My Lighting Bake-Off

Quick update .....

Corals on both sides are growing, with no apparent differences yet. My efforts to pick up a few specific corals at a recent frag show were met with frustration and obfuscation. I don't actually think most vendors have a clue as to the accurate IDs on their frags. For example, I was looking for two pearlberry frags, yet none of them so named looked anything like perlberry. Sigh!

I've also been thinking about coral coloration and the differences between actual color and color rendition. I can move a particular frag from the MH side to the LED side and it immediately looks different. Clearly it's not changed its color, it's just rendering differently. Makes me wonder how many of the claims of 'I changed lights and the colors came back' are about rendition and not actual color changes.
 
Makes me wonder how many of the claims of 'I changed lights and the colors came back' are about rendition and not actual color changes.

Most likely the same amount as the poeple that change 5% of their water with a new salt and are amazed at the difference in colour,PE etc.
 
Most likely the same amount as the poeple that change 5% of their water with a new salt and are amazed at the difference in colour,PE etc.



I'm sure. Especially when one considers that perceived color is the color that is reflected back from the available spectrum. Any change to the spectrum (I suspect even if the net kelvin matches) is going to result in a different appearance.
 
There need to be more posts that use some variety of the word obfuscate.

You have to read the "changed lights" posts with soft eyes. If a large enough time period is given, then it can be good. If a few days, then just move along to the next post. You see a lot of folks who love their new LEDs at first because of exactly this - they are good at illuminating corals that got their colors under other types of lighting but then lose the color as time goes on. Reefbrites are the ultimate example that can make some coral really pop but have no chance at keeping them alive.

There are only a few light sources that can both develop the color and then show it off.
 
Kessils and T5s? Why have we not considered the combination of quality LEDs and quality T5s together more? It would seem obviously a great way to light a tank and get the benefits of both methods. MHs have always been used traditionally with supplements, VXOs then T5HO and now many are using LED strips. The best tanks I have seen in person used a combination of Kessils and T5s but could be any LED really.
 
Tagging along here. I'm betting that growth will be nearly identical and that in a year, colors will also be identical when you swap them between lights. I really believe that if you have 'sufficient light' coral growth is much more impacted by flow and nutrients.

More importantly, I can't wait to get my hands on some sweet frags out of that tank.
 
Kessils and T5s? Why have we not considered the combination of quality LEDs and quality T5s together more? It would seem obviously a great way to light a tank and get the benefits of both methods. MHs have always been used traditionally with supplements, VXOs then T5HO and now many are using LED strips. The best tanks I have seen in person used a combination of Kessils and T5s but could be any LED really.

Well, there's an almost endless number of combinations and permutations. My goal here is simply to compare LED to MH in terms of growth and coloration in a common sample set of frags. Never have used T5, not a fan of fluorescents; though did use VHO actinics for a while many years ago.

Obviously what you've seen is what you've seen. My own observations of 'best' tanks include MH, LED and T5 in variable combinations. In other, words they can all be made to work.
 
Tagging along here. I'm betting that growth will be nearly identical and that in a year, colors will also be identical when you swap them between lights. I really believe that if you have 'sufficient light' coral growth is much more impacted by flow and nutrients.

More importantly, I can't wait to get my hands on some sweet frags out of that tank.

You may well be correct, we shall see.

FWIW, my choice of LED over this frag tank was a replica of what I run on the big display - kessil + reefbreeders. However, I have recently replaced the reefbreeders on the display with radion gen4s. Trying to decide if I should do the same on the frag tank; once budgets dictate that is?
 
Along for the ride. I've bounced back and forth so often on lighting for my 220 that it still doesn't have water in it lol! Did finally settle on 2 AP700's with some T5 to help. But I'm curious to see how this turns out.



What % do your AP700s peak at and how long?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thought I'd 'bump' this with a quick update.

There are no material differences yet in the growth rates of the frags I have under LED versus MH - and they are most definitely still frags. Frags do, however, look quite different - and I'm not sure which I prefer. Green slimer, for example, has grown about the same but looks much better under MH, showing better poly extension and a much deeper green color. Interestingly, when I switch the samples the colors change, so it's not inherent color rather rendered color. Pink birdsnest, conversely, looks much better under LED - though again rendered rather than inherent color.

Pearlberry frag under MH died, so it's unfortunately no longer amongst the head to head comparison frags.
 
I bought two at a frag show, both very pale. Decided initially that they were not actually PB. The one under MH died quickly (though nothing to do with the light), but the other has colored up to the point where it may actually be PB.
 
Following along. Vivid aquariums also did a similar experiment on their show tank.
And yes, photobucket has been unbearable!
 
I can get you some Pearlberry - I have a ton of it. I am in/out for the next month, but I can get you four frags cut soon and healed and ship in a month of so - maybe two for each side in case something happens to one? I am an novice shipper and can use the experience, but if you are OK with "free for your experiment" then we can both try out my shipping skills.

Let me know.

Stoli - Pearlberry is notoriously difficult under LED - like maybe 20% keep-alive rate for a year. I would not take it personally.
 
I just got four pearlberry frags ready on fresh plugs. I got a frag from ORA more than a decade and few hurricanes ago when they still sold it direct. It is the real deal. I put them under 150W 14K Phoenix on M81 to best match at least half of your study.

I don't have much except for a few encrusting montis that I could donate four frags to, but I can get some OG Reverse Superman (the good one) and some Hologram ready if you want. I don't expect that either of these will have any trouble growing if you wanted to use an incandescent bulb, but I can supply them if you would like.
 
Stoli - Pearlberry is notoriously difficult under LED - like maybe 20% keep-alive rate for a year. I would not take it personally.

Interestingly, I never tried to grow them under LED's. I had a dual 250MH and two t5 actinics. For me, I'm pretty sure it was a bug that did them in.
 
I just got four pearlberry frags ready on fresh plugs. I got a frag from ORA more than a decade and few hurricanes ago when they still sold it direct. It is the real deal. I put them under 150W 14K Phoenix on M81 to best match at least half of your study.

I don't have much except for a few encrusting montis that I could donate four frags to, but I can get some OG Reverse Superman (the good one) and some Hologram ready if you want. I don't expect that either of these will have any trouble growing if you wanted to use an incandescent bulb, but I can supply them if you would like.

PB are more than sufficient .... plus I got monti growing everywhere.
 
Although I am a long way from being able to draw any useful conclusions from my lighting comparisons, running MH again has reminded me why it is such a beguiling light source (I ran DE HQI for almost 20 years before going to LED). The best analogy I can give is a professionally calibrated TV with proper contrast and brightness levels versus one setup to 'impress' in the store (if anyone actually buys them in a store anymore). The latter is initially appealing, but quickly fatigues; whearas the former reveals subtleties and nuances again and again.

I'm loath to prejudge, but I suspect I am going to find that, with adequate coverage, both lights will grow corals, but that MH will look better doing it.
 
Quick update .....

Corals on both sides are growing, with no apparent differences yet. My efforts to pick up a few specific corals at a recent frag show were met with frustration and obfuscation. I don't actually think most vendors have a clue as to the accurate IDs on their frags. For example, I was looking for two pearlberry frags, yet none of them so named looked anything like perlberry. Sigh!

I've also been thinking about coral coloration and the differences between actual color and color rendition. I can move a particular frag from the MH side to the LED side and it immediately looks different. Clearly it's not changed its color, it's just rendering differently. Makes me wonder how many of the claims of 'I changed lights and the colors came back' are about rendition and not actual color changes.

Although I am a long way from being able to draw any useful conclusions from my lighting comparisons, running MH again has reminded me why it is such a beguiling light source (I ran DE HQI for almost 20 years before going to LED). The best analogy I can give is a professionally calibrated TV with proper contrast and brightness levels versus one setup to 'impress' in the store (if anyone actually buys them in a store anymore). The latter is initially appealing, but quickly fatigues; whearas the former reveals subtleties and nuances again and again.

I'm loath to prejudge, but I suspect I am going to find that, with adequate coverage, both lights will grow corals, but that MH will look better doing it.

Following! Very interesting. One of the absolute best looking pearlberrys I have aver seen was in Michael's led/t5 tank before it crashed with dinos..

However I believe the above two quotes are very telling and exactly my experience, as well.
I know your not a photo guy but any chance at some more pics or even top downs?
 
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