Browning Of Sps

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just a question thats been bugging me .... when sps go brown , that is an indication that there are excess nutrients in the water ... correct ??? my question is whether insuffient lighting can also do that???
 
just a question thats been bugging me .... when sps go brown , that is an indication that there are excess nutrients in the water ... correct ??? my question is whether insuffient lighting can also do that???


I`d personally blame the lighting first.
 
Insufficient lighting and/or excess nutrient. What lighting are you using at the moment?
 
TANK IS 4 FOOT , 450mm depth , using 5X54w ts5 (ati/geismann) and 2X39w t5 deltec aquablue plus
 
i didnt test yet ... since i thought i have no algae issues , i shudnt test but i guess my line of thinking is wrong so i gotta test
 
Chipping in here, how long should the lights be on for? Is the photoperiod not also a factor?
 
That i don't know Rod as i have heard that corals only photosynthesise for 4hrs a day, but most of us light our systems for much longer than that anyway.
 
Perhaps some of the SPS experts could tell us how long they have their lights on for? I have an Acro very brown tucked away somewhere. I am going to place it under a mH and see how it goes. Time I tackled Acropora! The water depth is 150 mm.
 
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I would suggest that sps loose their colour for the following reasons:

Alk/KH not stable
Too much nutrients
pH and temp swings
Poor flow
Poor lighting
PO4 too high
Last, but not least, soft corals in the system giving off toxins.

HTH,
Neil
 
afsal.bring some water over to my place and i'll test your water for you
 
From Neil Harris:
Quote "Last, but not least, soft corals in the system giving off toxins."

Hmmmm didnt think of that! My systems are 99% soft corals. And I have the brownest Acro's in town.
 
Hmmmm didnt think of that! My systems are 99% soft corals. And I have the brownest Acro's in town.


Have a look to see if any softies are 'stressed'. They give off toxins as a defence, so they could be touching each other (yes, even other softies).

I know many people run carbon to try absorb some of the toxins from softies.
HTH,
Neil
 
Quote "Last, but not least, soft corals in the system giving off toxins."

I had a smallish but fast growing Gorgonian in my system, which I got as a frag and was kinda attached to it. When Calfo saw my tank he commented on the toxicity of Gorgonians, citing that they amongst the most toxic corals on a reef. I didn't think much of it intially. It's a smallish piece and my tank is a fair size, and I run carbon 24/7. Anyway about 2 weeks ago I decided to take it out. There has been an improvement in the colours of the corals in the vicinty of where the Gorg was.. Interesting..
 
I had a smallish but fast growing Gorgonian in my system, which I got as a frag and was kinda attached to it. When Calfo saw my tank he commented on the toxicity of Gorgonians, citing that they amongst the most toxic corals on a reef. I didn't think much of it intially. It's a smallish piece and my tank is a fair size, and I run carbon 24/7. Anyway about 2 weeks ago I decided to take it out. There has been an improvement in the colours of the corals in the vicinty of where the Gorg was.. Interesting..

Anyone want a gorgonia ??? :lol:
 
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