all sps seem to change brown or green :(

[fload]

i need help in finding out what is browning and greening my corals... im thinking its lighting or temp because my water params have been very stable

90 gal tank
20 gal frag tank
55 gal sump

Temp: 83 - 84
pH: 7.9 - 8.2
Salinity: 1.025 - 1.026
Ammonia/Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5pm
Phosphate: 0.1ppm
Alk: 11 dKH
Calcium: 420ppm
Magnesium: 1380ppm

90gal lights
2x150MH -14k XM DE 8hrs
2x96w PC actinic03 12hrs
2x led 24/7

20gal lights
4x 18w pc (shrooms)

Sump lights
indoor plant light dont remember wattage

1x vortec powerhead
1x maxi 1200 mod
2x aquaclear i think around 400gph
1x mag9 slightly less than 600gph

kent marine nautalis protien skimmer

so far i have had a peach/pink pagoda cup go green and a pink poscillapora turn brown a red acro turn brown, green milli turn brown, blue tort turn green.....growth is great and they look healthy just not very pretty :(

should i worry more about the temp or the 14k bulbs...?

i was thinking of getting 10k bulbs to see if my corals will color up...

any suggestions?

thanks -Fload

[twon8]

that isn't enough light for acros to color up imo. 10k may help, but i would suggest you get some 250w, that will allow you to keep the 14k, as you may not like the look of 10k

the temp is a bit high, how are you getting it that high with 150w and all that extra water volume?

i suggest a fan blowing across the water.

[twon8]

i also would upgrade that skimmer, your phosphates are too high, a big part of the browning.

[MASTER_REEFER]

i would run rowa phos and remove phosphates that is probally the problem. even the smallest ammount of phosphates can damage sps tissue, and yes replace the skimmer! look into the deltec line it is well worth the money.

[SaveOurReefs]

Weird... I had the same problem some time ago, but they were under vhos... ?

[Norwood IND]

Decrease your alk. It is a bit high. I would bring the temp down as well. Get those phosphates down.
Keep your pH around 8.2 and steady.

[King-Kong]

Browning and greening?

Your nutrients are too high. You may considering adding more light, or improving your water quality. I wouldn't do both.

[Ralph ATL]

phosphates & nitrates

[Covey]

I typed a huge reply last night and went to reply and submited and the site was down for maintance.:mad2:

Anyway phosphates & nitrates like everyone has been saying need to be lower. I'd start running GFO and possibly upgrade the skimmer at some point.

Xm doesn't make a 14K and if it is the 15K they are a a joke when it comes to PAR. I looked up the XM 15K 150W it makes 28PPFD. That's horrible. Even if you switched to XM 10K 150W those at least made like 60 something PPFD. It was like a 40% jump.

I try to keep the temp 78-80.


You got the brownig from nutrients and the green IMO from a lack of light. I don't want to be to much of a downer.

I hope this helps.

[SaveOurReefs]

COVEY, lol I hear you man I did the same thing, and it was down for maintance! lol I was going to say... I prolly wouldent upgrade the skimmer, maybe the pump that is running it if anything? IMO there a decent skimmer, I dont know if I would even change the lights either, maybe to like some 10k. I think that 10ks actually give the coral good color, but the higher spectrum bulbs just make them look better. (if that makes sense?) Again just in my opinion. Can I ask what kind of coralinealgae growth your getting on your glass ? ?

-Tim

[fload]

awesome thanks for the replys i got 2 250w PFO fixtures now with icecap ballasts 20k bulbs (addition to my old setup)

also got a fan blowing over my sump now water evap is crazy but temp stays under 82

gonna have to save up for a better skimmer i guess...

also whats the best way to run rowa?

[fload]

coraline is pretty good i stopped cleaning the back like 3 months ago and its about 40% covered in coraline circles...

the skimmer skims really well i dump it every other day and its not a wet skim...

algae growth is very very slow if at all.. i only get hard green algae on the glass no hair or bubble... having trouble growing my cheato...

[wentreefgirl]

In a phosban reactor or in a bag in the sump> Id go with a cannister or reactor as the in the sump method doesnt get thourough flow through.

[fload]

O and my alk is now 9dkh and calc 480 however I did notice my nitrates jump up after the addition of the new lights and some brown diatoms on the sand I'm sure this is just a mini cycle of the tank getting used to the new lighting