How to change color of corals

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Discuss all topics related to saltwater / reef tanks.


gdeeber
 
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 12:27 pm

How to change color of corals

by gdeeber

I purchased some corals about 1 1/2 months ago (Short Tentacle Plate, 2 Green Apple Capricornis, Turquos Staghorn Acro). The Staghorn and short tentacle plate kept their color but the two Green Apple (Montapora) changed from light green to brownish. All of the corals are growing nicely, the Montapora have doubled in size so I know they are not dead or in poor health. My question is can lighting or water quality change the color of corals and if so what should I do to make my corals more colorful?


blueshoes2208
 
Posts: 1077
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:01 pm

by blueshoes2208

i dont know for sure but my guess would be yes. A coral is an animal, so put it in the perspective that if you have a fish, and you feed it poorly for a long period of time, the fishes color wont necessarily change but the brilliance of the color will be effected. Thats why they sell flakes that "enhance" fish coloration. Then again, i dont know for sure.


fihsboy
 
Posts: 1837
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:20 pm

by fihsboy

Yes. What are you dosing? It could be your supplements your using. It could be its under different lights. (which is most likely) If you add actinics or 20K bulbs your going to get more vibrant colors............but your going to get more blue hue as well. What lights did it come from and what is it under?


gdeeber
 
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 12:27 pm

by gdeeber

I purchesed them from LiveAquaria so I do not know what type of lights they use (my best guess would be MH) I have a Current USA Extreme Pro T5 lighting with 3 10,000K and 3 460 Actinic. I use Two Little Fishy A&B for calcium and Alkalinity.


newbie916
 
Posts: 375
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:12 pm

by newbie916

Check your magnesium, Iodine, strontium levels. What's your water look like? Also, what are you feeding your corals?


gdeeber
 
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 12:27 pm

by gdeeber

Here are my water perimeters from last week
SG - 1.024
Mag - 1260
PH - 8.2
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
Carbonate Hard (Alk) - 10 dKH
Calcium - 400

I do not test for Strontium or Iodine because I don't dose those chems. I target feed 1 per week with Mysis shrimp and 1 per week of Phyto plankon.


fihsboy
 
Posts: 1837
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:20 pm

by fihsboy

well levels look great. I would say its just going through puberty. lol. It all honesty its probably the difference in lighting. how high up is it? I think they use 400watt halides.....which is insane. You have to be a coral enthusiest to keep those colors at home. Im using two 150 halides and soon going to add two 36"T5 actinics, so close to 10 watts a gallon of very intense lights. Problem is. my stuff is bleaching, my softies are all bleaching. Moral to the story....its either getting too little or too much. if you can move it higher, do it. :)


gdeeber
 
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 12:27 pm

by gdeeber

Thanks for the advise guys


newbie916
 
Posts: 375
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:12 pm

by newbie916

Try using some Oyster Feast. I started feeding my corals this stuff a few months ago and all of them colored up nicely and are growing like mad. However, make sure you don't feed them too much because it will shoot your nitrates up.

Your water looks good. The colors could be your lighting. My 10k MH's on my 95 gallon definitely looks different than my 29 gallon with 14k MH's. If you want bright vibrant colors you should go with 14k's or 20k's. The 10k's are more for growing the corals. I'm planning on switching to 20k's in my 95 gallon once the bulbs need to be replaced.


gdeeber
 
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 12:27 pm

by gdeeber

I just purchased these lights 4 months ago but when it's time to replace the bulbs I will go with 14,000K. I don't like the blue tint of 20,000K bulbs.

How to change color of corals

14 posts • Page 1 of 2

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