MH Coral Color Question...Advice Please

[totalchaos13]

So I love the look of my 3X 400W 20K Radiums and the growth rate of my coral has been great, but my coral color is just not as strong as I'd like it to be. There's just no "pop". The majority of my SPS have been under this lighting for 9 weeks and based on pictures from when I received the frags I'd say the color has faded a bit.

Right now the bulbs sit 10.5" off the water surface. Would lowering them make any difference or is my only option supplemental actinics? Really wish I could "borrow" a small T5 or LED set to test before dropping any serious cash...

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[mrflameangel]

I was in the same boat as you. I run 3x 250w 20k mh. I was not getting the pop like I wanted. So I added 4 retrofit 48" t5's with ATI blue+ bulbs.

I just use the t5s as viewing lights and not for growth. My t5s come on for 1hr then the mh's come on for 4hrs (t5 off). After the 4hrs the t5s come back on for 3 more hrs.

I'm now very plz with it and I have the pop I like to see.

 

[totalchaos13]

MrFlameangel;864540 wrote: I was in the same boat as you. I run 3x 250w 20k mh. I was not getting the pop like I wanted. So I added 4 retrofit 48" t5's with ATI blue+ bulbs.

I just use the t5s as viewing lights and not for growth. My t5s come on for 1hr then the mh's come on for 4hrs (t5 off). After the 4hrs the t5s come back on for 3 more hrs.

I'm now very plz with it and I have the pop I like to see.

How did you position the T5's? I am concerned with them interfering with the MH's "light path".

 

[chefrepo]

In order to get the "pop" you are going to have to supplement the halides. Check out Steve's LEDs. Great prices.

 

[mrflameangel]

Totalchaos13;864541 wrote: How did you position the T5's? I am concerned with them interfering with the MH's "light path".

I was also but the mh's don't interfere at all. Here is a pic. I have 2 in front and 2 in the back. There is not a single dark spot in the tank.

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[nassar0505]

I run 2 250w halides and two mm leds for color control. Works great and you won't go through bulbs

 

[jfoxx81]

MrFlameangel;864550 wrote: I was also but the mh's don't interfere at all. Here is a pic. I have 2 in front and 2 in the back. There is not a single dark spot in the tank.

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Can I come check your tank out one day soon...in local here in Macon Chris has been telling me about your tank..

 

[mrflameangel]

jfoxx81;864554 wrote: Can I come check your tank out one day soon...in local here in Macon Chris has been telling me about your tank..

Of course, any reefer is welcome into my home.

 

[jfoxx81]

MrFlameangel;864557 wrote: Of course, any reefer is welcome into my home.

Cool ill just shoot you a pm one day soon when I have time to come by and check out the tank

Edit:

MrFlameangel;864557 wrote: Of course, any reefer is welcome into my home.

Cool ill just shoot you a pm one day soon when I have time to come by and check out the tank

 

[KrisDeitz]

MrFlameangel;864557 wrote: Of course, any reefer is welcome into my home.

Awesome wife and kids on their way!

 

[mrflameangel]

Lol just bring beer and chips.

 

[ralph atl]

Totalchaos13;864533 wrote: So I love the look of my 3X 400W 20K Radiums and the growth rate of my coral has been great, but my coral color is just not as strong as I'd like it to be. There's just no "pop". The majority of my SPS have been under this lighting for 9 weeks and based on pictures from when I received the frags I'd say the color has faded a bit.

Right now the bulbs sit 10.5" off the water surface. Would lowering them make any difference or is my only option supplemental actinics? Really wish I could "borrow" a small T5 or LED set to test before dropping any serious cash...

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Although a row of T-5's or led's would add pop, three 400 watt Radiums should add enough pop, IMHO.


I was check your water chemistry, especially, nitrates, phates, Alk, and mag & flow. 9 weeks is a reasonable amount of time that your corals should pop....unless they were under artinic lighting or photo shopped to begin with.

No need to lower lights....

 

[totalchaos13]

mysterybox;864574 wrote: Although a row of T-5's or led's would add pop, three 400 watt Radiums should add enough pop, IMHO.


I was check your water chemistry, especially, nitrates, phates, Alk, and mag & flow. 9 weeks is a reasonable amount of time that your corals should pop....unless they were under artinic lighting or photo shopped to begin with.

No need to lower lights....

Good point on the chem, but my husbandry is solid and "a ok". Out of curiosity I just hit my coral with a small "invisible ink pen" light and WHAM! That's what' missing...

Don't get me wrong, I love the Radiums but for my taste I need some of that fluorescent glow to make it just perfect. Thanks for all the quick replies tonight everyone!

 

[hfleming]

I run 2 x 400W halides with 20k Radium also. The color is good but I'm like you, I think it could "Pop" a little more. I'm working on an LED build, for starters I'm going try a handful of royal blues just to see how it supplements the halides with the eventual goal of going total LED.

Right now this is the tank with just the Radium. The color is a little better than the picture shows.

 

[totalchaos13]

hfleming;864578 wrote: I run 2 x 400W halides with 20k Radium also. The color is good but I'm like you, I think it could "Pop" a little more. I'm working on an LED build, for starters I'm going try a handful of royal blues just to see how it supplements the halides with the eventual goal of going total LED.

Right now this is the tank with just the Radium. The color is a little better than the picture shows.

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Looks nice! How high above the surface of the water are your bulbs mounted?

 

[ripped tide]

This is a little off subject, but I have to ask.

Totalchaos, how did you get a picture of my sister-in-law??? :lol2:

 

[totalchaos13]

Ripped Tide;864631 wrote: This is a little off subject, but I have to ask.

Totalchaos, how did you get a picture of my sister-in-law??? :lol2:

Lol! Believe it or not, I personally took that picture at a zoo in Iowa years ago. The monkey yawned right behind my daughter when I snapped the pic. Crazy...

 

[ripped tide]

That's a pretty awesome shot! Nice job.

 

[acroholic]

IME it can take a good deal longer than 9 weeks for corals to adapt to new spectrum lighting. I am just now starting to see pop in some of my LED raised SPS coral colors, and they have been under 400 watt Radium halides since December. I'd give it more time. Not that you'd hurt anything by adding some actinic supplementation, but I've never needed any actinic supplementation with Radium bulbs. The Radiums do it all.

 

[reef coffee & curly hair]

I run 3 250w Phoenix 14k DE bulb's with two AI Sol Blues squeezed in between the three at 12 inches and this particular setup has worked out great so far. The AI's do add that little something but not a huge difference. Acro's are loving it.
+1 on anything Radium.