T5 color progression shots (from LEDs)

[flamron]

Brought a few frags home to hold for a friend while he moved a tank.

Thought it was pretty surprising how quickly they have colored up. Originally under radions in a 400g tank, they are now under a 4 bulb (no name) T5 with two blue plus, an actinic, and an aquablue special in my 20g QT tank.

From 2-23

From 3-4 (10 days later)

Another note of interest is that I had a Kessil on the QT tank and moved to this T5 light to hopefully eliminate the algae growth. It's dying out nicely.

 

[ReefCowboy]

Awesome change! Keep posting progression!

 

[Reefvet]

And the only difference is they went from LED to T5 ?

No difference in water parameters, flow, PAR, feeding ?

 

[b7fig]

Dang. 10 days. amazing change.

 

[nashorn]

That's cool cant wait to see next pic

 

[flamron]

And the only difference is they went from LED to T5 ?

No difference in water parameters, flow, PAR, feeding ?

Not a huge difference, but I would imagine most of those vary to a certain degree though. Both tanks have seen minimal water changes over the past six months. Flow is likely similar (when comparing size). The 400g has a closed loop and several power heads and the 20g has an MP10 running at 50-60%. No idea on Par - in the 400g they were on a rack about 14" below the water. They are 8" below the water in the 20g. 400g gets fed every other day and the 20g gets fed every three or four days.

 

[Reefvet]

Not a huge difference... 400g gets fed every other day and the 20g gets fed every three or four days.

Feeding a 400 and feeding a 20 are significantly different tasks to accomplish.

I'd bet that's part of it. Not to discount the T5s. They can grow beautiful corals.

 

[flamron]

Could be. Proportion wise I think it would somewhat equal out. The 400g wasn't overfed from what I could tell.

 

[Big E]

That's pretty much what I've seen too.........I've gotten a lot of LED dominant frags change pretty quickly.

A lot of times you can see the color in the frags but it's muted.

 

[Ratpack]

Could it also be that the LED's were giving the corals much more usable light? If I understand correctly, when a coral gets an abundance of light, just like in the wild, they will turn brown.

 

[rovster]

I'm with reefvet the only thing this proves is that you are doing a better job with your water quality than your friend is. Kudos to you because obviously you're doing something right. But many of us can also post pictures of frags that color up under our Radions

 

[flamron]

Would love to see those threads where people moved frags from T5 to LEDs and noted an improvement like this in less than two weeks.

 

[sahin]

Irrespective of the debate about LED versus T5 )) this is a good change and you ought to be happy about your tank.

It is a fast change and I'm curious about the following:

1. What Salt brand are you using?
2. NO3 level?
3. PO4 level?

Do you dose anything else? The increase in GFP is very fast and looks quite intense.

 

[flamron]

Reef crystals
5-10
I don't measure PO4

I dose two part daily (5ml) and Acropower every three weeks if I remember.

What is GFP?

 

[Bpb]

I'll play

I'll play

acropora spathulata I got from a friend. Originally under radions, now under radiums

*out of respect and the fact that this guy is an amazing reefer I have to mention he has some of the most fantastic looking acros I've seen anywhere and has been super generous to me...and I've killed more acros than anyone should from screw ups, this notoriously hard to color up acro has shifted just as dramatically for me. First pic is day one after I put it in the tank immediately. Second is after a couple weeks under radiums.

 

[flamron]

Very nice. What spectrums were both pics taken under?

 

[Perth_reefer]

Very nice. What spectrums were both pics taken under?

This is what I'd like to know. The difference in the pics is vast, we all know what T5 bulbs kick out and can do, however high end LED units (Radions/Hydra52s) can be totally customised. I'd like to know what settings the Radions were being run on to compare. I have Hydra52s set at 14K and am loving the results. I don't want to turn this into yet another LED v T5 V MH debate, the results from MH/T5 combos speak for themselves, however I believe that 99% of the time if someone isn't getting results from a high end LED unit then they either do not have it setup correctly for their tank or there is another issue somewhere.

 

[nashorn]

"however I believe that 99% of the time if someone isn't getting results from a high end LED unit then they either do not have it setup correctly for their tank or there is another issue somewhere. "
+1 on that took me a while before I had my radions dailed in.
Also acropower was a night and day change for better coloration of my sps

 

[Chetna]

Good pics it's always nice to have before and after, color hues of corals are hard to remember.

 

[g0rilla]

wowza!!
what kind of led under before?