dosing iron helps corals with colors?

zheka757 · 04/05/2021, 04:29 PM

would it help getting pink show better out of my sps corals? like pink birds nest i have is no where near pink, its more like purple. i know light spectrum has alot to do with it. but can dosing iron help it? i have being testing for iron in my tank and it shows 0ppm, i also had it being confirmed by icp test that it is indeed 0

Oldreeferman · 04/08/2021, 06:04 PM

The lighting is 90% of the issue with colors as the eye can tell.
Sea salt mixes contain iron & all kinds of various minerals and if you use the same salt mix on 10 different tanks yet use different lighting on ea tank the same exact coral will look completely different in ea tank, sometimes wildly different depending on the coral species.
This is easy to test, several sites that sell corals online show you this and its explained so that the buyer wont think something is wrong with the frag when its just different lighting params and corals will adjust their algae in their flesh to end up compatible with the spectrum along with looking different then the purchase pics.
Purple is a good color it means the coral is thriving, in my tank my birdsnest is pink but im running all T-5 HOs no LEDS and ive read that many corals show better color on T-5s unless the setup is really tweaked to match bulbs closely.
Also some Birds nests corals are purple not just pink it differs with species & depth and very possibly lighting but the lighting can be easily determined by asking what lighting was used on said coral that looks pink in pics if they dont state it but most do.
Many reefers run too much blue and less natural light that effects corals after a while also as they need natural bright light, ultra violet, and "violet & some blue" for florescence eye candy for our eyes.
You could probably try dosing iron but to be honest if water changes are done at least monthly iron is added anyway & if no visual change is noticed its not an issue.
What lighting are you using?

zheka757 · 04/10/2021, 03:26 PM

im using a combo of led and t5, t5 being actinic, and coral plus. i got corals from the guy who I in person witness that they ware pink bird nest. he used ecotech radions.

Oldreeferman · 04/13/2021, 08:47 AM

Yea, it sounds like a lighting change issue. My Birdsnest looked more purple when i purchased it but turned pink under my lights. The shop ran hi end LEDs.
You could try adjusting your colors to closer match the lighting output that the radions have would be my try since you both are using LEDs.
The T5s will be the limiting factor tho, maybe adjust the LEDs with the T5s off see how things look then see how the T5s effect things visually since you have both competing together. TBH unless its the exact same lighting it is what it is tho lighting can be a head scratcher with so many combos.
Not worth loosing any sleep over tho long as the corals are thriving as changing lighting is a rediculessly expensive adventure in the quest for a perfect solution for all corals.

zheka757 · 04/13/2021, 04:07 PM

thank you for reply, im not loosing sleep about it, my sps looks healthy as of late, its just that i actually do want pink colors in my tank, my aquarium is lacking of red/pink colors.
anyways. i am dosing half of recommended amount of iron right now. lol, so far i just see it helping some kind of green algae to grow. but i like it as i have 8 tangs in my tank that have something to nibble on.

04/05/2021, 04:29 PM	#1
zheka757 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Port Florida Posts: 283	dosing iron helps corals with colors? would it help getting pink show better out of my sps corals? like pink birds nest i have is no where near pink, its more like purple. i know light spectrum has alot to do with it. but can dosing iron help it? i have being testing for iron in my tank and it shows 0ppm, i also had it being confirmed by icp test that it is indeed 0

04/08/2021, 06:04 PM	#2
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	The lighting is 90% of the issue with colors as the eye can tell. Sea salt mixes contain iron & all kinds of various minerals and if you use the same salt mix on 10 different tanks yet use different lighting on ea tank the same exact coral will look completely different in ea tank, sometimes wildly different depending on the coral species. This is easy to test, several sites that sell corals online show you this and its explained so that the buyer wont think something is wrong with the frag when its just different lighting params and corals will adjust their algae in their flesh to end up compatible with the spectrum along with looking different then the purchase pics. Purple is a good color it means the coral is thriving, in my tank my birdsnest is pink but im running all T-5 HOs no LEDS and ive read that many corals show better color on T-5s unless the setup is really tweaked to match bulbs closely. Also some Birds nests corals are purple not just pink it differs with species & depth and very possibly lighting but the lighting can be easily determined by asking what lighting was used on said coral that looks pink in pics if they dont state it but most do. Many reefers run too much blue and less natural light that effects corals after a while also as they need natural bright light, ultra violet, and "violet & some blue" for florescence eye candy for our eyes. You could probably try dosing iron but to be honest if water changes are done at least monthly iron is added anyway & if no visual change is noticed its not an issue. What lighting are you using? __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

04/13/2021, 08:47 AM	#4
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	Yea, it sounds like a lighting change issue. My Birdsnest looked more purple when i purchased it but turned pink under my lights. The shop ran hi end LEDs. You could try adjusting your colors to closer match the lighting output that the radions have would be my try since you both are using LEDs. The T5s will be the limiting factor tho, maybe adjust the LEDs with the T5s off see how things look then see how the T5s effect things visually since you have both competing together. TBH unless its the exact same lighting it is what it is tho lighting can be a head scratcher with so many combos. Not worth loosing any sleep over tho long as the corals are thriving as changing lighting is a rediculessly expensive adventure in the quest for a perfect solution for all corals. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

04/13/2021, 04:07 PM	#5
zheka757 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Port Florida Posts: 283	thank you for reply, im not loosing sleep about it, my sps looks healthy as of late, its just that i actually do want pink colors in my tank, my aquarium is lacking of red/pink colors. anyways. i am dosing half of recommended amount of iron right now. lol, so far i just see it helping some kind of green algae to grow. but i like it as i have 8 tangs in my tank that have something to nibble on. Last edited by zheka757; 04/13/2021 at 04:13 PM.

04/10/2021, 03:26 PM	#3
zheka757 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Port Florida Posts: 283	im using a combo of led and t5, t5 being actinic, and coral plus. i got corals from the guy who I in person witness that they ware pink bird nest. he used ecotech radions.