Blue food coloring in tank

[jdennysgir]

I am ever so slowly converting over to a reef tank. When I had freshwater tanks I added a few drops of blue food coloring to give it a bluish tint. Do you think it would harm anything in a reef tank? Thanks ahead of time.

 

[thegrog]

I would never do that with a reef tank. Not only could it harm your corals, but it will lessen the light penetration and your corals will suffer from that as well.
Get lighting with actinics for your blue effect. Looks far better! If you get 20,000K metal halides, you will not only have the blue effect, but a shimmering effect as well!

 

[pbienkiewi]

Blue coolaid works best it even tasts good if while sucking it gets into your mouth. Kidding about all of that...... Some say paper the back or paint it. I prefer to painting it. I have the back of my 55gal a light blue color. Walmart, Acrylic can and i rolled it on.

 

[jdennysgir]

I have already purchased a 175W 14K metal halide. I do already have blue backing on my tank. Since I added the new light it just seems so bright and I did like the slight bluish tint I had in my freshwater aquariums. I will try to post a pic.

 

[pbienkiewi]

I had a 55gal chiclid tank. I use to use baking soda to raise alk. I converted it to saltwater with mono's and scats. The baking soda made my calcium levels extreamly low. I changed the substate and alot of water changes. Then I turned it into corals. I wish I knew what I wanted to do in the begining.

 

[ophiura]

The alk/calcium relationship is critically important in saltwater tanks so definitely want to keep on top of that as well....big time important!
As for the food coloring, no, I wouldn't do that. Supplement with more actinic lighting, and when you have corals it will be more colorful...but the food coloring idea is just not really appropriate.