SPS and LED's

[AMAYEU]

Don't know if this goes in the SPS or Lighting Forum... but lets see.

I have read on another forum the following from user AcroporaLokani

"Color Loss Of SPS Corals
Acropora (and SPS corals) lose color under less UV radiation, the nice colors that all reefers want is basically a sunscreen that protects the zooxanthellae algae that feed the coral through photosynthesis the "sunscreen" comes from mass amounts of UV radiation and light and this tells the zooxanthellae algae living within the corals tissue that it needs to protect itself from bleaching and then it becomes a bright color..."

With LED's providing no UV (correct me if I am wrong or misinformed), then one can conclude that the SPS will lose color.

I am losing color to my SPS due to the switch to LEDs. Nothing bad but just lighter in color... at first I thought something bad was going on. Really started noticing this when I started to pay attention to frags I bought at from my LFS, and questioned what was the real color I saw in person. This primarily to acro's and stags. Birdsnets and stylo's are fine.

Granted it could be my water quality and LED height placement and PAR levels.

Let me know your experience.
Thanks

 

[agsansoo]

I'm noticing the same thing with some of my sps's. Red Planet totally lost all color. Blue sps's are doing the best under LED's, greens OK and reds do the worst. Not sure if this is the norm.

 

[stryker]

very interesting observations and theory... tagging along.

 

[Bigmike]

DO your sps look like theyre bleaching? I know when I had LEDs I thought I had to blast my corals with LED light to get them to color up... but LEDs put out a surprising ammount of PAR. I'd try raising your lights a few inches and see what happens.

 

[fijiblue]

"Color Loss Of SPS Corals
Acropora (and SPS corals) lose color under less UV radiation, the nice colors that all reefers want is basically a sunscreen that protects the zooxanthellae algae that feed the coral through photosynthesis the "sunscreen" comes from mass amounts of UV radiation and light and this tells the zooxanthellae algae living within the corals tissue that it needs to protect itself from bleaching and then it becomes a bright color..."

Not sure if this is entirely accurate. Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids are responsible for the UV blocking abilities of a coral and if I am not mistaken, these are actually clear.

 

[Rodrigo_BG]

true or not I have not seen yet a colorful sps tank with led's only. I have been searching a lot trying to convince me but still looking for.

Yes, I have seen some aquarists trying leds, showing some reasonably colors but for me, results still far away from those that we use to see under T5 fixture or HQI. I'm just talking about color, not coral growth or health.

Show me colors like that under a leds only fixture and I'll have leds! :lol2:

 

[sahin]

true or not I have not seen yet a colorful sps tank with led's only. I have been searching a lot trying to convince me but still looking for.

Yes, I have seen some aquarists trying leds, showing some reasonably colors but for me, results still far away from those that we use to see under T5 fixture or HQI. I'm just talking about color, not coral growth or health.

Show me colors like that under a leds only fixture and I'll have leds! :lol2:

Holy cow! That is amazing. I bet that is under T5 and Zeo.

 

[sjfishguy]

If you are getting pale colors with the LEDs why don't you try to drop back on the photoperiod a bit. From what you are describing (birdsnest doing well, blues looking good, others looking pale) sounds like your photoperiod is too long

 

[dustinc]

I think this is pretty much the standard for LED lighting. That is why I'm not going to use LEDs on my new tank. I love the controlling ability, but it isn't worth it since I love SPS corals. I've read about the color loss because of no UV as well. I know that the color is protection that the coral puts up, just not sure about no UV from LEDs, but I'm pretty sure I've seen that before.

 

[dangerrrr]

Interesting. I run an eco-lamps KR-92 and i def. noticed my SPS were alot more pale. Blues doing great but reds, pinks and purples fadded fast. hmmmmm.....

 

[sahin]

Interesting. I run an eco-lamps KR-92 and i def. noticed my SPS were alot more pale. Blues doing great but reds, pinks and purples fadded fast. hmmmmm.....

Can you please document to some degree by posting photos. I know many factors can cause this, and photos arent the best due to white balance etc, but at least if we show that generally people arent getting good colours with LED's there might be a bit more research into this technology by the manufacturers.

 

[purplereef]

Yes, pictures would be really nice here. SPS that are growing but very light in color is how I would describe a few SPS tanks that I have seen that were lit with LED's.

 

[dangerrrr]

Growth pics can be found here http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=207601&start=540 page 19 scroll to the bottom of the page for the most up to date pics.

Tank journal. No comparison shots before and after LEDs though, sorry.
http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=170255
I've had great results so far, it's just that my SPS have always been pale compared to when they first when in the tank. I obviously know that there may be more than one reason for this and am not blaming LEDs at all. Its Just interesting that others are reporting similar things.

 

[marinebarn]

I'm confussed. My three 250W HQI's have UV filtering glass in the fixtures, and I've read the mugol MH have UV filtering glass built in the bulbs. So are Metal Halides really putting out ant UV rays?

 

[ros_sco]

A friend of mine has 7 Sun-Brite LED tubes over his 75 and is having pretty good luck with sps. The colors have been staying true and growth has been good. His colonies are not real big yet. His LPS (mostly acans and chalices) have been growing as fast or faster than mine. He has had some interesting color changes with his acans though. Sun-Brite has just come out with a UV LED tube as well but I haven't heard any feedback yet. He isn't using one yet.