Lighting & Color

[GaryP]

I have seen a lot of posts here recently asking what is the "best" lights to use. Most of us that have been in this a while know there is no real answer, its a matter of personal preferences and goals (Ex: growth vs. color). I ran across the page below and thought some of you might find it interesting. Its a comparison of the exactly the same corals with different bulbs and combinations of bulbs.

http://www.sharkysreef.com/catalog/lights.php

[::pete::]

Nice link. I have seen similar results switching from different bulbs as well as placing frags in different locations in regards to lighting and with different flow. The frag doesnt even look like the mother colony.

[GaryP]

I have just never seen a side by side comparison like that. I thought it might be useful to some of those out there planning their tanks.

[TexasTodd]

Nice thread Gary.

What I've also never seen and would be great is a comparrison showing the same frags over time under different lighting.

There's the immediate change do to spectrum, then there's the actual corals changing color over "X" number of weeks under different lighting.

Plus, of course it's actually WATER quality that plays the largest roll in getting really exotic colors to "come out" of your corals. Those that refuse to learn what they can on chemistry pay the price so to speak. I wish I knew/understood more on the chemistry side. Always trying to learn more.

TT

[GaryP]

Todd,

Your wish is my command. Guess what the topic is going to be at the June meeting? We're just going to focus on calcium/alkalinity/magnesium for this talk, as well as whereever else that may lead us in discussion. Please plan on attending, I would appreciate your feed back.