Guide of SPS Coral Coloration (Making them more vivid,bright)

[Bill@IA]

Here is a link that goes way back to 2008 but, IMHO, is as valid today as it was then:

http://reefbuilders.com/2008/09/03/guide-of-sps-coral-coloration-make-them-more-vivid-bright/

Enjoy!!

 

[pulpfiction1]

your really on a roll today bill,all is appreciated here  thx

 

[Salty Cracker]

Don't want to seem like I'm dogging you, but read the first response to the article, there's some very good points...

Too many people just up and start dosing things.  I did it for years, in fact I did a great many things for years that did nothing but cost me a small fortune.  In fact, until I started asking questions -and listening to the advice of the guys that were having results- I was having crash after crash.  I give credit 100% to the reefcentral forums.

"Got hair algae? Shove some phosguard in there! Got high silicates?  Well you'll need to get rid of the silicates from the phosguard!"    "You want your coral to be red?  Here, dump in some potassium!" 

I just wanted to share...15 years at this, and only now am I having what I would call good success with sps.  That article doesn't even talk about testing properly, it just says "things not purple?  Do this then!"  It says watch your coral to see if you're doing something wrong, and he even give dosing amounts, without qualifying it with his tank size/water volume.  Who dumps something in and then watches to see if the coral starts to burn away??  People who don't know what they're doing, that's who.  As teebone says, take everything with a grain of salt...whatever your salt happens to be. 

 

[Bill@IA]

Don't want to seem like I'm dogging you, but read the first response to the article, there's some very good points...

Too many people just up and start dosing things.  I did it for years, in fact I did a great many things for years that did nothing but cost me a small fortune.  In fact, until I started asking questions -and listening to the advice of the guys that were having results- I was having crash after crash.  I give credit 100% to the reefcentral forums.

\"Got hair algae? Shove some phosguard in there! Got high silicates?  Well you'll need to get rid of the silicates from the phosguard!\"    \"You want your coral to be red?  Here, dump in some potassium!\" 

I just wanted to share...15 years at this, and only now am I having what I would call good success with sps.  That article doesn't even talk about testing properly, it just says \"things not purple?  Do this then!\"  It says watch your coral to see if you're doing something wrong, and he even give dosing amounts, without qualifying it with his tank size/water volume.  Who dumps something in and then watches to see if the coral starts to burn away??  People who don't know what they're doing, that's who.  As teebone says, take everything with a grain of salt...whatever your salt happens to be.

ZAKK, I thought the first paragraph was pretty clear:

QUOTE
This guide endeavors to assist you with the ever popular SPS coral. This was  written by member Shadowramy and it explains specific ideas and strategies in which you can do to affect the color of your corals. This assumes you have a more then basic understanding of water parameters in your tank.
END QUOTE

I am sorry it took you 15 years to get a basic understanding of water parameters in your tank.

 

[Darryl_V]

I gotta think its a bit of hokus pokus too.  Greens not green enough....dose iron.  Purples not purple enough....iodine.  Montipora not doing well try potassium. 

If we needed to dose all these things to have a nice corals than I don't think you have as many tanks that are nice with out dosing this stuff.  Not saying there is no truth to the article but to take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Bill@IA]

I liked the step by step way the article walked you through SPS coloration. Advising the hobbyist to start with a Yellow Acropora and to challenge the hobbyist to observe nutrient control.....for months before trying anything else.......is a good start to the article.
One certainly may not need anything else to get the other colours, pending what is still available in the tank, salt mixes in water changes etc etc. and I didn't take it that way.

I also found the recommendation of achieving sparkling clear water, or using filter socks and so on to bring around the best Purples in Acropora interesting.

 

[Salty Cracker]

BILL, I just wanted to point out, since there are a few newbs here, that the article was VERY vague.  To say 'this assumes you have more than a basic understanding of water parameters' and then later talk about how you need to see if your coral is burning, tells me that the author didn't have a very good understanding of basic water parameters.  You didn't write the article, so don't take it personal that I was pointing out the many flaws in it (as did a few others in the original post).

As for the 15 years, yes it is very unfortunate that it took me that long.  That's why I want to help others to avoid my troubles.  I really didn't have any kind of support group, and 'net' info was all over the place where good info/advice was concerned.  GFO, for example, would have helped how many people avoid 'old tank syndrome'?  Plus even 'old pros' can have troubles, how's your main display tank doing?

 

[unibob]

Unless you are testing everyday or every other day it is hard to keep levels in ideal conditions all the time without a dosing system where you have spent the time to figure out what your tank is consuming and what you need to be putting back in.

I do not have any automatic dosing equipment, so when I test for things, be it weekly or monthly, whatever the tank needs I would just dump in what was lacking according to the test I use(which i have been hearing not good things about), haha. But after seeing Darryl V and his setup, he mentioned about a reef calculator on BRS that would help. So I checked it out and now that is what I do.

 

[Bill@IA]

No offense taken.

Was trying to add more topics of discussion, articles and links.

If you are referring to the 220 SPS System... here is the latest sideview photo just taken. It seems some of the Acros are now growing out of the water.

 

[Bill@IA]

FTS from Sunday....

(testing out a new camera)

 

[Darryl_V]

looks great.....did that sea hare eat all the hydroids?

 

[Bill@IA]

Thank you Darryl.

No additives were used or abused in the making of this SPS system. The colours are strong without the use of any "potion"

The Seahare hasn't finished the Hydroid job yet. For some reason it leaves little tufts, appx. dime size, never cleaning the area 100%. These tufts  continue to grow but are easy to remove.

Most of the 12 year old sand is gone now....haven't decided to replace with new fresh white sand or throw down tile.   

 

[reeffreak]

Looks great Bill , cant wait to make it there this weekend .  I'm at 3 yrs of really  keeping SPS and had a few little problems with browning out which had to do with my light being to far away so I lowered it and wala I have way better color then I did 4 weeks ago ( Thanks for the tip Rick ) I never thought a few inches between the level on my light would justify so much color loss .

The reason I say REALLY keeping SPS is because when I first got into the hobby I didn't know much about SPS ,LPS or softies I didn't even know there was that big of a difference between them but after meeting some great people on the forums and chatting with Bill face to face ( he has allot to offer information wise ) and Rick also very informative and very helpful I realized what kind of care need to be taking into growing SPS SUCESSFULLY  and ever since then I have had the odd stroke off bad luck but no major tank crashes , ever.

It was never pour salt into water mix and that's it , it was learn , read , listen and apply most of what your hearing to  the way you maintain your tank , keeping a close eye on everything happening everything day to start then slowly going to testing every 2 weeks knowing that my levels in the mean time are stable  for that 2 week period then finding out what you can do to keep them stable for longer and longer , then you end up like Darryl_V  ( Wayne Gretzky ) . Knowing how your tank works and how fast levels rise and drop and ways to make up for those fluctuations .