We have a decent sized blue tort that has changed to a more brownish color. Green slimer, purple bonsai are both doing well. Our aquadelight could be bluer as well. Are there specific conditions that we should strive for with a tort or to get better blues?

Usually things brown out because of less intense lighting than they are used to. What kind of lighting is it under and what was it used to before your tank?

No idea what it was used to before. Now it is under a 400w metal halide. Near the top.

besides water quality and lighting, the other thing that could contribute is water flow. you have to make sure it's in a turbulent area of the tank. don't blast a powerhead at it though, just needs to be receiving good flow.

Lack of nutrients and chemical warfare can also brown out SPS. Also how old is your bulb?

What kind of polyp extension do you get?

I question the lack of nutrients browning out SPS - I've always been told it's the other way around - too many nutrients would brown them out.

If your tort was once nicely colored and no longer is, look at things that have changed recently, otherwise check a few things:

1) are you using RO(/DI) water? What's the TDS reading before mixing salt - you might need to change filters on your RO(/DI) system (or start using one)
2) are you overfeeding?
3) is your lighting adequate - if you're using T5's on a deep tank you might need better reflectors (or to do as I did - switch back to MH)
4) how old are your bulbs?
5) is your maintenance up to date - water changes, skimming, etc
6) Do you have good flow - no sps in dead spots, etc
7) do you run carbon - if so, change it out, if not, consider it

Just a few things to check

It is getting good flow, more laminar flow than turbulent.



Bulb is about 9 months old now. But we've had the tort for a few months, so I don't think it's bulb life.



It was nicely colored when we got, brown now .

1) RO/DI with 0 tds.
2) I don't think we are overfeeding, 0 nitrates/nitrites/phosphates. Just added a continuous feed system though. So that may change...
3) We are trying to move it up now to even brighter light. We feared the 400w would bleach it.
4) Bulb is 9 months old, but the tort started browning months ago.
5) Weekly 50g water changes. Skimming is wet, about 2 gallons every 3 days.
6) They are definitely not in dead spots. The tort is in line of a koralia 1 now to try even higher flow.
7) No carbon... may have to try it. 600g display means a lot of carbon though

Thanks for the responses! We'll try the higher spot and higher light and report back.

SPS need TURBULENT flow not Laminar. laminar flow could actually kill sps if theres too much of it. any way you could get a JBJ oceanwave DUO? basically those just turn your pumps on then off then back on repeatedly for more randomized flow.

Also your bulbs is getting kinda old. some people actually chage bulbs out every 6-8 months because colors start fading that early.

anywayz good luck with your tort. those things are REALLY NICE.

Just an update. I'm convinced it was a matter of flow. We moved the tort around a couple times and right now it's in some good alternating flow and under new bulbs. It's bluing up quite nicely.

Thanks for the help!

You could always dose a little zeospur 2 for some instant bling, it's dirt cheap and lasts forever! I used to love that stuff for my display when I had a ton of acros.

For what its worth it isn't lack of nutrients that brown out SPS its too much nitrates and/or phosphates.

Another thing to consider is if you have intense light of color 6500K then sps corals might become brown due to too many zoanthelle (spelling?) in the corals increasing.

so many variables. The tort now sits about a foot down under dual 400w metal halides + 2 95w actinics. It is being blasted off/on by a tunze stream.

Nitrates/phosphates have always been 0, calcium 450-500, alk teaters around 10. Temp and salinity super stable.

It is becoming blue so I am happy