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JDOG 
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Joined: February 12 2006
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 Topic: CORAL COLORS FADING
Posted: December 09 2006 at 4:43pm |
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I have several corals that were bright with color, but they are fading. Any idea of what could cause this? Thanks!!
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Mike Savage
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Posted: December 09 2006 at 5:08pm |
Has anything changed on your system? Lighting, water parameters, etc?
What kind of corals? How long has the system been set up? What lights, flow, etc? What is the alk, CA, salinity? I'm sure we can help, we just need some data.
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Lyscer
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Posted: December 09 2006 at 5:29pm |
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Did you just purchase the corals and put them in your tank or have they been in your tank a while?
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JDOG
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Posted: December 09 2006 at 6:57pm |
They have all been in for a while, the tank has been established for over a year, all the normal readings alk, ca, ph etc. I did have a small phosphate bloom about two weeks ago. Could this be what it was? If so how do I get the color back? Thanks
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ssilcox
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Posted: December 09 2006 at 8:19pm |
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I would hazard a guess that you havent changed your bulbs in a while. Phosphate can definately cause browning in coral (especially SPS) but old bulbs is a more common cause.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: December 10 2006 at 10:34am |
A "phosphate bloom"  Please explain.
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JDOG
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Posted: December 10 2006 at 5:31pm |
Sorry, bloom was probably the wrong word to use, I believe I had a spike in phosphates due to missing a water change, I didn't know if this was it or not. How often should I change my bulbs? I installed new bulbs about 9 months ago?
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Greenanemone
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Posted: December 10 2006 at 11:20pm |
I grow houseplants commercially and that is all done under flourescent lighting(not a greenhouse although I do manage one as well)--I have to change out those bulbs on the six month mark to make sure that I get optimum growth from the plants. A light loses its strength very rapidly in the first two weeks, it then levels off at a "good" range and slowly declines from there. HOWEVER--the quantity of light that your eyes percieve is very different from the quality of light that the bulbs are giving. Keep that in mind. You can get intruments to measure PAR, etc--however if you choose 6 months as a rule, with few exceptions, you will be "on target" with your goals- both monetary and effectivity.
Some colors in a bulb fade more quickly. For example my bulbs are not letting "some of" the great colors on some of my corals show up(I am lacking some of the blues and reds)--it has nothing to do with the health of my corals--just how I want to percieve them--so I asked a question in the lighting forum about "what bulbs to use" to make my corals appear more colorful. I knew that the answers were going to be based on "opinion" depending on what they like.
There is a lot of variety to color when it comes to bulbs! I have my favorites for my plants. In fact I have certain bulbs I grow red flowered plants under, and others for blue, etc....hence it goes to show--A lot of bulbs is all in the "eye of the beholder"--when in reality a few bulbs are just as effective at emitting the right wavelengths for optimal growth as well as optimal wavelengths for asthetics.
It is funny to me that flourescent bulbs are marketed as "Bathroom" or "Kitchen"--ha ha! Guess what--one is higher on the blue end, and the other the red end of the spectrum! Yikes! LIGHTS!
My christmas tree lights are all colors--just as a side note!
Good question!
Ryan
Edited by Greenanemone - December 10 2006 at 11:23pm
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Firefish
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Posted: December 11 2006 at 3:26pm |
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I would agree that it is probably your light bulbs. If you have halides and you run them 10 or more hours a day, I would definately say that it is time for new bulbs. If you run metal halides and supplemental blue lighting I would suggest cutting your halides to 8 hours a day and running your supplemental lighting 10-12 hours a day. This is based on the little I know, and it is just my opinion, and don't take it as gospel because I don't know your setup.
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5 gal fluval spec v http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65727&KW=&PID=531710&title=my-new-little-one#531710 12 gallon jbj nanocube reef Stansbury Park (Tooele Area)
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JDOG
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Posted: December 11 2006 at 9:15pm |
Thanks for the input, I am going to try to get new bulbs soon, I have had 10k's and they are really bright. would it be better to go with a 14k to get some more color out of the corals? I do supplement with blue lighting for two hours before the MH's come on and for two hours after. They are also on all day with the MH's, which are on for 8 hours every day.
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Firefish
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Posted: December 11 2006 at 11:55pm |
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Hmmm, well I would expect more life out of them than that. What brand are the bulbs? I need to know what bulbs NOT to buy. That is, of course, if it is in fact your bulbs that are the problem.
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5 gal fluval spec v http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=65727&KW=&PID=531710&title=my-new-little-one#531710 12 gallon jbj nanocube reef Stansbury Park (Tooele Area)
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