Mariculture SPS frustrations.

[fredro]

I have noticed that a few Maricultured SPS Minicolonies that I had gotten a few months back began to brown out or bleach out. I have a nice Pastel Blue Acro that held its color for a month or so after I got it. The polyps are always and have always been open and and healthy. After it began to get a tan color, which it maintains to this day, all the new growth was the same color as it was when I originally got it. I'm not sure if there's a way to get the part of the original piece to regain its color. My PO4 reads 0.00 4/5 tests and even when it does register, it's no more than 0.02 (Hanna). its not a low light issue, because if I raise up the brightness, they'll bleach. I'll add that my Nitrates are undetectable on numerous different tests.

Could this just be something that is a side effect of Maricultured Corals or is there another factor that can be contributing to the browning, besides low light and high nitrates or phosphates?

Also, it's a LED Radion lit tank.

On the other hand, there are several pieces with good color and ALL corals (SPS, LPS & Softirs) are happy and healthy.

8.8 dKH
470 Ca
1300 Mg
0.00 PO4
0.00 NH3

 

[duromega]

I keep my PO4 at 0.06 and NO3 at 5ppm

I noticed my SPS lose color when there's no nutrients in my tank
I have a few maricultured SPS and they are doing great

have you try play with your nutrient balance?

 

[fredro]

I've cut back On water changes your 5 gal every 10-14 days. Added more fish and feed heavily, yet I can't get my nitrates to register. Can lack of nutrients cause browning? Also if the new growth is not brown, then why isn't the old parts of the colony "in-browning!"

But like I said, it's not all pieces, just a few. That's why I suspect it may just be a result of the individual Maricultured piece.
On the aquacultured pieces, there's not much browning, if any, but the colors could be more vibrant. Now that I'll attribute to low nutrients.

 

[lrasser]

bring them over here. I'll cook them for you.

 

[ValorG]

I'm going to assume that you most likely bought it slightly bleached. And it took a month or so for it to regain its beneficial algae. This has happened to me before. Most maricultured pieces you buy will be slightly bleached/browned out. May take another few months in you tank before it will take on its natural colors in your tank.

 

[fredro]

Yes. It was slightly bleached when I bought it, but not really browned. Then it gained color in the tank, just before it browned. Then a few weeks later when it started to grow, the new growth came in nice and colorful, but the original piece stayed browned, still is. If it were larger, I would clip the new growth off and frag them into new pieces. Growth rate is quite good. Just can't figure out why it's browned and how to get the oruginalmpi part of it to color back up.

 

[ducati335i]

they really are hit or miss.. i always chop them up soon as i see them having problems.. i have one colony i chopped up.. i placed one part high in the tank and its doing great w not a lot of flow (already encrusting) other parts mid way and they aren't doing as well.(yes plenty of light power.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Do you guys suggest high, mid or low? The suspected mariculture colonies that I have purchased seem to be doing better in coloration in lower light with high flow.

I am going to start chopping them up and placing them in separate locations. If one grows out, I'll be happy that one will eventually survive and grow out.

 

[arcmetal110]

they really are hit or miss.. i always chop them up soon as i see them having problems.. i have one colony i chopped up.. i placed one part high in the tank and its doing great w not a lot of flow (already encrusting) other parts mid way and they aren't doing as well.(yes plenty of light power.

I agree with you, doing the exact same thing like you do, whenever I see them have stn I chop them up and place different areas, was able to save most of the species with the chop off method.