Need advice on my lobo.

[mhayes462]

I bought this lobo bleached like this from the Lfs. I have had it in my tank for 2.5 wks now. It doesn't seem to be getting its color back yet. It is in a 29g biocube with the stock 36w actinic and white bulbs and a 21x1w led fixture. It sits on the sand bed at the front of the tank under the 36w 10k white bulb. It eats really well. It puts feeder tentacles out every night and swells up nicely. My params are: amm 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 5, phosphates .25, ph 8.2, calcium 410, alkalinity 11 dkh, and salinity 1.025.
I feed it mysis and brine shrimp and occasionally soak the food in selcon. What should I do to help it color up? I have a nice canopy in the rock work it can sit under if it needs less light. Any help would greatly appreciated. Thanks

Mike Hayes

 

[btldreef]

It's healthy appetite is a good sign. The phosphates are not. Do you know where your phosphates are coming from?
I actually think it's time to move it up and get it a little more light.

 

[mhayes462]

Not sure on the phosphates. I bought the tank from someone else and the last few months before they sold it they neglected any tank maintenance. Nitrates used to be around 100 and phosphates 5. I took the tank and let it cycle and did water changes and the nitrates and phosphates have been drastically falling. I am in the second week of vodka dosing also. I run a fuge with chaeto and a skimmer also. Just set up my own Rodi unit so I won't have to worry about the water quality. Tds is zero. So I think the phosphates arent from anything new. Remember though that I bought this coral like this at a good price. So you believe I should try more light?
Mike Hayes