Horace, man I was not talking **** but alot of people do photoshop their pictures and that just doesn't look real so if he doesnt then props to him ---it is a compliment in a weird way.
No need to talk trash on the internet-------or assume what my corals look like.
---Now that I am done addressing this dude------
--This thread is about lighting but when other issues are pertinent to the discussion then it warrants bringing them up. Wake up man. Just because the topic is light doesn't mean everything else is irrelevant---now that ive done what you want and actually addressed you=======
Thanks Mothra---those params sound excellent--- I cant believe this dude actually tried to say this is a "lighting" thread when other factors are pertinent and all anyone is trying to do is help.
and yes, so far all this thread has established is we don't know squat for certain yet. Maybe you are right Horace---soon maybe all of us who like the rich color that we are used to seeing in MH lit tanks arent going to happen with T5's, but we live and learn. I propose also, that all the additives and that stuff is not necessarily gonna produce parallel results in another's tank. My philosophy is to keep it more natural, but your right thats a whole other thread topic.
I also propose that the best way to bring out the colors in your corals is through 20K MH, so a tank that has tons of it's colors will be more brilliant. Hopefully, we can get a comparable bulb in T5 one day.
Has anyone changed their bulbs over to the new ATI 12K or blue plus bulbs? . As I said earlier my Tek fix will be here in 3-5 business days, so due to this thread I did 2 sets of bubls----the Gies. and the ATI. Im gonna do an experiment and post what i observe, I talked to alot of people not on RC, particularly vendors selling the Tek fixtures and they say that with the GE bulbs you will undoubtedly see your corals bleach------crap bulbs period. The guy at ReefGeek actually said he liked the 12 K ATI bulb better than the aquablue Gies bulb, but he didnt elaborate. I am looking forward to separating the bulb brands and seeing what i can notice.
---Good point Grim----DO IT!!!!! Scorch em with the red and tell us what happens.
I have one question of everyone that is complaining about there colors, I know it was discussed but i dropped out of the conversation.-----How high off the the water surface are you keeping your fixtures????I will speculate those with some color problems have them right smack 1-2 inches off the water, but lets see?
This is beside the point, but yeah you need to feed your corals man. I have always noticed a huge difference in overall health and growth with feeding. Of course a large fuge does the trick, give the eggs a shot, but vary it. Just over a period of time, particularly if you can enrich the food(hard cuz for sps they need the small micro food) i think it will help the color.
------dvan----also about the SLR, if you are running a 55G that is 20 inches, that SLR basically pushing the light through the bottom of your tank like its hot!!!!!!!! Take them off and put the original reflectors on there. It wont hurt the corals, but if you think intensity is your problem as that is what this thread is about then do something about it like take the SLR's off and put the original reflectors on so long as they are individual.
Grim----Do you concur on the SLR idea???
One last comment, my little maxim for the day-----We are trying to duplicate a natural environment---dont forget that-----adding a **** ton of additives?---------are you doing weekly water changes?(ocean is constantly diluting itself)----------are you scorching your tank with too much light??----Do it natural......and leave it alone and watch what happens
