Why does every blue tort I buy turn purple?

[PUGroyale]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7988262#post7988262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trueblackpercula
I find that hard to believe that a coral can reach that color blue. What other lighting is on the tank? (actinincs)
Michael

This was taken with a cruddy cam and not photo-shopped except for cropping and sharpness [to try and make the focus a little less crappy]

Under 2x 250w CV Reeflux 10k's and 2 96w PC actinic... and the PC bulbs shoulda been replaced 4 months ago, they're super weak.

The little tort [rt] and the blue mille [on top] are seriously that blue

 

[trueblackpercula]

well what ever color combination you are using is working to make thouse blues really pop.

 

[drbronx]

Cool thread Nate. Bottom line: nobody knows. The phosphate notion is interesting. It would be cool to do controlled research. Any conclusions drawn without controlling confounding variables is just speculative. It would be fun to set up two tanks, keep everything identical and just vary one variable at a time and see what happens. But who has the time and money for that. Maybe I'll write a grant Oh, by the way the monti frag is awesome! What is it called again? The butterfly isn't taking food yet but appears to be foraging worms and pods. I'll try getting frozen bloodworms which some people claim they will eat. Other people have success with freshwater clams and oysters but I don't know where to get those. The Powder Blue intitially gave him a hard time but now seems far less interested. Hope he makes it. I'd hate to kill another one. Later.
Jerry

 

[david8956]

FWIW IME the green tint is a sign of phosphate

i'm with Richard on the elevating po4 causing a green tint

I'm not sure I agree with this....my Ora Blue Tort has greenish highlights, mainly in the lower light / shaded areas. (With bright purple tips, about 1/2 way down under 14k) My p04 has consistently been at .01 on a Hanna Colorimeter. I realize this test won't record all of the p04 in my tank, but I'm not sure I can get it any lower.

 

[PUGroyale]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7988706#post7988706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trueblackpercula
well what ever color combination you are using is working to make thouse blues really pop.

Thanks But I really think I could keep these colors with just about any 10k lamp... lighting is only part of the equation.

 

[manderx]

I've never even seen color like that under a 20k. I think a better question would be "what camera/photoshop settings did you use?"

It would be impossible to get that extent of flourescence with a 10k without some type of actinic supplementation or photo-alteration

the 10K reeflux just does that to blues (when things are happy). i had one a while back on a frag tank (the only light on it) and my blues looked just like that. truely amazing, it was popping blues the same way an actinic pops greens.

 

[cwegescheide]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7988670#post7988670 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PUGroyale
This was taken with a cruddy cam and not photo-shopped except for cropping and sharpness [to try and make the focus a little less crappy]

Under 2x 250w CV Reeflux 10k's and 2 96w PC actinic... and the PC bulbs shoulda been replaced 4 months ago, they're super weak.

The little tort [rt] and the blue mille [on top] are seriously that blue

Wow you got some really nice pieces there!!! Don't brag if you cant frag!!! (forgot who has that in their signature...)

 

[LBCBJ]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7989684#post7989684 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by manderx
the 10K reeflux just does that to blues (when things are happy). i had one a while back on a frag tank (the only light on it) and my blues looked just like that. truely amazing, it was popping blues the same way an actinic pops greens.

Any explanation for that (I'm not being sarcastic)? It's about time to switch up my bulbs and I'm considering my options. How do other corals fare under the Reeflux (mainly pinks and greens)?

In terms of 150w DE's, how would you rate them against the competition, like the Phoenix 14k or the XM 10k and 20k?

 

[manderx]

no clue. i was hoping to get the same or at least similar blue-popping action on reeflux12s that i tried shortly after that but they don't. the 10K is a neat bulb for what it does to the blues and it makes stuff grow, but if there was any ambient light in the room, the overall look of the tank was slightly pinkish (regular mag ballast, icecaps make them even pinker i think). at night when it was the only light it looked alot better. i would love to get some more RF10Ks to try on my new setup just to try out (i sold the one had along with the frag tank when i moved). blue+s might even out the pink and make for a very nice overall look.

it did good on greens too, but the blues were all i noticed since they were so prominent. it's a weird bulb (some love it some hate it- the haters probably don't have everything else happy enough for the corals to sing under it), i would try to see one in person or even borrow one before committing.

 

[manderx]

In terms of 150w DE's, how would you rate them against the competition, like the Phoenix 14k or the XM 10k and 20k?

never heard a good thing about the XDE bulbs, apparently they didn't transition from SE to DE very well. a bunch of us in the local club did the phoenix thing and liked them at first, but then kinda didn't. most of us greatly prefer the AB20K over the phoenix. the P seemed to be more of a single spike while the AB20K wasn't nearly as monochromatic. we saw similar if not better growth with the AB20K despite any difference on paper regarding par. i'd also put the iwasaki50 on my shortlist if i was in 150DE. no clue whatsoever if the RF DE bulbs are similar to the SE bulbs that i've seen and used.

 

[LBCBJ]

Yea, I'll look into it. Thanks

 

[manderx]

and to make a post on-topic, whenever my cali or oregon tort recover from angry-brown, they go through a green stage first, then purple then blue. though they seem to sometimes stay purple depending on lighting when other things indicate that they should be happy enough to be blue.

 

[SERVO]

Didn't mean to start a controversy. My colors overall stink. The picture was taken when I changed out the bulbs. The bulbs were brand new and hadn't burned in. I have lost alot of the blue POP that I was seeing. That is really my biggest complaint with those bulbs is that they really "weaken" in color intensity (not brightness) over 2 months; or I've just gotten used to it.

I don't even own photoshop and don't have the time to master it. That is a top down shot with a Olympus C-2100. Point and click. I did change the white balance to outside BTW. The outside white balance gives a clear rendition of what you see. What I find interesting is the ring enhancement when the axial coralites are tangential to the camera lens. THat is really cool looking!

The coral is about 6-8 inches from the surface of the water. If you look you can see the green down near the center.
I am only running 4 400 W halides. The coral was baking under the 6500's. It turned that nasty ugly color. I switched out and immediately saw a floresence.

If anyone wants to experiment, run 6500's for about 6 weeks then switch to new 10K bulbs. You'll grow out your SPS like you have never seen and produce zooanthellae that is dying to show itself. BTW, your tank will look like crap all the while you are running your 6500's.

I don't manipulate my pictures. If I did, the posts of my FTS's would look incredible. I currently hate my colors. Everything is darker than hell.

Manderx; My buddy Matt has the same pinkish complaints with the reeflux that he has tried. I have never had this problem nor noticed any pink hue. I wonder if it is a manufacturing issue or an aspect of our color perception.

I think that you guys are right on about the green tints. There is a guy that lives around here (to be nameless) that has a billion RC posts and everything that he puts into his tank turns green. He has a ton of phosphates and feeds a pound of food weekly (exaggeration). He has lightened his bioload and has decreased his feeding after everyone and there mother told him to.

I have two other friends with tanks that both have amazing colors. Their torts are closer to a purple than anything else. They go into my tank and they turn that deep sea navy with bright florescent tips. I know that both of their tanks have very low nutrients.

 

[johnnstacy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7991866#post7991866 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SERVO
I have two other friends with tanks that both have amazing colors. Their torts are closer to a purple than anything else. They go into my tank and they turn that deep sea navy with bright florescent tips. I know that both of their tanks have very low nutrients.

Are they running different lights or ? What do you consider to be the biggest factor in color between you and your friends take? You may have mentioned it but where is the placement of your blue corals?

I run two phosban reactors, a deltec that is rated for 5 times the size of my tank, carbon, etc and lots of flow. I also use the 250W Reeflux bulbs in DE. Not sure if you said yours were DE or not. Bulbs are 9 months old. I just ordered Ushio BLV 250W DE. Hoping this makes a difference. I'm frickin tired of paying $100 for a what turns into a purple frag!!!!! I have one frag at 18" from the light and the others about 20".

 

[Kreeger1]

Zeo, right???

 

[SERVO]

Neither one of them are running zeo or adding any thing other than Kalkwasser and trace elements. They both have lower lighting *250W's with actinics* I have two VERY large Tangs. However for a 400 gallon tank, I only have 7 fish. I think that it may be nutrition but if I knew what it was I'd change it. Most of the corals in my tank turn very dark. The best the colors have ever looked was when I switched over my lights. I'm debating on putting in a 6500 bulb and watching the colors and switching out. I'd get a little more intense growth as well. I hate the way those lights make the tank look.

I remain very skeptical about most of these additive systems. They are overcharging you for some simple compound. For all we know they are selling you acetate, strontium and liquid calcium and calling it something else.

I have seen tanks that really look great running some of the additive systems, but I'm not doing it until I know what I'm putting into my tank.

If the color purple is sort of lavender, I think that the coral changes its color because of low levels of nutrients.

 

[NuclearReefs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7987684#post7987684 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SERVO
Look what you started Nathan,

6.5 K Iwasaki's 2 months prior. Boy the thing really took off and grew. It wasn't very pretty, but it grew like a weed.

I told you boys in Dallas that Iwasakis were the best to grow stuff out.. You should mix a Iwasaki next to both those reflux's if you want some crazy stuff happening.. I just wish I had a better camera. My pictures SUCK.... Erics Right though .. Out in the wild the Blues in the torts I saw around Xmas Island and Solomon Islands were insane....

Looking good though Servo.:thumbsup:

 

[Snausages01]

A shot of my ORA/Cali under 400 watt Iwasakis (6500K) about 6"-8" from the top of the tank. I'd say the amout of purple/blue has to do with more of the shade of light and the picture.

 

[raskal311]

Ok not sure if this has been covered but I've bought a few myself and when I got them its green base with blue tip. After a few weeks in my tank it turns all blue. I like the green base look so how do I keep it that way?

 

[Snausages01]

ORA/Cali usually gets green in it under lower lighting.