Tired of light questions? Please Help!

[theishkid]

Ok here's the scoop.
I have a 46gl bowfront tank, reef setup.
I've got a 96 watt corallife fixture that I bought, and then the eclipse light setup that came with the tank.
I've been told I have a pretty good light setup but whenever i bring some corals home from the LFS they seem to be a little bit different color. Like maybe a little more dull. For example I just bought a Pearl Coral that looked like a... well pearl color, I bring it home and it still looks beautiful but now it's more of an off-white/greenish color. I've been told that I'm actually seeing the way the corals really look because I have more acurate lighting and not as much uv light.
I like what the uv light does to the tank. I like the blueish tint it gives off and the glow the corals have. So my question is could i replace the two 12" eclipse daytime lights with some uv lights? Would that be wise to do? What exactly would happen? Do I need to keep those daytime lamps or what?
Sorry in advance for not sounding too technical. Please try to send replies in Lamens (did i spell that right) terms. I'm fairly young to the saltwater terminology and especially the lighting technology. Thanks

 

[bdhough]

There are several factors in coral color.
1) the spectrum of light you are shining on them. I personally like the 10k/actinic 03 effect which is bright crisp light with blue mixed in. Some like more blue some like 20k's some like 6.7k's. It's all dependent on you but i would never buy a bulb whos spectrum of light is lower than 6.7k's
2)Corals, some, have an ability to produce a variety of colors in their "skin". Essentially their color is based on a symbiotic algae growing in them. The more intense the light, the better the color. The lower the light, the better chance a coral will "loose" color and produce brown's or some other easier to make algae....
You are probably seeing the bubble produce a better color. If the bubble was white white when you bought him then he was most likely bleached. Meaning he expelled his algae from his body. Be careful buying a white coral or anemone. They need some TLC to come back to their former color.
2.5) which is kind of a factor. Just sheer amount of light. The brighter the tank the more color you'll probalby see....