Coral Growth depending on lighting

bluwtr · Dec 17, 2013

Just curious what others have noted in their tanks as to what seems to cause the best growth. I ask because I've progressed from T5's, to MH to now LED's. I had pretty good growth and okay color with the T5's; great growth but yuk color with the MH; and now I've got (at least it's getting much better) great color and not much growth. With all of the different lights, I've run from 15K to probably 18K (now) on my color temp. With my LED's I'm running my royal blue and UV's at 100% and my cool whites around 60%.

revhtree · Dec 17, 2013

Bump!

Diesel · Dec 17, 2013

It seems that SPS need to get used to the more direct light LED's are bringing to them.
After a while you see that the shaded side of the SPS not have much color and PE.
It took my corals about 5 months avg that I saw some new good growth on them.
Just keep your tank stable and give it time.
You know Light is not all that make your SPS grow, we talking flow, placing, nutrients, ALK, CAL, MAG.

bluwtr · Dec 18, 2013

Yeah I agree. I have upgraded my flow as $$ has allowed and since I added the LED's I also added one of the Chinese Ecotech knock-off pumps; the WP25 from Jebao. Not as slick looking as the Ecotechs nor does it have the extra bells and whistles, but it does move A LOT of water and it has a multitude of settings so I'm getting great random flow now. I am seeing some growth on my Digis now and a little on my Acros, but the weird thing is I still do not have much PE. My birds nest is as "fuzzy" as they come, but the other SPS hardly ever show PE. I expect things to come around as the corals get used to the light, and as I said, color is def coming on stronger now which makes me happy, happy, happy!