Boring coral colours

[kien]

Do you run carbon at all? Is it just this one coral that you're not happy with or pretty much all the corals? Alkalinity is just as important as Calcium. I'm not sure what your test kit defines as "normal" but I would get an exact reading with a test kit that will give you a number.

[danzing]

I'm not really sure what you mean by carbon use? Do you mean active charcoal carbon? The test kit is from Red Sea, it tests for alkalinity and PH. I always thought it was a great product, simple to use. For the alkalinity the test shows me a colour green which means normal Alk. Also not all of the coral is dull. A majority are. Like I said before the one coral (brain coral) I bought at the LFS was a beautiful white with yellow center, now it's a dull brown with green center. And the Padodia was a yellow colour and now it's a light green. The Zoas of one species was a dark yellow and now it's a dull tan. How and why do they change colour like that drastic?

[Bloodasp]

I was looking at red sea alkalinity tester. They simplified it too much. You only have low, normal and High.
Anyway, The carbon he said is an activated carbon.

[Marlin65]

Corals adjust to the way the tank runs I have more than one tank and in one tank the same piece will be completely different than in my other tank.
Usually brown means the nutrients are too high.

[andestang]

+1 Also are you using a RO/RI unit ? I would cross check you readings for nitrates & phosphates I would doubt that they are at zero

Originally Posted by Marlin65

Usually brown means the nutrients are too high.

[whatcaneyedo]

I dont know of any white photosynthetic... anything. White means it was probably stressed and bleached and now that it has gained back some zooxanthellae algae it is showing its true color.

You confused me for a minute with the 'Padodia' but I think you mean pagoda?

How old is your tank?

How reputable is your fish store? I've seen some places that sell a lot of stressed and even dyed corals that are un-natural yellows and pinks but then if the coral survives it reverts back to its healthy browns and greens.

[danzing]

I have been running this tank for seven years now. It's exploded with life. Every day I look into the tank and there is always something different. And yes it is pagoda. The LFS is pretty reputable a lot of reefers go to him because of the colours. He has his business in Mississauga Ontario.

[aquajeep]

doubt its the lights i have similar lights except a 14k mh lamp instead.my colors dull a bit only when my actinics fall out of spectrum after about 10 months.