Corals turning brown

Fizzerman · 08/02/2008, 09:55 AM

I have a 40g frag tank. I run one 250 watt 14k Hamilton. The bulb is only three months old. I had a green slimer turn brown and some other corals turning brown. Is it because of the light or something else?

Sk8r · 08/02/2008, 09:56 AM

How deep are they? Height of light? It could be the light. Check alkalinity: that can be a problem.

Fizzerman · 08/02/2008, 10:11 AM

Lights are 10" above water the corals are 6" to 8" under water.

Sk8r · 08/02/2008, 10:16 AM

Try lowering them to about 10" or raising light 2". I run a 250w in not too dust-free water at about 10" (counting thickenss of fixture) and have most sps corals at around 8-10, one torch at 6. Everybody's happy, but my water clarity is not the highest.

downhillbiker · 08/02/2008, 11:04 AM

are the corals new? did you aclimmate them to the lights. they may be going through light shock. this is common if you bought them from someone with lesser lighting such as VHO, t-5, or old metal halide bulbs. i also recommend lowering them in the tank.

Fizzerman · 08/02/2008, 11:33 AM

alkalinity is 10dkh. The corals i had them for about a month and the person i got them from had 20k Radium 400watts.

Anemonebuff · 08/02/2008, 12:27 PM

Excess nutrients can cause corals to brown.

Tang Salad · 08/02/2008, 12:37 PM

Yeah too much light shouldn't cause browning, but high PO4 and NO3 certainly will. In fact you can ignore your test results; if the SPS are getting browner, then you have those nutrients and should work to remove them.

downhillbiker · 08/02/2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tang Salad
Yeah too much light shouldn't cause browning, but high PO4 and NO3 certainly will. In fact you can ignore your test results; if the SPS are getting browner, then you have those nutrients and should work to remove them.

i originally heard too much light doesnt cause browning too, but mine went through browning, then bleaching, then RTN. light shock was certainly a possibility, but since light PAR is probably close between the two lights, this isn't a factor.

i would say that testing needs to be done, and the skimmer needs to be checked. maybe crank it up slightly. PO4 often doesnt show up on test kits, but is still there, it is just being used up by algae as it is produced. do you have algae issues?

08/02/2008, 09:55 AM	#1
Fizzerman Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 13	Corals turning brown I have a 40g frag tank. I run one 250 watt 14k Hamilton. The bulb is only three months old. I had a green slimer turn brown and some other corals turning brown. Is it because of the light or something else?

08/02/2008, 09:56 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	How deep are they? Height of light? It could be the light. Check alkalinity: that can be a problem. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/02/2008, 10:16 AM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Try lowering them to about 10" or raising light 2". I run a 250w in not too dust-free water at about 10" (counting thickenss of fixture) and have most sps corals at around 8-10, one torch at 6. Everybody's happy, but my water clarity is not the highest. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/02/2008, 11:04 AM	#5
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	are the corals new? did you aclimmate them to the lights. they may be going through light shock. this is common if you bought them from someone with lesser lighting such as VHO, t-5, or old metal halide bulbs. i also recommend lowering them in the tank. __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

08/02/2008, 12:37 PM	#8
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	Yeah too much light shouldn't cause browning, but high PO4 and NO3 certainly will. In fact you can ignore your test results; if the SPS are getting browner, then you have those nutrients and should work to remove them. __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS

08/02/2008, 10:11 AM	#3
Fizzerman Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 13	Lights are 10" above water the corals are 6" to 8" under water.

08/02/2008, 11:33 AM	#6
Fizzerman Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 13	alkalinity is 10dkh. The corals i had them for about a month and the person i got them from had 20k Radium 400watts.

08/02/2008, 12:27 PM	#7
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,877	Excess nutrients can cause corals to brown.