PM

The light at the LFS was 20K, not sure about the brand but I have often suspected if I don't have emough par output from my current setup. I have been thinking about changing out my bulbs for XM 250 W 10K

Hendersonracing · 04-08-2007, 08:54 PM

I have the same issue!

drdude05 · 04-08-2007, 08:54 PM

Most of the stuff that I have looks like a purple brown color.

crvz · 04-08-2007, 09:08 PM

I think the color of the bulb largely affects the immediate coloration of the coral. There are definitely other factors, but it's quite obvious what happens when a coral goes from 14k to 10k (they get browner/yellower). I've been thinking of getting bluer spetrum T5 bulbs just to experiment a little...

Casey · 04-08-2007, 09:14 PM

I can keep purple no problem just cant keep blues I think it all depends on your bulbs an water chemistry.

Hendersonracing · 04-08-2007, 09:16 PM

ive seen alot of 10k with a ton of color..

drdude05 · 04-08-2007, 09:19 PM

What kind of lighting do you use Casey? I figure I can't make my water much better than I have, so It has to be a lighting issue cause the corals in question get tons of flow as well.

Casey · 04-08-2007, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdude05

What kind of lighting do you use Casey? I figure I can't make my water much better than I have, so It has to be a lighting issue cause the corals in question get tons of flow as well.

I run 2 x 250 watt XM 20ks MHS and 4 110 watt vhos 2 whites 2 actinic.
I have tons of color just no blues they always fade to green or something else.