a little confused

[becon776]

O.k. so here is my dilemna. I am still having issues with the SPS coloration. same stock. same everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well different stack.. but same water, new live sand, nitrates and PO4 basically unmeasurable.

Lighting... o.k. it may be time to replace my bulbs but before I do I just want to know can mh ballasts wear out over time?? can they fire the bulbs at a different spectrum?? because my bulbs aren't really THAT old (about 11 months) and in that time I have not gotten good color the way that I used to.

#2 I need a darn verdict on the role that actinic light plays.. is there biological relevance to the actinics? because they ARE a lil old like 2-3 years. Man I just want to move in the right direction and I am reefin on a teachers paycheck.

this is what the tank used to look like before a heat related mass extinction.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Personally, I think 11 months is a bit much on MH bulbs. However, there is a substantial portion of this community that might disagree. Whatever, to each his/her own. The bulbs, as they age, will burn in a different spectrum than when they were new. This, IMO, would likely encourage "problem" algae growth as the blues change to reds (likely non-discernable to naked eye).

As far as SPS goes, I'm not so certain it's what's causing SPS to have suboptimal coloration. That can be more vexing. First thing I'd be sure of is that your ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, and phos are low/non-detectable. Check your SG. Check for temp swings, etc...I doubt 11 month old bulbs are to blame, on their own. If your actinics are that old, they could certainly use a freshening up, again IMO.

I have a large blue millie, for example, right at the top of my tank. Sits DIRECTLY under a MH. I run 2 T5 actincs. One in front of the MH, one behind. The rear bulb was faulty and died out. BUT, because it's such a PITA to get to my bulbs, I just left it...for about a year . I can tell you this. The rear portion of the millie was brownish blue, while the front portion, clearly under the actinic, as well as MH, was and is a brilliant blue. Since changing out the actinic for a new, functioning bulb, the rear portion of the millie has caught up in color to the rest of the colony. So, you be the judge.

Again, I doubt it's just one thing, but I hope I helped you in the right direction.

What MH bulbs are you running? watts? DE? SE?
Actinics? T5? PC? VHO?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

replace the 2-3 year old actinics.

VHO actinics have a shorter useful lifespan than halide lamps IME/IMO.

 

[tent boy]

I thought actinics really didn't do anything. That the light was unusable by corals for growth. Just a transition to the "day lights" then again into night. No?????????

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I know people that have grown SPS under VHO actinics.

 

[superkat]

i have a couple of pieces of SPS that do very well under my VHO actinics.

 

[becon776]

just threw a line out regarding the biological significance of actinics to sps and other corals. Gary, just switched em out yesterday and I'm getting new 10k's thursday. Got 14k's and they were way to blue for my taste. So took em back.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

it should make a big difference but you'll need to give corals some time to color up.