Confused About acclimating SPS

[nin0]

Im kinda confused about how sps coloration determines whether its doing well or not...because ive heard 2 complete opposite answers. For example if the sps was originally white when bought at the pet store and started to turn brownish within a couple of weeks when transfered to the home aquarium doesnt that mean that the coral is acclimating properly to the lighting? Others say that the brown means that its bad because its producing way too much zooanthallae too fast and it might end up bleaching....which one is it?

 

[npaden]

A white SPS coral is typically not a good thing. There are a thousand different theories out their on coloration, etc., but white means the coral is bleached out and a brown coral is typically a healthy coral.

There are much more complex answers out there but that should get your question.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

From what I've seen SPS corals turn brown if they have not been getting enough light.

Given time, and exposure to progressively stonger light they change to all sort of really nice colors e.g. blue, purple, yellow etc.

IMO brown is not a color to be aiming for with a SPS coral.

 

[Ben1]

Their are alot of SPS that are always brown. I use 400 watt w/ actinics, yet two of my sps are always brown despite being high or low in light.

What Im trying to say is brown is a very healthy color. Yellow, blue, red, pink ect. are IMO a responce some SPS have to high ALK and exposure to exsesive UV rays.

Lots of SPS come in to the LFS slightly bleached (not losing any tissue just pigment) from exposure to low lighting high stress situations.
I bought a very light tan acro at my LFS years ago that turned dark brown in months then to a greenish gray brown color. IMO color isnt really realative to health, unless it is a bleaching color.

HTH