Spectrum colors for SPS?

[Sandroni]

Hi everyone, I run one AI Hydra 26 HD on my 45 Red sea. I’ve been noticing my greener acros/montis are kinda brown. Same with my blue/green acro. My pink and red frags such as mystic sunset, red digi, orange sunset and rainbow acan have good color. Here are my settings

 

[mcarroll]

You most recent complete set of test results would also be helpful.

Any recent changes to the tank?

How old is the tank?

 

[Sandroni]

You most recent complete set of test results would also be helpful.

Any recent changes to the tank?

How old is the tank?

It is about 3 months, I do water chabges every week my dKH is 11 and calcium 450 I used red sea pro salt. No new changes.

 

[mcarroll]

How about NO3 and PO4?

 

[Sandroni]

How about NO3 and PO4?

NO3 0 PO4 0.03. Myabe they need to color up? I only had them for a few weeks.

 

[mcarroll]

If you're doing anything to remove N or P from the system, like carbon dosing or GFO (or similar) I would stop. In the long term, zero on either NO3 or PO4 is not good.....on a new tank it's really not good. 3 months is very new!

Otherwise, just wait it out....feed the fish well.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Why don't you use the cool white?

Do you have a par or lux meter?

IMO , running lower "white " will lower your par.

 

[Sandroni]

Why don't you use the cool white?

Do you have a par or lux meter?

IMO , running lower "white " will lower your par.

I am not sure how much white I should run.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I am not sure how much white I should run.

Most folks don't really. I'm still up in the air in fact.
Most lights have a native color temperature. All channels at full Generally about 14 to 16000 kelvin.
By reducing the white channels the color temp increases to above 20 and 30k. Must ain't realize (and you'd have to check your specs) the white channel is usually actuallly 8 to 11kelvin. 11k will actually grow coral just fine. So will 5600k.

So it's worth considering increasing that part of the spectrum. Or if it's purely a visual choice , adding more to the peak lighting time.

As "blue" is a narrow selection of color frequency and white is a broad color mixture , "white" has more par.

Add this to the somewhat critical need to have enough intensity, it's worth considering that you may not be delivering enough par in the the other parts of the spectrum.

 

[jda]

Lots of companies spend a lot of time and money trying to replicate the 20K Radium output. It has red and green in it.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Try running at least some white and red. I'm not sure what the spectral quality of the 'deep red' is, but it might aid in photosynthesis and hence zoox/coral health. Far red 'relaxes' pressure on Photosystem II and can increase the photosynthetic rate.

 

[Sandroni]

Try running at least some white and red. I'm not sure what the spectral quality of the 'deep red' is, but it might aid in photosynthesis and hence zoox/coral health. Far red 'relaxes' pressure on Photosystem II and can increase the photosynthetic rate.

Thanks, will do.

 

[RUNVS]

FWIW When I put 2 Hydra 52 HD over my tank it took corals about 30-60 days before they started color correctly it takes time for the corals to acclimate to the intensity and spectrum of light, best advice is dont tinker with the spectrum pick a look that you like and leave it there and give the corals time to acclimate. Remember to start the corals low as you acclimate and slowly move them up