sps corals color
- Thread starter reefer44
- Start date
golfish
Active Member
Not 12K
You'll like em, I didn't because they were too blue for me..
I've never seen 20K 175 watt bulbs so I could tell you what they look like.. I can tell you that 400 watt 20K Radiums on the 430(want-a-be HQI) ballast are far from blue, more like a crisp white with a hint of blue
You'll like em, I didn't because they were too blue for me.. I've never seen 20K 175 watt bulbs so I could tell you what they look like.. I can tell you that 400 watt 20K Radiums on the 430(want-a-be HQI) ballast are far from blue, more like a crisp white with a hint of blue
jauringer
Member
Wow this is jumping all over the place. i guess I will throw an ipinion in here as well.
reefer44: first of all you have plenty of light. I wouldn't use a 20k bulb or anything, but water quality is going to be more important than light with any setup.
golfish: studies do show that alkalinity does play a big role in SPS coloration. The studies I have read suggest at least 10dkh. I have seen a diff. with my own eyes.
(see you been in the hobby for 5 years and still learn something new everyday.)
reefer44: as far as light acclimation is concerned. you will be going from a 6500k bulb to a 12k, so those new bulbs will be throwing out much less PAR. I wouldn't worry to much about acclimation your corals to a less intense bulb.
isn't it jsut the same as moving a coral from your tank to another (like trading frags)...tehy never die when that happens
it is like that, but sometimes with new bulbs or lower k ratings it will increase intensity by more than it would just moving a coral up the water column a few inches.
reefer44: first of all you have plenty of light. I wouldn't use a 20k bulb or anything, but water quality is going to be more important than light with any setup.
golfish: studies do show that alkalinity does play a big role in SPS coloration. The studies I have read suggest at least 10dkh. I have seen a diff. with my own eyes.
(see you been in the hobby for 5 years and still learn something new everyday.)
reefer44: as far as light acclimation is concerned. you will be going from a 6500k bulb to a 12k, so those new bulbs will be throwing out much less PAR. I wouldn't worry to much about acclimation your corals to a less intense bulb.
isn't it jsut the same as moving a coral from your tank to another (like trading frags)...tehy never die when that happens
it is like that, but sometimes with new bulbs or lower k ratings it will increase intensity by more than it would just moving a coral up the water column a few inches.
S
spsaddict
Guest
Originally posted by golfish
Not 12K
You'll like em, I didn't because they were too blue for me.. I've never seen 20K 175 watt bulbs so I could tell you what they look like.. I can tell you that 400 watt 20K Radiums on the 430(want-a-be HQI) ballast are far from blue, more like a crisp white with a hint of blue
xm has a 175w 20k, ushio has one as well... basically if a manufacturer makes a 10k in 175w they will make a 20k
golfish
Active Member
Originally posted by spsaddict
xm has a 175w 20k, ushio has one as well... basically if a manufacturer makes a 10k in 175w they will make a 20k
BTW, 20K bulbs are pretty new as far as AB and Ushio goes. A few years ago about the only 20K bulb out was the Radium (maybe one or two others)
reefer44
Member
i still am not seeing the color that i wnat...i am trying to get the most out of these acros and make a little money back from the tank
I think i am going to add a 250win the middle of the tank and the two 175w on the other sides.....the 250w is going to be double ended and 10k........ and that will show a lot better color than they are now..
what do you all think?
I think i am going to add a 250win the middle of the tank and the two 175w on the other sides.....the 250w is going to be double ended and 10k........ and that will show a lot better color than they are now..
what do you all think?
S
spsaddict
Guest
like ive stated you want color get a 20k bulb, the xms will burn into a whiter color after a month, but your tank will look blue for the first month...
S
spsaddict
Guest
that would work, but the sides are gunna look whiter than the center
steveweast
Member
There is one thing not mentioned yet here.... and that is coral species and/or origin. I know that many of us can look at a new coral shipment and tell which coral colors are going to hold in our tanks and which are doomed to quickly fade. Many of the Fiji corals that come out of the box with bright yellow, pink, baby blue, etc. will only become less vibrant in our systems; yet, I have had tan/brown corals come in from Bali that turn into absolute jewels. I have a feeling that many of the Fiji corals are harvested from portions of the reef (namely, high light or absolutley pristine water parameters) that are impossible for us to replicate...so, the coral's color fades. I now only add corals to my system that I know will keep or improve in color....I've passed on many brilliantly colored corals on shipment day only to purchase the "brown turd". The wisdom of my choice is only apparent in a few months time. This comes from the experience of having utterly failed at being able to maintain the color of some of the brilliantly colored Fiji corals.
So, your inability to keep some of the brilliant colors may be more a result of being doomed from the start from a poor coral color choice. One way to be sure is to obtain frags from fellow reefers whose corals are holding their color...... it's this reason why the Oregon and Cali torts are so popular...these are corals that maintain their brilliant colors. It's an expensive speculative game to play when dealing with wild corals.
So, your inability to keep some of the brilliant colors may be more a result of being doomed from the start from a poor coral color choice. One way to be sure is to obtain frags from fellow reefers whose corals are holding their color...... it's this reason why the Oregon and Cali torts are so popular...these are corals that maintain their brilliant colors. It's an expensive speculative game to play when dealing with wild corals.