Acropora - Color vs Growth...

T

TylerHaworth

Active Member
SO!

I've been keeping Acropora for a couple months now, and it is all growing and encrusting VERY well... My problem, however, is that I am not getting/maintaining the vibrant coloring that they arrived with. They are not browning out or totally losing their colors, but the colors seem to wash out a little and not come back... Would more or less light be better?

Nitrates/Phosphates are zero
pH goes from 8.2 in the morning to 8.4 in the evening
Alkalinity steady at 9
Calcium steady at 420
Magnesium steady at 1350
Lighting (TX5) - 2 Blue Plus + 1 Purple Plus from 10:00 to 20:00, an additional Blue Plus and an Aquablue Special from 12:00 to 18:00

Suggestions?
 
W

WVUReefer

Member
Tyler I have the opposite problem..I too have ventured over to some sps..I get very vibrant colors but it seems they grow very slowly...Some examples--I bought a lemon lime mille frag in LFS's tank a dull green..In my tank it has changed to a very vibrant forest green..my friend bought a frag of the same thing and his is more green/yellow.. My friend gave me a frag of Idaho grape monti..in his tank it is a purplish red..in my tank it has the same purple as a purple dottyback..I bought a mille from the LFS that was a dull brown red ($10 had to take the chance)..It did a complete 360 in my tank..it's are a nice orange fading into a strawberry pink and turning to a green at the base..I bought an purplish brown acro and it is now looking very close to a valida with the new growth fading from purple to florescent green..very similar to how an alien eye chalice looks..The color changes usually take a week in my water..I read an article somewhere (maybe CORAL ) that water with low nutrients provides for faster growth but duller coloring..and more color but slower growth in higher nutrient tanks..I wish I could remember the article or where I found it..But I will say that I by no means have a low nutrient/sterile tank...And so far my sps seem fine..
 
soco

soco

Well-Known Member
Depends on how many watts of t5 you have but if your colors are fading slowly over time i would say yu dont have enough light. Just my .02
 
T

TylerHaworth

Active Member
It's an Aquactinics TX5 fixture, very high quality - 5 lamps @ 54 watts.

I do run a very low nutrient system... Zero algae to be found anywhere, and the colors don't completely fade away into a bleached white, they just aren't as vibrant as when they arrive... The growth rates are what I would consider high/extremely high, thus the corals must be happy... They just aren't MY kind of happy =)
 
Corailline

Corailline

Member
Specifically what types of acropora are these. With some of the higher end acropora it may impossible to maintain that coloration. If you can post an image that would help as well.
 
soco

soco

Well-Known Member
Ok I stand corrected. I agree with karussell it is probably the types of bulb rather than your wattage
 
KARussell88

KARussell88

Member
I may be misunderstanding you but Aquactinics TX5 is a fixture, it does not tell us the TYPE of bulbs you have running in it ex: actinic is a type of bulb with a unique color spectrum
 
KARussell88

KARussell88

Member
Oh ok I'm sorry that sounds like a pretty good mixture to me pictures would probably be your best bet to show us what you mean.
How old are the bulbs? Is there a certain time your acros look better? I ask this because not all of your bulbs are on at once for small periods of time.
 
T

TylerHaworth

Active Member
Three of them are on ten hours per day, all five are on for six hours per day. They are less than a month old, I replace them every seven months. No, they don't fluctuate in appearance.
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
True or not I don't know, but I've heard of dosing potassium to increase SPS growth/color, but it obviously must be measured.
 
C

cheeks69

Wannabe Guru
RS STAFF
Corals will sometimes become lighter in color to reflect light, I've had similar issues when I changed my bulbs. I went from an 18 month old reeflux 12k to a new Pheonix 14k bulb and my A. valida lost it's purple tips. I would say the corals are acclimating to the light and once adjusted their color will return.
 
N83259

N83259

Member
Red Sea has a supplemantation program that they call there "Reef Care Program" that directly addresses the growth/coloration issue. They claim there's lots of scientific research behind it. I'm just getting started w/ corals so have no idea if it works as advertised or worth the money. But I've been reading some good things about it. Their information is very informative.
LINK:
Red Sea Reef Care Program
 
C

cheeks69

Wannabe Guru
RS STAFF
If you maintain proper water chemistry/light there shouldn't be any need for other supplements. I've kept SPS corals with great color/growth just dosing cal/alk/mag when necessary and regular W/C's. If you want to spend the money go for it but I can say with certainty that it isn't necessary.

Here's some photos to prove it-

179_8000.jpg


169_6948.jpg


169_6951.jpg


170_7014.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top