My SPS are either losing color or turning fluorescent green

I have been keeping SPS corals in my 150 gallon reef tank for a little
over two months since installing a 250 watt HQI minipendant with a 10K
bulb installed, using a icecap 250 Watt electonic ballast. The
distance from the middle of the bulb to the water surface is about 6
inches, with a UV shield preventing water splatters from bursting the
bulb. What I have been noticing is that the majority of my SPS corals
have either been losing their colors, or turning a fluorescent green
color. All the SPS that I have placed in the tank appear to be
healthy with good polyp extension, but once again the colors appear to
gradually fade. My nitrate and phosphate levels are zero. When I
first added SPS, I placed them high up in the tank within 10 inches of
the MH bulb, but virtually every single SPS appeared to begin to
bleach at this distance (this includes a brilliant blue A. tortusa
frag). When I noticed this bleaching, I moved the majority of frags
further down in the tank to about 16" from the bulb. This includes
the A. tortusa frag, which has made a great comeback and is now once
again a brilliant deep blue. Since I know that the A. tortusa frag is
considered one of the most light demanding species, I am guessing that
I need to move my other frags even lower in the tank. Further I am
wondering that perhaps changing my bulb to a 250W XDE 20,000K HQI may
help the coloration of the SPS. Any thoughts?

the 20KK bulbs IME give much better coloration but less growth.

regardless of the coral's light demands its always best to introduce them at
the bottom of the tank and slowly bring them up to the light.

hth
kc

"Timothy Tom" <> wrote in message
news: m...
> I have been keeping SPS corals in my 150 gallon reef tank for a little
> over two months since installing a 250 watt HQI minipendant with a 10K
> bulb installed, using a icecap 250 Watt electonic ballast. The
> distance from the middle of the bulb to the water surface is about 6
> inches, with a UV shield preventing water splatters from bursting the
> bulb. What I have been noticing is that the majority of my SPS corals
> have either been losing their colors, or turning a fluorescent green
> color. All the SPS that I have placed in the tank appear to be
> healthy with good polyp extension, but once again the colors appear to
> gradually fade. My nitrate and phosphate levels are zero. When I
> first added SPS, I placed them high up in the tank within 10 inches of
> the MH bulb, but virtually every single SPS appeared to begin to
> bleach at this distance (this includes a brilliant blue A. tortusa
> frag). When I noticed this bleaching, I moved the majority of frags
> further down in the tank to about 16" from the bulb. This includes
> the A. tortusa frag, which has made a great comeback and is now once
> again a brilliant deep blue. Since I know that the A. tortusa frag is
> considered one of the most light demanding species, I am guessing that
> I need to move my other frags even lower in the tank. Further I am
> wondering that perhaps changing my bulb to a 250W XDE 20,000K HQI may
> help the coloration of the SPS. Any thoughts?

>
>the 20KK bulbs IME give much better coloration but less growth.
>
>

True in some cases but not all.. I have found that many corals color best under
6500k iwasakis (coloration is better because of the MUCH higher PAR) and some
corals color better under 20000K radiums.. (Less par but higher Kelvin). here
is an example of a mille that has been under Iwasakis only(no actinic).. under
Radiums this coral was not half as colorful as it is under Iwasaki 6500k.
http://www.asplashoflife.com/magneta.gif
Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com

> Further I am
> wondering that perhaps changing my bulb to a 250W XDE 20,000K HQI may
> help the coloration of the SPS. Any thoughts?

Read the end of this article ...
http://www.dynamicecomorphology.com/steveletermfm01.htm

And this full article ...
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog...ee_060202.html

jc

i dont dought what you say, but i find it hard to belive that pic was taken
under a 6500K Iwasaki bulb, its to white. IME the Iwasaki's are very yellow
and that is why i will only use them on my growout tank and would NEVER use
one on a display tank.

kc

"Rod" <> wrote in message
news:...
> >
> >the 20KK bulbs IME give much better coloration but less growth.
> >
> >
>
> True in some cases but not all.. I have found that many corals color best
under
> 6500k iwasakis (coloration is better because of the MUCH higher PAR) and
some
> corals color better under 20000K radiums.. (Less par but higher Kelvin).
here
> is an example of a mille that has been under Iwasakis only(no actinic)..
under
> Radiums this coral was not half as colorful as it is under Iwasaki 6500k.
> http://www.asplashoflife.com/magneta.gif
> Rod Buehler
> www.asplashoflife.com

>i dont dought what you say, but i find it hard to belive that pic was taken
>under a 6500K Iwasaki bulb, its to white. IME the Iwasaki's are very yellow
>and that is why i will only use them on my growout tank and would NEVER use
>one on a display tank.
>
>kc
>
You are more than welcome to come and see at any time even though "you dont
care what I say" . There are many people that can vouch for the bulbs we use. I
was just saying that its a BIG BLANKET STATMENT, to say that you will get
better coloration in ALL corals with Rradiunm bulbs.. That is completely BS..
Some corals, Yes.. But ALL ?? LOL. I must say that this is the first time I
have been called a liar on any of the boards . If you care to use the
unnatural blue look, that fine with me,(sometimes I like the look too) but I
like that natural daylight look. I dont see the yellow color.. I see nice
white..
Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com

i just expressed my opinion of the pic, not your statments or trying to
discredit you. you jump to conclusions and think i was calling you a lier.
i was not. sorry you take it that way.

kc

"Rod" <> wrote in message
news:...
> >i dont dought what you say, but i find it hard to belive that pic was
taken
> >under a 6500K Iwasaki bulb, its to white. IME the Iwasaki's are very
yellow
> >and that is why i will only use them on my growout tank and would NEVER
use
> >one on a display tank.
> >
> >kc
> >
> You are more than welcome to come and see at any time even though "you
dont
> care what I say" . There are many people that can vouch for the bulbs we
use. I
> was just saying that its a BIG BLANKET STATMENT, to say that you will get
> better coloration in ALL corals with Rradiunm bulbs.. That is completely
BS..
> Some corals, Yes.. But ALL ?? LOL. I must say that this is the first time
I
> have been called a liar on any of the boards . If you care to use the
> unnatural blue look, that fine with me,(sometimes I like the look too) but
I
> like that natural daylight look. I dont see the yellow color.. I see nice
> white..
> Rod Buehler
> www.asplashoflife.com

Wow!, No, I am sorry! I could have sworn that your post read "" I dont _Care_
what you say"".. not I dont _doubt_.. My bad.. .. The links that Jimmy posted
say what I was saying.. Some corals color better under Iwasakis (6500K) and
some color better under Higher K bulbs..

>i just expressed my opinion of the pic, not your statments or trying to
>discredit you. you jump to conclusions and think i was calling you a lier.
>i was not. sorry you take it that way.
>
>kc
>
>"Rod" <> wrote in message
>news:...
>> >i dont dought what you say, but i find it hard to belive that pic was
>taken
>> >under a 6500K Iwasaki bulb, its to white. IME the Iwasaki's are very
>yellow
>> >and that is why i will only use them on my growout tank and would NEVER
>use
>> >one on a display tank.
>> >
>> >kc
>> >
>> You are more than welcome to come and see at any time even though "you
>dont
>> care what I say" . There are many people that can vouch for the bulbs we
>use. I
>> was just saying that its a BIG BLANKET STATMENT, to say that you will get
>> better coloration in ALL corals with Rradiunm bulbs.. That is completely
>BS..
>> Some corals, Yes.. But ALL ?? LOL. I must say that this is the first time
>I
>> have been called a liar on any of the boards . If you care to use the
>> unnatural blue look, that fine with me,(sometimes I like the look too) but
>I
>> like that natural daylight look. I dont see the yellow color.. I see nice
>> white..
>> Rod Buehler
>> www.asplashoflife.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com

such an ass.

kc

"Rod" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Wow!, No, I am sorry! I could have sworn that your post read "" I dont
_Care_
> what you say"".. not I dont _doubt_.. My bad.. .. The links that Jimmy
posted
> say what I was saying.. Some corals color better under Iwasakis (6500K)
and
> some color better under Higher K bulbs..
>
> >i just expressed my opinion of the pic, not your statments or trying to
> >discredit you. you jump to conclusions and think i was calling you a
lier.
> >i was not. sorry you take it that way.
> >
> >kc
> >
> >"Rod" <> wrote in message
> >news:...
> >> >i dont dought what you say, but i find it hard to belive that pic was
> >taken
> >> >under a 6500K Iwasaki bulb, its to white. IME the Iwasaki's are very
> >yellow
> >> >and that is why i will only use them on my growout tank and would
NEVER
> >use
> >> >one on a display tank.
> >> >
> >> >kc
> >> >
> >> You are more than welcome to come and see at any time even though "you
> >dont
> >> care what I say" . There are many people that can vouch for the bulbs
we
> >use. I
> >> was just saying that its a BIG BLANKET STATMENT, to say that you will
get
> >> better coloration in ALL corals with Rradiunm bulbs.. That is
completely
> >BS..
> >> Some corals, Yes.. But ALL ?? LOL. I must say that this is the first
time
> >I
> >> have been called a liar on any of the boards . If you care to use the
> >> unnatural blue look, that fine with me,(sometimes I like the look too)
but
> >I
> >> like that natural daylight look. I dont see the yellow color.. I see
nice
> >> white..
> >> Rod Buehler
> >> www.asplashoflife.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Rod Buehler
> www.asplashoflife.com

I appoligize to you for misunderstanding/misreading your post, and now you call
me an ass? or am I misreading again? I dont get it.

>such an ass.
>
>kc
>
>"Rod" <> wrote in message
>news:...
>> Wow!, No, I am sorry! I could have sworn that your post read "" I dont
>_Care_
>> what you say"".. not I dont _doubt_.. My bad.. .. The links that Jimmy
>posted
>> say what I was saying.. Some corals color better under Iwasakis (6500K)
>and
>> some color better under Higher K bulbs..
>>
>> >i just expressed my opinion of the pic, not your statments or trying to
>> >discredit you. you jump to conclusions and think i was calling you a
>lier.
>> >i was not. sorry you take it that way.
>> >
>> >kc
>> >
>> >"Rod" <> wrote in message
>> >news:...
>> >> >i dont dought what you say, but i find it hard to belive that pic was
>> >taken
>> >> >under a 6500K Iwasaki bulb, its to white. IME the Iwasaki's are very
>> >yellow
>> >> >and that is why i will only use them on my growout tank and would
>NEVER
>> >use
>> >> >one on a display tank.
>> >> >
>> >> >kc
>> >> >
>> >> You are more than welcome to come and see at any time even though "you
>> >dont
>> >> care what I say" . There are many people that can vouch for the bulbs
>we
>> >use. I
>> >> was just saying that its a BIG BLANKET STATMENT, to say that you will
>get
>> >> better coloration in ALL corals with Rradiunm bulbs.. That is
>completely
>> >BS..
>> >> Some corals, Yes.. But ALL ?? LOL. I must say that this is the first
>time
>> >I
>> >> have been called a liar on any of the boards . If you care to use the
>> >> unnatural blue look, that fine with me,(sometimes I like the look too)
>but
>> >I
>> >> like that natural daylight look. I dont see the yellow color.. I see
>nice
>> >> white..
>> >> Rod Buehler
>> >> www.asplashoflife.com
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> Rod Buehler
>> www.asplashoflife.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com