Zoas turning from nice orange color to nasty brown

[Seansea]

Bought this nice colony of orange and green zoas from lfs which he had under like 20k blue lights. Brought them home and after being in tank for about a month they are turning brown. Some are still orange not not many. They are under kessil a160s running ramp up to 40% color at 50% intesity for 6 hours.

Parameters
8.3 ph
5 nitrate
.18 phos
dkh 9.8 steady

Do you think they miss the deep blue color of the 20k? I really dont care for the look of the tank that blue makes all the fish more or less look blue too. Heres a pic albeit a bad one

 

[jsker]

alk is high and phosphates are high.

I would suggest bringing down your alk a bit.

 

[footgal]

Hi! After reading your post, I noticed that you said it took a whole month for the color to deteriorate like that. I think your hunch is right that your lighting is lacking and that is causing the zoas to brown out significantly. I think if you turn the lights up, it will make the zoas look way better. Since they arent stretching or “mushrooming” I think a small change will do the trick (10% Increase maybe?) and you should see improvement in 1-2 weeks if this is the issue. Happy reefing!

 

[ChiCity]

i don’t think turning your lights up will help….

browning out is generally caused by excess zooxanthellae,
which is caused by too much light, in most corals.

zoas can be tricky, especially in newer tanks..
your rocks are bone white.
maybe wait a lil bit and try again

 

[Seansea]

I raised the lights up 10% and took it down to 30% color from 50 and they bounced back. Think the jump from his super blue tank to mine with the highter kelvin freaked em out. Tks for the help yall