Kelvin Rating/Color Temperature for Seagrass?

[ThePurple12]

Currently I'm using 6,500k metal halide bulbs. They're great for seagrass, but they make all my corals look brown.

I want to switch to something between 10,000k and 15,000k. Of course, the higher the color temperature, the better-looking the corals will be, but will my seagrass be okay?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Good question. Try it and see.

There may be other ways to get your corals to color up, besides changing the light color. 6500K is great for corals too, but I get that you want them to be colorful.

If it was me, I'd have the corals on a bommie, so I could put a light on them that was ideally suited for them, while leaving the seagrasses under 6500K light.

I'd be curious to hear the results of changing the light color on the seagrass. What seagrass do you have?

Do you have a thread for this tank? I'd follow. Not a lot of seagrass keepers to hang out with…

 

[ThePurple12]

I've dedicated half the tank to corals and the other half to seagrass. The problem is, the light from the seagrass metal halides spills over onto the corals, making them all look brown.

I'll try a 14k bulb, if I can find a reasonably-priced one anywhere...

I think I will start a thread. Time to take pictures.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Maybe a blue bulb over the corals and a 6500K bulb over the grasses? Light spillage could be avoided with some careful aiming of the fixtures. Or a light partition perhaps?

I look forward to seeing what you're up to!