I have a coral color issue

[jasno999]

For some reason everything that I put in my tank turns into a light pinkish sort of color. Granted some of the corals that I have are naturally this color but others that are supposed to be blue or green all turn pinkish.

I can't figure out what it is. I can only assume it is my lighting but still others I talk to don't have the same problems and they have less or similar lighting. I need help.


My tank is this:

-10 gallon tank
-1 bio-wheel filter
-10-15 lbs of live rock (I forget)
-Few pounds of live sand
-Corlife 96 Watt power quad light fixture (w/ 10K bulb)

Live stock:
- 1 damsel (4-stripe)
- 1 Brittle star
- 2 Red leg hermits
- 2 blue leg hermits
- A bunch of naseriuth snails
- A Mexican turbo snail
- 1 bubble coral
- 1 Zenia (pulsing) - now split into 3 separate stalks.
- 1 Leather coral
- Several sand polyps (red and green)
- 1 trumpet coral with 5 heads (is supposed to be blue outer and green inner)
- 1 rock with several mushrooms that were supposed to be green

The leather and xenia are pink naturally. However the mushroom and the trumpet corals where supposed to have some nice color. As soon as they were added to the tank they turned a reddish or pinkish color. It seems like the only coral able to maintain its color in my tank are polyps.

I can't figure out what it is but I suspect the light. I think I have enough light and that is not the issue but maybe it is the type of light. Maybe the power compact just does not give off what is needed. My guess is that maybe the PC does not put out any UV radiation- therefore the corals lose the protective UV coat that they have which protects them yet also gives them their nice coloring.

Could that be the case?

If so what can I do to get the color back (I really don't want to go out and purchase a metal halide bulb and hood if I don't have to)

Water parameters:

Ammonia = 0.5ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 0ppm
PO4 = 0.1ppm
PH = 8.2
ALK = 5 meg/L or around 14KH


Water temperature right now is 82F


Let me know what you all think.

[amcarrig]

How long have the corals been in the tank?

[jasno999]

Well:

Mushroom - 6 months
Bubble coral - 6.5 months

Polyps - 5 months

Leather coral - 3 months

Zenia - 2-2.5 months

Trumpet - less than a month

[jasno999]

Well????