Lighting in new (to me) tank

[JimEG]

I recently bought a used 150 gallon tall tank (48 x 24 x 31) with a Coralife Pro Light with 2-96 watt actinic and 2-150 watt 10k MH. I also bought a bunch of coral from a person tearing down a tank. It included a bunch of green star polyps.

Under the actinic only lights the polyps are green but when the MH’s are on they are brown. In fact most of the corals look washed out and brown.

What is the problem? Old lights? Should I change to 20K MH’s?

See the Green Star in the upper left of the photo.

Jim

 

[messy1messmer]

it could be tons of things. Water is high in nutrients, old lights, or just a 10k bulb that has alot of yellow in it. putting 14k or 20k will color up the coral as long as the tank water is low nutrients. Phosphates and high nutrients tend to brown out coral. I would also consider putting 400's on that tank just because of the depth. thats if you ever plan on running sps or clams in there in the future. run skimmer wet and that will help lower the nutrients and time will help to. good luck

 

[The Grim Reefer]

14K lamps will help but you need to stick to lower light critters in a 31" tall tank. You really need at least 250 lamps in good reflectors over that tall of a tank.

 

[Clown-N-Around]

Expect the 150W halides to only reach about the top half of your tank with any intensity. Plan low light corals, or just rockwork for the bottom. (Unless you want to replace your halides with stronger bulbs and good reflectors as Grim and Messy have said).

I personally like a bluer look, if you want to bring out the greens and blues instead of browns, switching to 20K should help.

 

[Clown-N-Around]

Oh, yeah...

:fish2: WELCOME to the RMRC forum on Reef Central! :fish1:

 

[JimEG]

New Actinic's

New Actinic's

Thanks for all the comments. My water parms are Ammonia-0, Nitite-0, Nitrate-0, Phosphate-0, Calcium-500, Alkalinity-8, PH-8.3, Salinity-1.25

I picked up 2 new Dual Actinis's 420/460nm which brightend things up a lot and changed the colors to more natural. (see pix).

Next I will work on getting new MH either 14K or 20K not sure which yet.

Jim