My T5 55g tank....and coral lightening

People who have corals that are thriving and coloring under T5 prove its not a spectrum issue of T5 in general. Perhaps you may see results trying some blue spectrum....that has made a difference for me. Or even try a different brand. MH guys try different bulbs all the time too with varying color results on there corals.
 
You know I really really wish I never created this thread. There is a lot things that will affect the colors and health of your corals.

Yes spectrum can play a part, but lets not say that the right spectrum is not possible with T5.... if you get things right you can get good colors and be happy with T5..... I am and others are too.
 
Yes...but I started this thread because I had color problems and thought it may be T5's.

I don't have color problem anymore and don't beleive T5HO was the cause (bulb choice and intensity played a part but not the fact that I was using T5).....yet the thread continues.....??

I don't have a problem with people coming here and asking for advice. T5HO does have a disposition to cause lightening IMO....but make no doubt about it that you can acheive good colors with T5.

What I don't like is people coming here and asking...is T5 my problem when they think that is the only thing holding them back from good color....you know maybe your bulb choice or the intensity can cause problems but T5HO works....there is nothing inherantly wrong with the technology.

You know people with MH have color problems too.....there are plenty of posts about this as well but do they get a thread that goes on and on and on....

This is a bit of a rant but again I have to say if you run T5 and are having color problems be open to the possibility that the lighting is not the sole problem.....and if it is it could be as easy as changing bulbs selection, lighting schedule or even raising or lower your lights.
 
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Just picked up a 250w MH pendant and it should be here next week. I will move some of the faded corals over to the refugium and compare before and after colors. I'll probably even frag some and compare that way. I think my lack of nutrients is certainly a contributing factor to things fading but it will be interesting to compare colors under the MH vs. the T5 using the same water. It's not exactly scientific but it should povide some insight.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9397865#post9397865 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Horace
Just wanted to drop by once again and add my little tid bits. As many of you know, I switched from T5 over to dual 250w Phoenix + 210w of VHO super actinics. Moving over to those new lights DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM!

Over 6 months later I still have issues with a few of my greens in peticular. Many of my corals look exceptional but I still have a ways to go on a few green corals.

So it is my opinion that we need to stop looking at the lights as well, except for perhaps lowering the intensity by using lower PAR bulbs or shortening the photo periods. I think intense light, along with other issues only makes the corals even worse.
Click to expand...

Just thought I would bring up the fact that people have tried both. Yes you may see a difference, good or bad, but still that doesnt mean crap. Bulb selection (spectrum) and intensity will surely be different some how. You could try different metal halide bulbs/ballasts and reflectors and acheive different results. With the comparision of T5 and MH it's like comparing apples and oranges.
 
I still think that lacking the lower end UV spectrum in your T5 combinations, also has a part to play in color of corals.. as well as duration of spectrum of lighting periods..

Also a need that one must use True Actinics, with the lower spectrum of UV, must be used for good coloration..


Thats also not to say that additives and food dont play an important part as well, proper feeding is important and using that additive containing "Astaxanthin" as I mentioned from my research a few pages back, also might help. This is found in Cyclopeeze in abundance as well.

"Coral Vibrance" is the product I found with the Astaxanthin in it that comes as a powder. I havent formed an opinion on it, as I havent been too diciplined using it either lately... So its hard to tell.. However when I first started it, I could swear I noticed my Cap and SPS darken Significantly.. I was doing other things too adding Cyclopzees too so dont know which was the factor..

I am a total Newbee when it comes to SPS, and dont claim to be an expert or have had great sucess mysel either.. I think I had a case or two of SPS disease from sick corals I got.. That SPS Coral flesh eating disease.. RTN "Rapid Tissue Necrotising" whatever its called hahaha...where the coral sheds its skin and turns white and then dies.. no matter what you do?

To be honest, I havent had much success with SPS period.. So dont claim to be any expert on COLOR either.. but maybe its my own laziness.. and my business, too busy to stay on top of things like quality and water changes.. to know what is what. Lighting aside.

But I must say.. I can grow a MEAN GREEN Corraline.. hahah Just now getting some decent purples on my ROCK.. and that was only after getting some good "seed rock from someone" So my params cant be THAT bad that corraline is doing well despite the fact its GREEN! haha.. Lucky me..

But all my other stuff including fish are doing great I have, great RICS, BLASTOS, mushrooms, sunflowers.. Xenias, all multiplying and growing like mad.. along with and other softies.

I have a couple Monit Caps doing pretty good growing nicely...and one or two SPS hanging here and there, but overall, but my SPS Corals seem to start to color up, then die off.. turn white from the base. or sides... kinda ****es me off..actually.. first they turn brown after putting them in, and as soon as they color up start looking good, they start to get white/green at the base and die off.. Probably something IM doing wrong.. obviously.. but maybe some parasite or other problem?

I should post pictures of what happens to them, as it might be some parasite vs bad water params.. I used to test more in the past for EVERYTHING, then I do lately..but params were good when it started.. as I was checking closely at first.. so its possible it might be my own husbandry vs lighting or feeding.. (water params)

I probably also feed fish too much, some say thats good, some bad, maybe I overskim too with a larger than needed skimmer.. taking the good and the bad out too fast..who knows..

I have a PHOSBAN reactor running so dont think is PO problem..Calc/Dk seems good, temp pretty stable.. etc..

Anyways just thought I would chime in again about the ANTx. and UV spectrums as factors for Coral coloration and my somewhat less that perfect use of "Coral Vibrance"

Need to get some more cyclopzees too, some fresh stuff.. Havent used that in awhile.. Supposed to be loaded with ANTXA.

Some of you should try the Coral Vibrance who are more diciplined about it than I to really test it out.. and careful about other factors..

Who knows, it Might work for you? If you are diciplined reef keeper with all other thing ceterus paribus.. might be just the ticket for you..

Keep me posted on your results in this thread.. if you do..

Here is a link to the stuff...

http://www.ocean-fresh.com/food.html
 
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Great thread I've just finished reading all of it.
I to have corals lighten up on me with my t5 lighting I always thought it to be the light it self instead of the intenity but I now believe it's a combanation of both.
One qestion do wild colonys have that deep color that we get from mh lighting because I've seen some that are very light and pastell colored myself. Just wondering.

Vic
 
I just skimmed through the thread and have my own question. 1st off here is my setup:
46g Bowfront (20" tall tank) open top, Aquactinics 5 Bulb t-5 fixture mounting less than 1" from the surface with the following bulbs:
Front
ATI Blue Special
UVL Pure Actinic
GE 6500K
ATI Blue+
UVL Aqua Sun
Back

Three weeks ago I bought 5 new acros and I decided to use a single sheet of window screening to help acclimate them. After a week of leaving the frags on eggcrate in the bottom of the tank I mounted them on the rockwork. I am still using the window screening and have noticed all of my corals have dramically colored up over the last 3 weeks of doing this. One completely browned out acro I have had for over 6 months has finally showed promise of finally coloring up. Should I leave the window screening on the fixture, or leave it alone? My corraline algae has also darkened considerably. I do have before pictures, I might show some afters once everythings colors up completely...Any ideas?
 
I thought I would add a bit of an update. In the last months I have been feeding atleast 2x as much food and I added more fish. Since then my greens have colored up SIGNIFICANTLY. This also caused my No3/Po4 to rise into the detectable range.

IMO my problems were 99% related to nutrients/lack of nitrogen rather than some missing element, or lighting, or lack of stability (often a problem as well).

For those of you reading this thread and have wracked thier brains trying to fix the problem... just double or even tripple your feedings for a month or two and tell us how you make out. I would bet that you had the same problem I had for well over a year.
 
This thread, along with many pics of European T5 SPS tanks, has convinced me to switch to an all-T5 rig once finances allow. ATI Powermodule here I come :D
 
Here is my tank with the single sheet of window screening, Aquactinics 5 bulb Fixture /w the following bulbs:
ATI Blue Special
UVL Pure Actinic
GE 6500K
ATI Blue+
UVL Aqua Sun
TankMay.jpg
 
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