Keeping Green SPS?

Discussion in 'Coral Health' started by Shackman23, Oct 5, 2011.

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  1. Shackman23

    Shackman23 Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    For some reason EVERY green Acro ive tried to keep, just turns brown on me, all my other SPS and the green milli i have are great! all parameters are in check, is there something im missing? i just havent had luck with a green acro.. is there a trick or a secret im not getting?
     
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  3. reefmonkey

    reefmonkey Giant Squid

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    Tagging along. I have a green monster that I fragged. Put the frag in my 75 and it started browning out while all the other corals, nem and clam are doing great.
     
  4. Shackman23

    Shackman23 Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Yea it just doesnt make sense to me, everything in my tank is great but the green acro i put in, i stopped putting them in for now but if i can solve the mystery ill fix it and start putting them in again? i tried raising, lowering, i fragged it, and put it in different locations, everything i could think of and nothing has helped, maybe it was just the acro? but idk b/c i got all the other ones out of the same tank, and they have done nothing but grown! :confused:
     
  5. m2434

    m2434 Giant Squid

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    Do they look brown immediately when you put them in, or do they slowly turn brown? If they look brown immediately, it probably means that your lights aren't putting out certain wavelengths needed to see those color pigments. If they slowly turn brown, it is most likely too little PAR or possibly too much nitrate. Most likely it's a combination though.
     
  6. Shackman23

    Shackman23 Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    it slowly turns brown, i can keep blues, purples, and green milli my nitrates are zero, and have been for awhile, the lighting tho ive had the acro 3in from top of the water for awhile, and it continued to brown so im not sure, ive never had a nitrate problem since its been running, and or nitrite problem, it could be my lights, as they are the new kessils but they are so new its hard for me to tell what is going to be kept well and what isnt, and as far as par, i havent tested or seen par reading at all for these lights, im borrowing a par meter from my local reef club member so i can get some readings, any idea on what par green ones should be in?
     
  7. m2434

    m2434 Giant Squid

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    Another thing to mention, as I am not clear on exactly what the time-line is. Corals can produce pigments, to block light and the pigments can be based on the particular spectrum that they are exposed to. They may do so to regulate zoox. So, then, you take a coral and put it in a new tank, with a different spectrum, the zoox may take off, turning the coral brown, as there is not yet enough pigment to block the new spectral qualities of your lighting. Usually this goes away after a bit though, so, again it sort of depends on the timeline and in this case, how long your waiting...
     
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  9. Shackman23

    Shackman23 Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    im going to assume this one didnt make it, i havent seen polyps or anything coming out of it for quite some time, so i think its a doomed.. its still in my tank, i havent taken it out yet bc ive heard of it turning brown then possible changing to another color, for awhile it looked like it was switching to red, now its a redish brown, but no polyp extension its really odd
     
  10. m2434

    m2434 Giant Squid

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    whoops you posted at the same time as me... What do you mean by slowly? PAR for SPS should typically be around 300ish. It sounds like it may be that your PAR is a bit low and all your corals are getting a bit more zoox growth, but your not noticing, because there is enough light in the other spectrums to bring out the colored pigment enough to overwelm the brownness of the zoox. Perhaps the same is happening with the green, but there isn't enough of the correct spectrum to bring out the green enough to do the same. Does that make sense? In any case, I think you really need to get some PAR readings...
     
  11. m2434

    m2434 Giant Squid

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    Feature Article: How Much Light?! Analyses of Selected Shallow Water Invertebrates' Light Requirements — Advanced Aquarist's Online Magazine

    Table 1 at the bottom of this article lists some photosaturation points for various SPS. If you are around, or slightly higher PAR, than these points, and don't have excess nutrients then you should get good color.

    Also, not though that nitrate tests tend not to be accurate, so, I still wouldn't necessarily rule out a bit of extra nitrate. probably not too bad, but maybe enough for the above scenario.
     
  12. Shackman23

    Shackman23 Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Well, i did have a tri-colored acro, it was green, blue and like pink ish, when i put those it it stayed for awhile, but now that they have been in for some time, the tri-colored have changed to solid blue, and purple tips, i have some green montipora, a rainbow birdsnest, and some green milli that are all doing great, i also have a small colony of turqious enchinta and they are all doing fantastic, its just the green acro, im not sure what is going on, but it just baffles me b/c all the other ones have awesome extension on polyps, it just doesnt add up to me, i know certain tanks, cant keep certain things, and ive come to terms with that, but green acro? i thought blues, and purples were harder to keep and green was the easiest? :-/