SPS color loss

[Mando77]

I have a frag tank and almost all of the coral (softies, SPS & LPS) have lost some color. The SPS look washed out, but are still growing? I can see the base growth on small frags. I'm thinking this is because of the nutrient level. Its a fairly new tank (around 3 months) and just added 2 fish about a month ago. Not much livestock. I also have some cheato that seems to be doing very well. I've never dealt with something like this and just wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions or ideas on how to get the SPS to color back up. I'm thinking the more nutrients/food particle = better color. My water quality is very good, temp 78 and salt 1.026. Very strange, just don't understand the color loss. The PAR (T5's) is also good.

[STEVE]

What about your Mag and Calcium levels? I had something like this happen, but mine was due to low salinity I think...???1.0225. I also moved them around (from high to low and vice versa) I just did it about 3 days ago, so we will see. Not like you can raise/lower them too much in a frag tank though...

 

 

[Marc Weaver]

The same thing happens to me when no4 / po3 is ultra low and it happens quickly, within 2-3 days. I start feeding frozen rotifers and double the frozen food for the fish every day and up the amino acid dosage to get a nitrate reading and the color darkens over a few days to a week. I also have growth on most SPS and even LPS at low nutrient levels. One stubborn deepwater coral starts to STN immediately at the base when the water is too clean, which is my indicator coral.

[Coral Hind]

If the PAR reading has not increased from adding new lights or GAC then I agree it sounds like the water is just too clean. If your running GFO I would stop that and see if it helps.

[Der ABT]

Double check yuor salinity as well.....i had mine a little off when i went away...still have a few corals that havent gotten their full color back yet (granulosa's mainly)

[firecrackerbob]

AHHH... just lurking here, but I have been meaning to post the same question... I really dont feed my tank much, and I have (to my knowledge) driven my nutrient content very low to get rid of all nuisance algeas... My frogspawn and motnis are pretty bleached.

 

I actually took my skimmer out about a week ago to see if things improved.(make things dirtier?)

 

this is probably a dumb question, but how do you know if you water is too CLEAN? it seems like 99% of the time the problems in this hobby revolve in the opposite direction!!!

[overklok]

Test for phosphates.