Slight loss in color

[clowninaround7474]

I've been noticing my Red Planet and SSC seem to be bleaching slightly. Absolutely nothing has changed in the tank, no swings, all parameters in check. No change in lights or feeding.

Both pieces have awesome PE and seem happy, just losing some color.

I'm currently running GFO and carbon through a BRS reactor. I'm wondering if the GFO may be keeping the water "too clean" and some color is lacking. Any thoughts on stopping the GFO and continuing carbon??

Again, everything is happy and growing in the tank, just losing color in these 2 pieces. I thought about moving the two pieces but both are fully encrusted on rocks that cannot be moved.

Curious to hear your thoughts/experiences

 

[djkms]

If you bottom out your nutrients and don't dose aminos or provide ample coral food your corals will get pale/bleached.

 

[clowninaround7474]

I'm dosing acro power daily

 

[djkms]

Maybe not enough? Corals bleach due to lack of food or too much light...

 

[clowninaround7474]

Yea I may need to increase the AP dosage per day. No change in my lights or schedule which makes me believe it's nutrient related. No changes in flow and no recent additions. I did lose 2 small chromis since the others didn't want them in there anymore so maybe the drop in nutrients there too.

 

[zombie]

You could reduce the quantity of GFO and vodka as well and that will allow a slight increase in nutrients to just below detectable levels.

You might be an engineer if...You have no life, and you can PROVE it mathematically.

 

[SynDen]

My red planet was the reason I switched my gfo to only run a few hours a day. It kept turning brown and not looking very good when I ran gfo 24-7 but since switching it started coloring up again, so gonna try and remove the gfo fairly soon too.

 

[Aaron]

Other thing is to monitor your Alkalinity. My colony tends to act up when mine is too low. It's the first sign that my dosing pump might be clogged...

 

[clowninaround7474]

See mine isn't brown, it's got a bright green base since I have it lower in the tank but the red is turning to a light pink and looks bleached

 

[clowninaround7474]

Slight loss in color

So I took my GFO offline on Saturday to see if that would help. PE is still great and everything seems happy, just losing color. Parameters are as follows:

SG: 1.025
NO3: 0
Alk: 8.6 dKH
CA: 400
MG: 1275
Po3: .07

Thoughts?

 

[SynDen]

I'd try raising the mag a bit to around 1350 or so. i'd also try moving it up a bit more and see what it does

 

[clowninaround7474]

Well with the removal of the GFO, the colors on my SPS are coming back nicely. I'm thinking I may have been stripping the water of nutrients and starving the corals. I also added a few more fish and that seems to be helping add necessary nutrients as well

 

[xxHLTxx]

dont reverse now with too much change... but glad to hear everything is coming back nicely and nothing was lost!

 

[clowninaround7474]

I gradually took the GFO offline but am still running carbon. Seems to be a good balance and everything is happy. GFO has been completely offline for over a week