Example of Acro/sps receiving too little light vs too much light?

[R_Mc]

Hi all,

I'm struggling to get good color out of my sps. My parameters are on point and stable, my feeding is high and I have plenty of bioload, but I don't have a par meter and am using a custom led solution.

Running a low nutrient tank, not even my lower light areas really Brown out, everything is pale and light brown throughout.

Could anyone provide pictures of an sps receiving too little light vs too much light vs just the right amount?

Much thanks,
Rob

[kevin_e]

If they are pale, it's likely from starvation. Dark brown coloration is typically the result of low light. Bleaching is typically the result from *sudden* intense light or high temperatures.

[R_Mc]

How can you tell the difference between pale and bleaching? That's what I want to know. I mean white white is obviously bleaching, but pale with good nutrient levels... Im looking for pictures specifically related to varying light levels.

Nutrients: I have a 30g tank and feed a block of frozen food (not rinsed), 1/8 TSP of reef chili, 1 pinch of nls, 1 cap full of Acro power daily. Have been feeding this way for a month. Not sure how I could feed more to a 30g.

Params are 1.025 salinity, 430 calcium, 8.5 alk, 1320 magnesium, 0 nitrates, 0 phosphates

[kevin_e]

Bleaching is pretty sudden and goes completely white. If your corals have slowly gone pale, it likely nutrient related.

A month is not very long. It can take months for coral to color HP and respond to changing conditions.

[R_Mc]

Thanks,
Still, if you slowly acclimated a coral to higher and higher levels of light you would surely have negative consequences at some point. I'm curious what those consequences would look like. Specifically just want some photos of coral under low light and high light (too high). Didn't mean to get into a whole conversation on nutrients, etc.

[kevin_e]

Very unlikely in captivity. Sun light produces much more PAR than anything we put over our tanks. Like I said, low light is will produce brown coral, high light will produce tremendous and colorful success if other variables are ideal. Coral can reach a saturation point, very few lighting option reach those loints in captivity. Sudden high itense light is the more common issue in captivity.