Purple Milli Help?

[jeep9783]

ok i picked up an le blue tort holding its color very well goof pollip extension...green acro holding color very well with good pollip extension...green monti holdin color...got the blue tort up top about three inches below the water and lights are about three inches above the water (lights 2x36 t5ho actinic nova extreme setup and 3x48 10ks and 1x48 460nm all t5 ho with ice cap 660) 8.1 ph this is the only thing a little low...mesh modded resirc skimmer octpus....ok now the question i got a purple milli with good pollip extension but not coloring up it is about 5 inches deep in water but not understanding why there is no color?

chris

 

[mojo]

Good polyp extension is usually an indication that the coral is happy. How long as the purple milli been in your tank? Sometimes it takes 2-3 months before it'll color up. I would also question your lights being strong enough... usually the blue and purple corals require very intense lighting to keep their colors - it's hard to get that intense without metal halide lights.

 

[skriz]

+1 to what Mojo said.

Also, if you're slack at water changes, that will affect colouration.

 

[skriz]

Oh, and being that it's higher up in the tank, have you looked at the colour from the top looking down? One of my mille's was higher up in the tank and always looked bad; that is until I looked at it from the top-it was amazing! I realized that I was looking at the bottom of the coral which didn't have much colour.

 

[jeep9783]

Well at the store it was under t5s...those lights were 12+ inches from the water and the coral was atlest 10-12 inches deep...I would assume that blue is harder to maintain than purple though (atleast i would think) and the blue is holding...it was purple at the store that is what has me stumped...they had t5 ho s but higher up...the pollips are out almost 1/4 inch and swaying all about just no color...coral has only been in there since sat but i typically get color within the hour

 

[skriz]

maybe the colour combo of their bulbs?

 

[jeep9783]

I beleave they had 2 actinic 2 fiji purples and 4 10ks? not sure but i don't want to loose to much more par by adding an actinic or fiji purple...what else could i do?

 

[jeep9783]

anyone know the smallest reflectors available maybe i can get 4 more bulbs in there if i take out the two 36in bulbs...or maybe build a new canopy with a bit more room...anyone have any canopys laying around for a standard rr 75?

 

[jeep9783]

I know that there are some t5 members out there...little help from the non heat lamp users...(i use heat lamps for my gecko's not reef...lol j/k)