View Full Version : Loosing Color
MikePowell
01/16/2009, 04:55 PM
I have afew SPS in my tank that seem to be loosing just alittle bit of color. While they grow fine and have great polyp extension the colors are getting slightly dull compared to when I first got them.
My question is what should I do to help bring the color back?
I dose two part because my tank is only 14g. I do water changes every week sometimes twice if I have the time. I have a tunze skimmer and two koralia nanos for flow. All my water parameters are in check and near perfect. my only fish is a clown that I feed once or twice a day. I change my filter floss weekly and do not use any carbon or anything like that.
Remember that they are growing and have color but it's just not as intense as it was.
Thanks for the help
MikePowell
01/16/2009, 04:55 PM
Oh and my light is a 150w phoenix 14k and it's only 1 month old.
btb72
01/16/2009, 05:06 PM
Do you have any other lights?
MikePowell
01/16/2009, 05:08 PM
nope no actinics or other supplimental lights. Its a 14g BC so I am limited with space and light choice.
60Cubed
01/16/2009, 11:39 PM
I would do a one gallon water change on that small of a tank daily! Especially if you have SPS in there. That's JMO.
With no skommer I wouldn't be feeding that fish more than three or four times a week. Once or twice a day is way too much. I would say you have the begining stages of a phosphate problem. Again that's JMO.
Check your temp as well. That is a very small tank to have the light you have with no chiller. These are only opinions.
I have a friend with a 12g nano that does the daily WC and his tank looks sweet. That's why I mentioned it.
PUGroyale
01/16/2009, 11:50 PM
I've had a number of corals lose a little luster once in my tank... One in particular I got from a friend and it was this amazing bright turquoise blue. In my tank it got much more dull colored... I figure it's because I have higher levels of PO4 in my tank than his, I know it's not NO3 because mine are zero... I believe the higher phosphate makes the coral have higher levels of zooxanthellae which "hides" some of the natural color...
denash24
01/16/2009, 11:50 PM
I disagree with previous post..
I think you may want to try lowering them, they maybe getting too much light.
I would be consistent with 1 water change per week and limit it to 10% of total water volume.
Even with the Tunze skimmer, you'll want to reduce you feeding schedule to once a day.
Last but not least supplement your calcium.
denash24
01/16/2009, 11:52 PM
BTW Do not do daily water changes...
Bolo Tran
01/17/2009, 04:57 AM
the key to sps keeping is STABILITY. In a tank that small it's really difficult to keep your parameters stable. I'm thinking that itnmight be your problem. Also, newly introduced sps go through a period of acclimation where they lose color while getting used to your tank. Some may take a few to several months to finally color although theydo continue to grow.
MikePowell
01/17/2009, 05:53 AM
My Calcium is at 450. My PO4 is near zero. When I get them I position them the farthest away from light and then slowly bring them to a higher spot. Also even though I dont have a chiller or heater my temp swing is only 2 degrees throughout the day. I will cut back my tank feeding to once a day or once every other day.
Could it be that there arent enough nutrients in my tank?
Are there any nutrient suppliments I can or should add?
Bolo Tran - I did recently aquire some of the corals that are doing this, my older ones have color so I guess this might be it.
60Cubed
01/17/2009, 06:28 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14174792#post14174792 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by denash24
BTW Do not do daily water changes...
I would love to hear how it would do this tank harm. I believe it would be of great benefit..........I have seen it first hand!
hidnReefAquatic
01/17/2009, 11:40 AM
it is very hard to keep a small tank stable for sps imo
MikePowell
01/17/2009, 12:52 PM
I know it's hard but I have had a lot of success. It is just recently with some new additions that this is happening to. it could be that the SPS I've had before were more hardy and now I am trying to keep more rare and difficult ones.
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