SPS light colors

[HoustonReefer]

I have recently notice that my sps frags have very light colors, they have very good growth and their polyps fully extend, are they too close to the light? I have T5s

 

[jlbzixxer]

How many t5 are you running

[HoustonReefer]

4 bulbs

1 6000k

1 purple

2 actinics

[PODPIMP]

Some more system info? Skimmer? water changes? size?

You can't blame light SPS colors solely on lighting

 

Light colors can happen for various reasons. Do you have photos of other SPS corals? You have good PE so most likely your salinity and temp are in check. Without knowing more info, I would say that your light colors are cause by a very low nutrient environment. Are you using GFO like phosban? Are you feeding the tank?

[jlbzixxer]

Some more system info? Skimmer? water changes? size?

You can't blame light SPS colors solely on lighting

 

Light colors can happen for various reasons. Do you have photos of other SPS corals? You have good PE so most likely your salinity and temp are in check. Without knowing more info, I would say that your light colors are cause by a very low nutrient environment. Are you using GFO like phosban? Are you feeding the tank?

 

+1 your system can be depleted of nutrients

Water is to clean

[Asureef]

If that's a blue polyps M. digitata, I'll say the color is fine.

[PODPIMP]

If that's a blue polyps M. digitata, I'll say the color is fine.

 

+1

[HoustonReefer]

The system is about 38-40 Gallons

-phosban reactor with gfo from brs

-pm skimmer rated for 100g

-small bag of high capacity carbon from brs

-5g water changes every two weeks

 

If that's a blue polyps M. digitata, I'll say the color is fine.

 

is more like a red/orange color, btw the pic shows about three months growth

[patback]

It's definitely not de to low nutrients. The bubble algae and growth of the tube worm beg to differ. It's also a very good amount of growth in 3 short months.

[HoustonReefer]

this green birdsnest looks very light, but still good growth and full extension of the polyps

 

[PODPIMP]

Take the gfo offline for a while. In the past when I added too much I would get lighter colors on my SPS.

 

It's definitely not de to low nutrients. The bubble algae and growth of the tube worm beg to differ. It's also a very good amount of growth in 3 short months.

 

Bubble algae and tube worms will grow in extremely nutrient poor environments.

[HoustonReefer]

Ok, should i take off the reactor or just use less gfo in it? I dont feed my corals, would it be a good time to start doing it? if so what can i feed them?

[Spicytuna]

What are your parameters? How do you go about dosing your system?

 

Your coral seems fine, but you also need to know the coral you have varies greatly in color from tank to tank. The purple digi is probably the easiest to keep sps, but one of the harder to bring out that deep rich purple color.

 

Nutrients are obviously not the issue, like noted you have plenty of algae growth. Even if bubble grows in low nutrient conditions, I highly doubt a digitata has higher requirements for NO3 and PO4 then bubble algae.

 

IME, getting the digi to really color up has been to acclimate it to higher light, and keep a tight grip on ca,alk,mag. I dose via peristaltic pumps and kalk ato. I also test alk daily and it stays at a solid 10.

 

I'd put my money on stability in your situation.