SPS losing color

[kewlFish]

Do you know why some coral loses their color?
I have a purple bonsai but now it's looking like acro nana.
Only the tips are purple now.
Is it the lighting or supplement?
I currently have 2 250W Mh 10k reeflux and PC actinics.
I'm also doing 2 part dosing.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

it could be so many diff. things.

i would check your levels alk, cal, mag, and phosphates, salinity, nitrates

if all of those are ok then i would try moving it into a diff. location in the tank. if that dont work then i would check how old your lights are and how many hours you have them on for... there are so many diff. variables that affect a coral its not even funny

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Depending on your water parameters, it could be anything.

 

[kewlFish]

I check everything else but I never checked Mag.
I don't put Mag supplement either.
I just use 2 part dosing.
How important is Mag anyway?
I though if you use the 2 part dosing everything else should be fine.
Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[kewlFish]

It was beautiful when I first got it...it slowly lost it's color
Can it regain color?

 

[autoponicz]

cal/alk/mag work together to keep the levels stable...too much of 1 will deplete the other.....but giving you an answer to the color would .......uuhh....i dunno..

 

[Tonyscoots84]

magnesium is very important it keeps alk and calcium stable....

 

[Wes]

yes the bonzai can recover and regain the color if you correct the problem

 

[meschaefer]

If you really want help, you should provide us with a lot more info. Give the results of all your water tests, and what you used to test them. Need to know how big your tank is, what you have going on in terms of flow, supplements, filtration, feeding, inhabitants, etc. etc. And a full tank shot, would also help.

 

[kewlFish]

I'll try to post b4 and after pics
and water test result tonite.

So lighting has nothing to do with coral losing it's color.

It's all in the water parameter.

 

[autoponicz]

does yours look like this guy?...anyone identify?...i forgot the name.

 

[autoponicz]

think it was a nana or valida...

 

[kewlFish]

It looks like that now. But before the body is all purple and neon green polyps.
I'll post some pics tonite.

 

[meschaefer]

So lighting has nothing to do with coral losing it's color.

While it could, I don't think that is your problem.

 

[jackson6745]

Lots of these types of bonsai corals will loose their solid color purple color and only keep purple tips with a tan body. It doesn't necessarily mean your water quality is poor. Although if that tan body looks brown, high po4 is usually the culprit.

Anyway, I don't think anyone here will be able to tell you how to bring back the solid purple color in any certainty. One idea thrown around would be a potassium deficiency?? FWIW I noticed that bonsai corals kept in a well fed tank (lots of fish), while maintaining low po4, will keep the solid color.
I also see the majority of the more colorful pieces in the bottom of different reefers tank.