aurora
New member
Anyone here varies their MH intensity periodically? Have you noticed any response in your SPS?
I have 3 Lumentek adjustable electronic ballasts running 20K 400W Reeflux over my 300g system. I've been playing around with the light intensity by adjusting the ballast from HQI (?60% output), 400W (normal), and Super Lumens (overdrive) modes. Why?...You say...Just because I can but more importantly it's an attempt to mimic Mother Nature and I've actually noticed some improvements in colors. Most of the time, I'd leave the ballast setting in normal mode but periodically turn it down to HQI or up to overdrive for 2-3 days at a time. Actually, I prefer the lower output mode since my 20K Reeflux gives a very pleasant Radium look to the tank and this is also the mode that I set the ballast when I want to show off the tank to visitors or at parties.
What I've notice from doing this over the past 4 months is a bit more intensity in the color. I have a mixed tank with some sinularia, tongas, and lots of LPS in addition to my SPS. My LPS definitely appreciate it when I turn down the light a bit but surprisingly, my SPS has also responded with a bit more color intensity and better polyp extension. I wonder if by randomly reducing and increasing my light intensity, I'm actually doing something beneficial. The additional benefit of an adjustable ballast is that toward to end of your bulb life, when light output is reduce to 70-80%, you can overdrive the bulb for some extra light intensity. I plan to set my ballast to overdrive more during the last 2 months of the bulbs.
We know that the natural reef has cloudy and sunny days with extended periods of good and bad weathers. SPS growth also occurs in spurts and not a constant steady rate. Varying your light intensity is an attempt to replicate this a bit and hopefully stimulate both growth and color. Anyone else doing the same and notice any effects on their SPS? Feedback appreciated.
I have 3 Lumentek adjustable electronic ballasts running 20K 400W Reeflux over my 300g system. I've been playing around with the light intensity by adjusting the ballast from HQI (?60% output), 400W (normal), and Super Lumens (overdrive) modes. Why?...You say...Just because I can but more importantly it's an attempt to mimic Mother Nature and I've actually noticed some improvements in colors. Most of the time, I'd leave the ballast setting in normal mode but periodically turn it down to HQI or up to overdrive for 2-3 days at a time. Actually, I prefer the lower output mode since my 20K Reeflux gives a very pleasant Radium look to the tank and this is also the mode that I set the ballast when I want to show off the tank to visitors or at parties.
What I've notice from doing this over the past 4 months is a bit more intensity in the color. I have a mixed tank with some sinularia, tongas, and lots of LPS in addition to my SPS. My LPS definitely appreciate it when I turn down the light a bit but surprisingly, my SPS has also responded with a bit more color intensity and better polyp extension. I wonder if by randomly reducing and increasing my light intensity, I'm actually doing something beneficial. The additional benefit of an adjustable ballast is that toward to end of your bulb life, when light output is reduce to 70-80%, you can overdrive the bulb for some extra light intensity. I plan to set my ballast to overdrive more during the last 2 months of the bulbs.
We know that the natural reef has cloudy and sunny days with extended periods of good and bad weathers. SPS growth also occurs in spurts and not a constant steady rate. Varying your light intensity is an attempt to replicate this a bit and hopefully stimulate both growth and color. Anyone else doing the same and notice any effects on their SPS? Feedback appreciated.
