Tips for Acropora?

[mrg02d]

Heres the pics...
Figured id show off the new zoanthids and the blastomussa while im at it! Great deals or what? Those zoanthids are the biggest ive seen. (size of nickles).

Matt

 

[mrg02d]

Hmm...pictures didnt attach...Here they are...

 

[mrg02d]

Here are the zoanthids and the blasto.

 

[ryshark]

Everything looks very nice. I really like the Staghorn Acropora, it looks like a Cali Tort. The other SPS looks like either Seriatopora Guttatus or a type of Sylophora like you mentioned. Nice pick-ups.

 

[Mitchell0605]

I love the one in the first pic. I'm looking around for Acros now I have my better lights.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...The other SPS looks like either Seriatopora Guttatus ...

Definitely Seriatopora. Also known as a "birdsnest". Looks a lot like the ORA captive bred Green Birdsnest.

 

[mrg02d]

Definitely Seriatopora. Also known as a "birdsnest". Looks a lot like the ORA captive bred Green Birdsnest.

Yup, the guy mentioned ORA each time I pointed (like a kid in a candy store) at a coral. Not a bad deal, eh? I think Im loaded for now with SPS.

A side question: I am considering going LED. Would the Maxspect 60W LED light be better than the 96W T5 I have now?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[mrg02d]

So is this a blue tort or stag? The guy at the LFS called it a tort. Also, its turning green! NOoooo! The body is green now and the tips all purple. Is this to be expected? Its sitting on the bottom of the tank "light acclimating". Should I move it to the top now that its losing color?

Matt

 

[ryshark]

So is this a blue tort or stag? The guy at the LFS called it a tort. Also, its turning green! NOoooo! The body is green now and the tips all purple. Is this to be expected? Its sitting on the bottom of the tank "light acclimating". Should I move it to the top now that its losing color?

Matt

It looks to me like a Cali Tort. The formation is Staghorn type.
Haven't you only had it a couple days? I wouldn't move it up for at least 5-days. If it is losing color, it may not be because of the lights but just because of the new environment and stress. Also, before you move it to the top, move it half way up. If you Google Cali Tort you will see the green body with blue/purple tips is their normal coloration. If you want a truely Blue Tort then you need to get an Oregon Tort

 

[mrg02d]

It looks to me like a Cali Tort. The formation is Staghorn type.
Haven't you only had it a couple days? I wouldn't move it up for at least 5-days. If it is losing color, it may not be because of the lights but just because of the new environment and stress. Also, before you move it to the top, move it half way up. If you Google Cali Tort you will see the green body with blue/purple tips is their normal coloration. If you want a truely Blue Tort then you need to get an Oregon Tort

Yea, I actually just got it yesterday, but was scared to see it seemingly changing color. (Didnt notice the green at the LFS). As long as this is what its supposed to look like, then all is good.

I was worried that this is its way of telling me it wants more light, now.
Thanks,
Matt

 

[mrg02d]

I am also considering changing my lighting. Currently I have a 96W T5 fixture using 4 24in bulbs. I have 2-12000k (wavepoint brand) and 2-460nm (wavepoint brand). I am thinking about going with ATI.

What should I get? I was thinking 2-12000k and 2-460nm from ATI. Would this keep a nice crisp white color for the tank? I would like it to be a bit more blue, but also want my corals to grow.

Another option is to over power the ATI bulbs with my URI A4 (Icecap made) T5 ballast. It will drive each bulb at 40W instead of 24W. I could add a fan to blow on the bulbs to keep them cool/er. Would this benefit me, or cook my tank? (up to 160W of T5 over my 20g). ATI are not meant to be overpowered, URI bulbs are but the URI bulbs cast this dang pink hue that looks so trashy! I beleive with good cooling, the ATI bulbs should still last, right?

If it were you, what would you do?

Matt

 

[ryshark]

I am also considering changing my lighting. Currently I have a 96W T5 fixture using 4 24in bulbs. I have 2-12000k (wavepoint brand) and 2-460nm (wavepoint brand). I am thinking about going with ATI.

What should I get? I was thinking 2-12000k and 2-460nm from ATI. Would this keep a nice crisp white color for the tank? I would like it to be a bit more blue, but also want my corals to grow.

Another option is to over power the ATI bulbs with my URI A4 (Icecap made) T5 ballast. It will drive each bulb at 40W instead of 24W. I could add a fan to blow on the bulbs to keep them cool/er. Would this benefit me, or cook my tank? (up to 160W of T5 over my 20g). ATI are not meant to be overpowered, URI bulbs are but the URI bulbs cast this dang pink hue that looks so trashy! I beleive with good cooling, the ATI bulbs should still last, right?

If it were you, what would you do?

Matt

Why would you go with Actinic bulbs again? Remember about the Blue Plus bulbs I mentioned from ATI? These are your best bet becaues you will get a nice blue from them and they provide good PAR/usable light for the coral. Go with 2x Blue Plus and 2x Aquablue both bulbs from ATI. That will give you a nice crisp white look with blue too.
Or if you want even less crisp white and want to draw out other colors in your coral then go with
2x ATI Blue Plus
1x ATI Aquablue
1x KZ Fiji Purple
Overdriving the bulbs will make them not last as long.
Are you thinking about going with ATI fixture too or just bulbs?

 

[mrg02d]

Hello,
I believe that actinic spectrum is around the 420nm range, whereas blue is the 460nm range. I couldnt remember the name for the blue bulbs, so I called them 460nm. (Actinic is too purple for me anyway).

I was going to put the ATI bulbs in my wavepoint t5 setup that I modified to use a URI A4 t5 ballast. This will overpower the bulbs a good bit, and I would use cooling. URI bubls are the only ones I know of that are meant to be overdriven, but they all cast pink hues (yuck!). I figured ATI might survive with some cooling.

Should I even bother with more light? I am using stock wavepoint brand bulbs right now. Might 96W be more than enough for SPS? How about with ATI bulb upgrades?

Maybe I should just buy the ATI bulbs and put them into my current setup, Current USA Sundial and stick with that? I could then sell the wavepoint+super ballast setup.

Matt

 

[ryshark]

Hello,
I believe that actinic spectrum is around the 420nm range, whereas blue is the 460nm range. I couldnt remember the name for the blue bulbs, so I called them 460nm. (Actinic is too purple for me anyway).

I was going to put the ATI bulbs in my wavepoint t5 setup that I modified to use a URI A4 t5 ballast. This will overpower the bulbs a good bit, and I would use cooling. URI bubls are the only ones I know of that are meant to be overdriven, but they all cast pink hues (yuck!). I figured ATI might survive with some cooling.

Should I even bother with more light? I am using stock wavepoint brand bulbs right now. Might 96W be more than enough for SPS? How about with ATI bulb upgrades?

Maybe I should just buy the ATI bulbs and put them into my current setup, Current USA Sundial and stick with that? I could then sell the wavepoint+super ballast setup.

Matt

Its funny you mention the pink hue with URI bulbs. When I had a VHO setup I always thought my tank had a pink hue to it and I did not like that. I think it is their Aquasun bulb that gives that pink color.
IMO you should just try the ATI bulbs and see how that works out for you. That should be the cheapest route for you too and I think it will be enough light.

 

[mrg02d]

From the reviews I am reading, it would seem ALL URI bulbs have the pink hue to them. :-( I have 2-aquasun and 2-actinics made by URI that I bought months ago. I couldnt stand the pink color. (ick!).

Id love to be able to use them since I can overpower them, but that red hue is unbearable!

So Im going to say, URI is out. Any other similar bulbs that can be over driven that you know of? A few others seem to hint that if one were to over power a normal t5, they would go with ATI since they are such great bulbs.

So ATI it is! Im wondering whether 160W would be too much for my tank? Im guessing the SPS wont mind at all, but I have a number of soft corals and whatnot that I dont want harmed. Maybe I will be wowed by the improvement so much that I wont care to overdrive them.

Matt