SPS growth and MH K rating?
- Thread starter nash
- Start date
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
Well as mentioned in the latest reefkeeping mag, go to RC's main page and click on the e-zine link, PAR is what is more important for corals (ie light energy), and lower kelvin bulbs (usually) put out more bag for the buck. Take it a step further 6500k bulbs put out way more par for any given wattage than most bulbs out there.
Problem is when you switch to 20k you're going to starve the coral of light, and by that I mean unless you bump up the wattage (ie go from 250w to 400w) you're all of a sudden putting this coral you just grew into a more "shaded" area. Will the color up? Perhaps, I think mostly they put them under the 20k bulbs just to make them look more colorful, if they color up that's just a secondary bonus.
Talk to a few here though that heavily emphasis feeding though, I would be willing to bet you get more from that than any kelvin switch on bulbs, problem is you have to be very diligent with keeping your water parameters good.
Would I do it? Sure, why not. In fact there's a reason I have a frag grow out tank on my back porch, I don't want to be bothered with having to pay PG&E to light the things
Of course I really wish I had a quantum flux meter or something to see how much light really is getting back there.
Problem is when you switch to 20k you're going to starve the coral of light, and by that I mean unless you bump up the wattage (ie go from 250w to 400w) you're all of a sudden putting this coral you just grew into a more "shaded" area. Will the color up? Perhaps, I think mostly they put them under the 20k bulbs just to make them look more colorful, if they color up that's just a secondary bonus.
Talk to a few here though that heavily emphasis feeding though, I would be willing to bet you get more from that than any kelvin switch on bulbs, problem is you have to be very diligent with keeping your water parameters good.
Would I do it? Sure, why not. In fact there's a reason I have a frag grow out tank on my back porch, I don't want to be bothered with having to pay PG&E to light the things
Of course I really wish I had a quantum flux meter or something to see how much light really is getting back there.
Raddogz
Guest
The big three in SPS keeping are all tied to Lighting, Water Movement i.e. flow & Water Quality .
One can use 6500k, but it makes the tank look yellow as yellow as ..... (best left unsaid ;D).
Since I've never tried this trading of lights, I can guess this would work - albeit it might take some time for the coral to color back up to "marketbility".
I would rather grow out a coral which has the growth and color I'm looking for. Afterall, people will buy a mini colony of color, but will not buy a mini colony of brown. Btw, I am using 12k Reeflux and stuff grows quickly, and is coloring up quite nicely.
One can use 6500k, but it makes the tank look yellow as yellow as ..... (best left unsaid ;D).
Since I've never tried this trading of lights, I can guess this would work - albeit it might take some time for the coral to color back up to "marketbility".
I would rather grow out a coral which has the growth and color I'm looking for. Afterall, people will buy a mini colony of color, but will not buy a mini colony of brown. Btw, I am using 12k Reeflux and stuff grows quickly, and is coloring up quite nicely.