Color Temp for SPS

[ColinPopcorn]

I notice most SPS tanks have 14k plus bulbs over thier tanks. Is this only for appearance, or do stoney corals use that color temp more efficientlly than something around the 6.5k, or 10k mark?

Also, can color temp affect the color of a coral. Brown instead of blue for example.

 

[trueblackpercula]

This is just a simple example of how it works.
6500k faster growth
20,000k better colors
But verything else has to be in line as far as water quality goes for your corals to be at there best.

 

[ColinPopcorn]

Will 20k truely enhance the corals color, or will it just make it appear better?

 

[ColinPopcorn]

Forgot to mention that all my water parameters are good.

 

[trueblackpercula]

20k brings out the colors in corals,

 

[jjjimmy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8371122#post8371122 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ColinPopcorn
Will 20k truely enhance the corals color, or will it just make it appear better?

IMHO, I think that it is a bit of both.

 

[trueblackpercula]

I think that the corals absorb the blue spectrum and that is a the colors that we see JMO
Michael

 

[menard]

IME.........all acros. are not the same , some would require more light than others.... and some would want that blue spectrum. Depending how deep the coral collected, colour temp......as you dive down deeper and deeper into the ocean each color shift and filtered into the deep.

 

[DaddyJax]

Light spectrum is dispursed differently through the depth of the water. Blue travels the deepest and red is the first to be removed.

 

[gcarroll]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8371278#post8371278 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjjimmy
IMHO, I think that it is a bit of both.

Agreed!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8371284#post8371284 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trueblackpercula
I think that the corals absorb the blue spectrum and that is a the colors that we see JMO
Michael

let's not forget that per Sanjay, the Iwasaki 6500K has more blue than any other bulb on the market.

 

[trueblackpercula]

gcarroll

let's not forget that per Sanjay, the Iwasaki 6500K has more blue than any other bulb on the market.

do you run one of theses bulbs becuase i was looking to get one.
Michael

 

[Serioussnaps]

20K.....brings out the colors to some extent but the majority of it IMO is PERCEPTION...however i perceive the colors to be tons better under 20K than under the pee-colored 6500K-10 K bulbs

i still throw a 7000K bulb into my T5 setup for growth though1!

 

[gcarroll]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8375106#post8375106 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trueblackpercula
gcarroll


do you run one of theses bulbs becuase i was looking to get one.
Michael

Nope I run DE. Right now I'm running unsupplemented AB10K for growth since this summer, I lost alot of corals due to flow problems. The colors are there in most of the corals but look way more rich when using the 14K or 20K

 

[Frankysreef]

20k + 6500k gives you growth plus color.

20k helios 250 se

6500k sunlight for 3-4 hours a day -- it moves across the tank too

 

[Shawnts106]

Zheezzz, just think about the sun.... do you see blue?


5500K - 10,000K gives you great growth, but blah color normally.

11,000K - 20,000K gives you moderate to low growth with good to great color...

 

[dots]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8375680#post8375680 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frankysreef
20k + 6500k gives you growth plus color.

20k helios 250 se

6500k sunlight for 3-4 hours a day -- it moves across the tank too

I would like to see what that looks like.....any pics......love the best of both worlds option

 

[DaddyJax]

I run 20k 10k staggered on one tank and 10k 12k staggered on the other two. No actinics. It looks awsome and I recomend it! My corals never looked better!

 

[Snausages01]

Seems like a lot of vastly over generalized statements here, as mentioned color has to do a lot with the coral and light. Some colors do better under 6500K and some do better under 20,000K. Also, usually the only reason 6500K look like a "pee" color is because the water is a "pee" color not the bulb. If you do not keep up with your water chemistry then the 6500K bulbs will show it a lot sooner than the 20,000Ks. Even if your not perfect with keeping up with the water a pair of actinics can really help to whiten it up.

You can get good colors with either because there is a LOT more to color than light, but as I mentioned some colors looks better than others under certain lights. When it comes to picking a bulb it is personal preference and really depends what you like. Personally, I like a really bright tank so I stick to lower Kelvin bulbs. However, the dimmer tanks are starting to appeal to me, and one of these days I may head that direction and go with a higher K bulb.

 

[Frankysreef]

Unfortunately due to a flow issue, my big yellow mille has decided to stn on me and turn brown Ugh

The bigger they get the harder they seem to be able to keep.

F

 

[trueblackpercula]

Frank what bulb is that under?