Supplimenting light for my H.magnifica nem

[atoll]

H.Magnifica loves light and it also likes to reside just below the surface. I recently bought a Magnifica nem which is about 8" under my water's surface. I run Radions XR30 Gen 3 pros so should be enough light. However, from my research, the colour spectrum for the Magnifica nem is different from many corals with less blue light being better for them as far as I understand and more in the lower K daylight spectrum.

I kept H.magnificas many years ago under 5400k metal halides with no problems very successfully.

I got to thinking would supplementing my Radion with a 6500k spotlight be a good idea. I have seen a 15w 6500k spotlight with 60 degree lens (it with also comes with 180 degree lens) which would be ideal to pick out the nem.

Here's a link.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...6NYYLH58&psc=1

They also do a marine full spectrum version here.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...96NYYLH58&th=1

Thoughts please.

 

[jda]

I have not kept on in a decade when I had all kinds of MH running, but one of my friends loves them and has a dozen, or so. He still uses 10K MH on them. The issue with many 6.5K/White diodes is that the burn coral in any kind of high amount and nobody really knows why... you can use double the PAR, or more, of T5 or MH and they all do fine. You can read up on "white LED coral burn" and get all kinds of stuff. Some folks will tell you that you can blend other colors to look white, but I am not sure if this trick will work on a H Mag which is more complicated than our eyes... but I dunno.

H Mags, to me, are specialty creatures and need the most like sunlight as possible. I would at least use a 150W 6.5k or 10K halide... something like a Hamilton Bimini Sun.

 

[atoll]

My idea is to blend the spotlight in with the Radion adding more of the daylight spectrum. So more about the spectrum and adding to it without changing it for the rest of my corals esp my SPS.

 

[atoll]

I have not kept on in a decade when I had all kinds of MH running, but one of my friends loves them and has a dozen, or so. He still uses 10K MH on them. The issue with many 6.5K/White diodes is that the burn coral in any kind of high amount and nobody really knows why... you can use double the PAR, or more, of T5 or MH and they all do fine. You can read up on "white LED coral burn" and get all kinds of stuff. Some folks will tell you that you can blend other colors to look white, but I am not sure if this trick will work on a H Mag which is more complicated than our eyes... but I dunno.

H Mags, to me, are specialty creatures and need the most like sunlight as possible. I would at least use a 150W 6.5k or 10K halide... something like a Hamilton Bimini Sun.

Thanks for your reply and advice. I don't want to replace my one Radion over the nem (I have 3 on my tank) just supplement it as said above with more of the daylight end of the spectrum.

 

[jda]

If you do manage to give it enough white/daylight light with LED, then please post back. I am skeptical that this is possible without burning it, or other things, but I would love to hear about any successes.

Good luck. Those are magnificent creatures and I sometimes really miss mine.

 

[atoll]

If you do manage to give it enough white/daylight light with LED, then please post back. I am skeptical that this is possible without burning it, or other things, but I would love to hear about any successes.

Good luck. Those are magnificent creatures and I sometimes really miss mine.

Of the 2 I have posted of in my first post I am still undecided. 6.500K which is freshwater rated or the full spectrum.

Here is a pic of my H.magnifica with resident male and female pair clowns.

 

[atoll]

I am hoping Dana will have a view on this and share it.
I have posted a similar question on a number of forums and got quite a few different and conflicting answers. I am leaning towards the 6500k at the moment.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

If I remember to later, I will try and post some photos and video of a nice H.Magnifica I took in Moorea last month. It was on the side of a large boulder about 2 feet under the water surface, with a resident family of damsels.

Dennis

 

[gig 'em]

I think it could be worth a shot. Id agree that they like warmer light spectrums, I've seen them as shallow as 1 foot under the water in the wild. I know that they will usually take the highest ground if they can feel their way to it, so I keep mine on rock islands, otherwise they'll climb the glass when conditions aren't how they like. I've never seen one shy away from more light, so supplementing it probably won't be detrimental

 

[atoll]

If you do manage to give it enough white/daylight light with LED, then please post back. I am skeptical that this is possible without burning it, or other things, but I would love to hear about any successes.

Good luck. Those are magnificent creatures and I sometimes really miss mine.

I have ordered the 6500K one at a very good price indeed. It will be 3 or4 days before I have it. If it fails to make any difference (remember is a supplementary light to my Radions) ThenI will sell it on as a fudge cheato light which I understand grow well under it.

 

[atoll]

I think it could be worth a shot. Id agree that they like warmer light spectrums, I've seen them as shallow as 1 foot under the water in the wild. I know that they will usually take the highest ground if they can feel their way to it, so I keep mine on rock islands, otherwise they'll climb the glass when conditions aren't how they like. I've never seen one shy away from more light, so supplementing it probably won't be detrimental

My thoughts exactly and I didn't want to change my Radions just supplement it with the daylight spotlight which should fit nicely without blocking light from the Radions. I have gone for the 6500k as above.

 

[kinetic]

This is all pretty interesting. My magnifica seems to be healthy and fine under my AI Hydra 52 HD. I recorded about 450 PAR right above it, though since then I bumped the blues and whites a tad.

I had thought about supplementing the tank just so it wasn't as blue to the eyes, without burning the corals. Didn't realize the magnifica would possibly like that more.

Following along!

 

[atoll]

This is all pretty interesting. My magnifica seems to be healthy and fine under my AI Hydra 52 HD. I recorded about 450 PAR right above it, though since then I bumped the blues and whites a tad.

I had thought about supplementing the tank just so it wasn't as blue to the eyes, without burning the corals. Didn't realize the magnifica would possibly like that more.

Following along!

From my research Magnificas can be found all but out of the water they can be so close to the surface so it would make sense to add more white/daylight light than blue, not that I am any kind of expert on lighting or nems. The light cost me £32UK delivered about $42 US.

 

[jda]

This is pure speculation, but I think that H. Mag would find it's way under 1000+ PAR if it could. I have seen them thrive an inch under the surface under a 1000W 10K MH bulb in a pool, and also seen them barely under the water in nature. Just in Colorado, daylight is 1300 PAR under a few inches of saltwater - it was more in Missouri and I imagine even more in the South Pacific. Can 'nems digest excess zoox like clams can? If so, then over-saturating them might nearly impossible. ...maybe I will check out WWM later and see if Dr Ron has ever weighted in on this... I digress.

If the white light in that fixture does not burn coral like a lot of them do, then you might have hit a home run with it. 6500k is a good spectrum for the nem, but there are so many diodes in this range that hurt coral as much as they help, which is why they have to be kept to low output.

I am really interested in this since I would love to keep one again someday. Thanks for keeping us posted. I really appreciate it.

 

[ocboat]

I have kept my 11 year old mag under everything from a 10k halide bulb to an ATI T5 fixture and now currently under a Radion G3 and some others I can't remember. It has done well under every type of light it has been kept under.

 

[ocboat]

Sorry. Double post.

 

[atoll]

My Asta 20 light arrived today From Amazon. I have to say I am impressed for the price. I wasn't expecting the brightness and colour to be as noticeable as it. My nem positioned itself on my weir right under one of my Radions, not very convenient at all. I managed to purchase a smooth flat topped rock and later I will put it on it and try and coax it to stay there. I will play with the dimmer on the Asta as I don't want to burn the nem which I have just fed.
I have attached a couple of pic's which will illustrate the above.

 

[atoll]

Today I moved my H.magnifica onto the rock with the flat smooth top and positioned the new Asta 20 6500k light above it. I have the light on about 50% to allow the nem to get used to it and so not to possibly burn it. So far everything is going well, the nem has been on the rock for about 6 hours now and has not moved from the rock so far at least. Will it stay put, will the nem like the power and 6500K light provided enough to satisfy it? Only time will. I have to say no matter if it is a success or not this I am impressed with this little light, especially at the bargain price. The nem is currently bathing in the light provided which I believe the spectrum of the Radion was not providing for it. My nem may have come from close to the surface on the reef and I am hoping this little light along with the rock it now resides on is the answer for my nem.

On a side note IMO this little light would be ideal for lighting a small fuge with Cheato etc in I would suggest it would light an area of approximately 18" square.

 

[atoll]

UPDATE,
My Magnifica was in the same position it was on when I went to bed last night and on the rock I put it on when I got up this morning, how much is due to the flat topped rock and or the spotlight, who knows but so far so good.

 

[atoll]

Here is the spec for the 6500K light which is origionaly designed fora freshwater planted tank but gives a more white intense light than the full spectrum version. I have put the 60 degree lens in to concentrate the light onto the nem,. The light comes with a neat gooseneck included with the price and postage for just £32 on UK Amazon. I note it is also available on US Amazon.

Features:
*Solid aluminium housing
*Perfect combination of black and silver colour
*Manual dial to dim the intensity, easy operation
*Bendable rustproof gooseneck
*COB LED with good colour rendering index brings bright and natural sunlight

Specifications:
Model: Asta 20
Color: Cold White
Suitable Tank Size: 20cm~45cm cube tank
LED Source: COB LED, 6500K
Cable Length: 1.5M
Wattage: 12~16watt (Light intensity can be dimmed to 0%)
Dimension:
Diameter: 70.0mm
Height: 43.0mm
Package Weight: 1.0kg

What's in the box:
-1 x Asta 20
-1 x Gooseneck
-1 x 60 degree lens
-1 x User Manual

Warranty:
12 months warranty plus 30 days satisfaction or return guarantee, 100% money back. We are all customer service-based, please contact us if you have any questions about this light, we will answer your questions within 12 hours.

The full spectrum one would make a good small nano/pic tank light IMO.