things to look for when buying coral online

[reefkoi]

This is a photo I grabbed from a seller on ebay, note the white eggcrate is purple! O.K. if this doesnt tell you they altered the photo what does? thats why i love when they have the corals on eggcrate, it tells you if the photo is doctored, also tells you the size.
Chris

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[Leopard Wrasse]

Great insight Chris.

 

[murfman]

Why does the photo have to be doctored? If you run white eggcrate under super actnic only, it will luminesce purple, ask me how I know ;=P

 

[reefkoi]

well that could be true murf, I guess I should have said "if the color of the eggcrate is purple, then you need to get different lighting or the photo is doctored"
Lighting that makes everything look purple is a novelty IMO why fake the purple, just make it bright and take care of the tank, the true colors will come out . I hate when i see people show off the corals by using actinic only, whats up with that? its kind of weird.
Its like photoshopping a picture to me. why not really go nuts and get some yellow glasses and a blue flashlight and turn all the tank lights off, yeah cool, that would be cool man...........nope

 

[murfman]

like this?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/ac/index.php

 

[reefkoi]

yep exactly, a great novelty great photos, and awesome color, but not what the human eye sees, its a manipulation similiar to lens filters and photo software
Chris

 

[murfman]

My super actinics come on before my MH and go off after the MH shut down.

A lot of coral sellers use 20K for their corals too.

 

[reefkoi]

well my actinics come on before my halides also but thats no excuse for selling a coral and taking the picture with purple eggcrate, I'm not going to say anymore here, maybe I'm just too sensitive, but I think its deceptive and I dont like it.
if everyone wants to buy brown corals for $100 that look awesome with 40 watts of super actinic then be my guest! But a tank lit with dim 20K or actinic only doesnt look good to me.
Chris