Tell me about brownouts

eros · 11/18/2008, 04:54 AM

One of the corals I traded a local reefer was a nice white when I got it but now has turned an ugly brown. It came from a tank with MH lighting and I'm running T5's so I figured my lighting would be less intense and the coral would be fine. I'm not sure what kind of coral it is. The same thing has happened to a Stylopora that I bought. It still have nice green polyps but the skeleton has turned brown. All my other corals are bright and vibrant.
Is this a lighting issue?
Is there any chance that these corals will get their original color back?

Capt_Cully · 11/18/2008, 06:58 AM

Check your nitrates

tmz · 11/18/2008, 07:52 AM

When ther is less light the coral will respond by growing more zooxanthelae to process more of the available light. It will also make less light shielding pigmaents. High nitrates also feed zooxanthelae growth. Zooxanthelae is brown.

eros · 11/18/2008, 03:11 PM

It must be my raised nitrates. They've recently jumped from 0 to 40 ppm and I have no idea why. I've been dosing vodka for 2 weeks, so far no change.

11/18/2008, 04:54 AM	#1
eros Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 878	Tell me about brownouts One of the corals I traded a local reefer was a nice white when I got it but now has turned an ugly brown. It came from a tank with MH lighting and I'm running T5's so I figured my lighting would be less intense and the coral would be fine. I'm not sure what kind of coral it is. The same thing has happened to a Stylopora that I bought. It still have nice green polyps but the skeleton has turned brown. All my other corals are bright and vibrant. Is this a lighting issue? Is there any chance that these corals will get their original color back?

11/18/2008, 06:58 AM	#2
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	Check your nitrates __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

11/18/2008, 07:52 AM	#3
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	When ther is less light the coral will respond by growing more zooxanthelae to process more of the available light. It will also make less light shielding pigmaents. High nitrates also feed zooxanthelae growth. Zooxanthelae is brown. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

11/18/2008, 03:11 PM	#4
eros Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 878	It must be my raised nitrates. They've recently jumped from 0 to 40 ppm and I have no idea why. I've been dosing vodka for 2 weeks, so far no change.