Long Time SPS Keepers - I Need Help

I have been keeping Acro's for a few years now. I have been extremely successful with most. As some of you know, I had a dosing malfunction last year that crashed my mixed reef system. I started another about 15 months ago...this time full SPS. My troubles are with any SPS species that is RED.

I can keep all sorts of different species in any other color. Blues look vibrant. Purples pop. Greens are bright and healthy. I even kept an original Tyree Pink Lemonade yellow for many months before a bacterial infection got it. But I cannot for the life of me keep anything Red. Tierra del Fuego, comes in BRIGHT RED, within a few months, fades to a grey/pink color. 3 different ORA Red Planets (including one 4" full colony), same thing. Pinks stay bright pink. I have a Strawberry Shortcake that is very bright pink with a neon green contrast body. I can keep Orange very well. I don't know. Currently running MH, but have had exact same results running T5/LED combos and LED only lighting.

I am running a ULNS using EcoBak pellets, and dosing a regiment of ZeoVit products. I am running 2x250W MH (Radium 20K) with LumenMax Elite Reflectors, and 3W CREE LED supplements.

I dose the following products:
ZeoBak
ZeoFood
Coral Snow
Pohl's Xtra
Coral Vitalizer
Sponge Power
Red Sea Coral Colors (A-D, as needed, mainly D)


Below are my tank parameters:

SG: 1.026
Temp: 78.5 (Stable to .1)
pH: 8.1 (less than .1 swing daily)
Cal: 440
Mg: 1420
KH: 8.5
K: 460ppm
PO4: 0.02
NO3: Untraceable

Soooo...what is up?! As said earlier, all other SPS look great, growing fast, PE is long (even on formerly red SPS). All you long time SPS guys and gals (Greg, Hunter, Alex, Cheryl, Shin, etc.)...Help.

 

To give you a free bump and start the convo, perhaps:

How often do you change your water? Does your zeovit trace element dosing regiment include potassium?

 

If you look at CUNA reef on other forums you'll notice that he has red but not the deep reds you see when you're are NOT running a zeovite systems.
Your potassium level is up there nicely so that's not the concern. Curious what method are you using to test potassium?

If you're keeping the blues and the yellows you're way ahead of most reefers. Do the other corals have those pastel hues of UNLS/zeovite?

Your lighting is awesome. Have you tried different level placement over a longer period of time. You know you're not going to see the change in coloration as it relates to placement for weeks or months. Get a cheap red millepora, put a frag at each level and leave it there for a couple months.

You may not be able to have your reds and keep your blues and yellows (cake and eat it too). I tend to think it's the personality of the tank, lighting, zeo products, ULNS all contributing.

You did not say what salt mix you're using? Which one of the products your using adds the potassium?

 

One day I'll learn to read better. Well, at least I gave you a free bump

 

Thanks people. Cheryl, no I am not seeing the pastels, the signature of most Zeo tanks. I am not running the zeolite media, instead I am sticking with EcoBak pellets.

I am using Red Sea Salt (not Coral Pro). I am using Red Sea Potassium test kit. Coral Colors A is Iodine (helps pink SPS). B is potassium (for reds), and D is Trace Elements (blue/purple). I change 15 gallons bi-monthly (100 TWV system). I don't dose K often, nor do I dose Iodine, unless needed.

I have tried placing the last Red Planet I bought at different levels, and have seen only one retain the pinks (colony sized piece). Another piece turned completely green, and a third greyed out and shows no signs of green or pink. All in similar flow.

 

It's almost certainly not a lighting problem, so I'm also going to guess potassium. The test kits are crap. Try dosing K Balance at double for a few weeks and see what happens. Keep a very careful eye out for any sign of burned tips. That would be my first reaction.

 

Bump. Any other takers?

 

Do you have any other species/genus of corals that are red, for example, acans, zoanthids, favites, etc and how do they fair.

Advanced Aquarist has some very good reads on coral pigment proteins (I think its 13 parts), part 3 refers mostly to the red pigment.

Feature Article: How to Make Corals More Colorful Part 3 - New Information: Red Fluorescent Pigments: DsRed-type — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

As coralline mentioned, its interesting how you can keep blue and yellows (from what I understand yellow is probably the hardest color to keep), but can't keep reds, which are almost as easy and greens and my favorite, browns. lol

I think the ULNS has something to do with it (though not solely this), maybe the right proteins aren't present for the chemical pigments that show red. However I'm not an expert and am just starting to understand the scientific/chemical part of coral colors.

 

Over my head.

I've got a orange/red monti cap, and a red/magenta BN that I seem to keep all right.

No idea on it though, sorry.

I do hope you achieve the results/colors you want soon though

 

Have you tested your Iron levels?