LPS that fluoresce?

[MechEng99]

I think this thread is missing some key info.

Corals fluoresce depending on what proteins they have and the light spectrum that excites them. You could have a coral with all sorts of fluorescent proteins and have it not fluoresce with the wrong lighting.

- Yellow Fluorescent Proteins (forget the excitation range) are rare.
- Green FP's excite around 500 nm.
- Cyan FP's excite around 450 nm (which is why we use so much actinic).
- Blue FP's excite around 380 nm. Excitation around 400-450 can emit cyan green fluorescence.

If you're running standard "actinics", then you're mostly just targeting the cyan fluorescent pigments. You're missing another world with higher and lower excitation ranges. Most corals will "pop" some amount with the CFP's, but if fluorescence really excites you (haha...bad pun), then look into some accent LED lighting.

 

[Reef Frog]

Good write up thanks. So it sounds like a strip fixture in the 450nm range is the best overall choice. But in a fluorescent green predominate environment a 500nm is best huh? Not sure I've seen those offered in the ready made strips but will check into what's available out there.

Can you mix & match the LED strips so that each color color has the best match in nanometer spectrum? Can anyone post info on the popular strips you've used to make your corals really pop?

 

[Scythanith]

If you believe Cyphastrea sp. are LPS.

Favia sp.

Favia. sp (war coral)

 

[that Fish Guy]

Space invader pectinia really glows... I think they're classified as LPS... Very hardy from my experience and grows very interesting shapes depending on the flow...

Also can't go wrong with a nice rainbow chalice... Not sure if you want to drop that kind of money on one tho... Can get very pricey...

Wow.

How much were the Rainbows?

 

[alf03]

Wow.



How much were the Rainbows?

They were pretty pricey back when I get em... Way too much aha... But now you can get some of them for like $300 an eye if you look around... But that's still pretty expensive for some people...

Bad pic I took recently...

 

[that Fish Guy]

They were pretty pricey back when I get em... Way too much aha... But now you can get some of them for like $300 an eye if you look around... But that's still pretty expensive for some people...

Bad pic I took recently...

Wow.

Well how much did you pay and how long ago was it when you got them?

 

[alf03]

Wow.



Well how much did you pay and how long ago was it when you got them?

Top one in the middle row is the CB Rainbow Crush I bought as 3 eyes for $850 I believe sometime early last year... It grew to 5 eyes but half receded maybe 4 months back but now it's pretty much recovered...

Middle in the middle row is the CB Fuego that I bought 2 eyes for $800 I believe maybe august last year? It's now 6 eyes...

Bottom middle is the WWC Crossover chalice which I bought for $700 for 2 eyes in one of there live sales towards the end of last year sometime I believe... Now it's 6 eyes as well...

I'm pretty much down buying rainbow chalices... Want to grow a couple into colonies since they look pretty similar... Trading a few and selling a few frags soon too...

Hope that helps a little! But prices have definitely come down a lot since I first started buying them...

 

[that Fish Guy]

Top one in the middle row is the CB Rainbow Crush I bought as 3 eyes for $850 I believe sometime early last year... It grew to 5 eyes but half receded maybe 4 months back but now it's pretty much recovered...

Middle in the middle row is the CB Fuego that I bought 2 eyes for $800 I believe maybe august last year? It's now 6 eyes...

Bottom middle is the WWC Crossover chalice which I bought for $700 for 2 eyes in one of there live sales towards the end of last year sometime I believe... Now it's 6 eyes as well...

I'm pretty much down buying rainbow chalices... Want to grow a couple into colonies since they look pretty similar... Trading a few and selling a few frags soon too...

Hope that helps a little! But prices have definitely come down a lot since I first started buying them...

I know you said you went form 2 to 6 eyes on them but how much total growth in 6 Months?

Are they fast or slow growing in your opinion (For a Chalice I mean they all grow slow but some are faster than others).

They look to be around quarter size. (Please correct me if I am wrong).

How big were they when you got them?

Do you have any before and after pics?

Thanks for all the Help I really want one.

 

[MechEng99]

Good write up thanks. So it sounds like a strip fixture in the 450nm range is the best overall choice. But in a fluorescent green predominate environment a 500nm is best huh? Not sure I've seen those offered in the ready made strips but will check into what's available out there.

Can you mix & match the LED strips so that each color color has the best match in nanometer spectrum? Can anyone post info on the popular strips you've used to make your corals really pop?

I wrote my master's thesis in engineering on LEDs for corals...and then built a fixture I designed to match the coral fluorescent and pigment spikes. I couldn't find a fixture that really matched at the time, but some of the new fixtures look promising. Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of good fixtures out there, but I haven't seen one that *really* targeted the coral fluorescent/pigment areas.

Most fixtures concentrate around 450nm (the "royal blue" region), but I love what the 400-430nm violets bring out. FWIW, I have neutral whites, royal blues, cool blues, cyan/turquoise, red, and 430 & 405 nm violets.

 

[FWC]

I was gonna reply but now feel humbled by MechEng99 :eek2:

FWIW blue light does not flatter blue corals

 

[alf03]

I know you said you went form 2 to 6 eyes on them but how much total growth in 6 Months?

Are they fast or slow growing in your opinion (For a Chalice I mean they all grow slow but some are faster than others).

They look to be around quarter size. (Please correct me if I am wrong).

How big were they when you got them?

Do you have any before and after pics?

Thanks for all the Help I really want one.

Total growth in the 6 months depends on the chalice... My jellybean started with 2 eyes but now is 5 eyes but has little to no growth outward... But others like my rainbow crush have grown out a lot plus grown new eyes...

As far as growth... I think once they reach a certain size growth speeds up a bit... But feeding also helps with growth... I like to target feed my chalices... My larger ones are about the size of quarters now I would say... Maybe a little bigger when fully expanded...

Here's my Rainbow Crush when I got it...



Here it is now after half receded when being stung by my space invader pectinia...


I don't really have any more pics of my others I don't think... If I find em I'll post em up...

You should get one! There's a lot of deals if you look around... Just get one with all the colors... Might have some for sale soon too... Good luck! =)

 

[MechEng99]

I was gonna reply but now feel humbled by MechEng99 :eek2:

FWIW blue light does not flatter blue corals

LOL, thank you, but I definitely do not know everything! Many people on this and other forums took a lot of time to educate me. Plus, our knowledge of coral pigmentation and fluorescence is increasing by leaps and bounds every year.

 

[Reef Frog]

Thanks Mecheng. I asked the right person for sure. I run T5 and am looking for premanufactured strips to run occasionally at night to supplement my unit's puny moonlight LEDs. Looking for slim low profile strips with water resistant lenses so no DIY.

Anyone have a brand they like? Stunner, Ecoxotic etc? Do any combine Royal (450nm) & actinic (~420) in the same unit?

 

[that Fish Guy]

Thanks Mecheng. I asked the right person for sure. I run T5 and am looking for premanufactured strips to run occasionally at night to supplement my unit's puny moonlight LEDs. Looking for slim low profile strips with water resistant lenses so no DIY.

Anyone have a brand they like? Stunner, Ecoxotic etc? Do any combine Royal (450nm) & actinic (~420) in the same unit?

I have an Ecoxotic Stunner Strip LED (All Blue) and an AquaticLife 0.5 Watt Strip LED (All Blue) with my 4 Bulb T5HO Fixture.

I like them alot and recommend them.

They really make your Corals Pop but only when the T5's are off.

You probably will not even notice a difference in Color when both LED and T5 are on as they are not very powerful but they still will add a little extra light when they are on.

 

[Reef Frog]

Thanks Fishguy. I'll check out the specs on those units. I've got plenty of fluorescent corals and it seems like a shame not to enjoy them after lights out.

 

[Reefer54]

Kessils A150W 20K pendant is actually a full actinic light, that is phenomenal over the tank if you are looking for a full spectrum led cluster that will excite those pigments. Check out their site.

if you are going for moon lights that will make them floresce, get a stunner strip, they work great.

 

[Reef Frog]

Kessil is a great idea but I have a slimline closed hood so it won't fit.

I've researched a bunch of strips. Some are in the 440 nm range, others in the 450 to 470 nm or royal blue range. Haven't seen 420 in the slim strips. For the sole goal of exciting fluorescent pigments with other lights off, is it advisable to mix as many nano meter ranges together for maximum effectiveness - or stick with one range only?

 

[MechEng99]

For the sole goal of exciting fluorescent pigments with other lights off, is it advisable to mix as many nano meter ranges together for maximum effectiveness - or stick with one range only?

I'd say it'll depend on the LED manufacturer. Most LEDs are quite narrowband (meaning they focus around one key wavelength like 450 nm, with maybe +/- 5 to 10 nm). Some are more broad than others, so mixing a whole bunch may give you some weird spectral spikes. If you're looking at well-known brands, check out their spectral profile(s). If the unit is dimmable, you can create your own peaks to your liking. If you're looking at DIY or cheap fixtures, then it's a bit more difficult usually.

A while back I found a Japanese website that had nearly every brand of LEDs selectable so you could determine the spectral output for your tank. Translating (even with Google Translate) was a bit of a challenge, but it worked. There may be similar sites out there to help you.