And I start!

[jjamontan]

It is and thanks

 

[jjamontan]

I have been working on this tank for a year. Well as much as the wife will let me spend.

 

[Convict2161]

Well your hard work has payed off my friend.

 

[jjamontan]

Thank you, it is about time to step up my game and learn more about the care of sps's.

 

[Sniperhank]

If you can keep that clam, you can keep sps. They aren't as hard as advertised IMO. I've had several black outs and my acros are still alive.

 

[jjamontan]

I have great growth out of the sps's that I have but the color is week. I am hoping for a upgrade in the middle of march. What I mean but that is a 180 new lights, skimmer, power heads rock and sand. I am Hoping to have around $5,000 to spend on all of this and then it will be on!

 

[danbstrong]

I have great growth out of the sps's that I have but the color is week. I am hoping for a upgrade in the middle of march. What I mean but that is a 180 new lights, skimmer, power heads rock and sand. I am Hoping to have around $5,000 to spend on all of this and then it will be on!

Generally as an sps keeper they lose color from phosphate and also lose color over time if no uv is provided

 

[Sniperhank]

This has been a growing topic in the last few months, with myself included. Dan is right, and mine is prob coming from phosphates from my water as I still have .04 tds out of my fresh changed ro/di. But I have been thinking about LEDs and uv light. I have read and read, and I haven't figured out if uv LEDs would be a good idea or not. I just want my colors to pop, and the jury is out on benefits of adding such onto tanks that use led or not it appears. That and they are probably expensive. Maybe a t5 supplement with purple plus. That's my thought process though.

 

[jjamontan]

UV? As in uv sterilizer?

 

[Sniperhank]

Not exactly. I mean light that produces uv-a and uv-b. I'm not fully sure on all of it really.

It is hard to find current info from LEDs. Most common stuff is from 09 and the tech just wasn't there then.

 

[jjamontan]

I'm running T5 HO.

 

[Robert_ellis]

My lfs recommended in my 6 bulb t5ho fixture to use 1 10k bulb, 1 coral wave, 1 red wave and 3 acintic bulbs. Covers more of the spectrum and when I did that my colors popped! I can't even explain the difference. Ks don't always matter is the way if numbers but offer a full spectrum of colors and you'll be happy. Even my girlfriend who doesn't understand the hobby but supports me said it made a world of difference. Halide is out... LEDs are questionable with spectrum supply and t5 ho from what all my hobbyist I know are saying is the best route to go.

 

[danbstrong]

My lfs recommended in my 6 bulb t5ho fixture to use 1 10k bulb, 1 coral wave, 1 red wave and 3 acintic bulbs. Covers more of the spectrum and when I did that my colors popped! I can't even explain the difference. Ks don't always matter is the way if numbers but offer a full spectrum of colors and you'll be happy. Even my girlfriend who doesn't understand the hobby but supports me said it made a world of difference. Halide is out... LEDs are questionable with spectrum supply and t5 ho from what all my hobbyist I know are saying is the best route to go.

Take a green acro for example put actinic lights on it yes the green will "pop" so to say but theres a reason the acro is green the algae within the acro tissue is green and the reason for this is uv , uv causes the acro to protect itself therefor the acros algae within the tissues will lightin up to reflect the uv without a uv spectrum the most beatiful green acro will fade in color and eventually brownout this is why sps keepers like myself and others use mh lighting , mh has higher uv consentrations common blue and white leds will make a coral color pop but a led fixture with uv added will make the acros tissue lightin up

 

[danbstrong]

Take a green acro for example put actinic lights on it yes the green will "pop" so to say but theres a reason the acro is green the algae within the acro tissue is green and the reason for this is uv , uv causes the acro to protect itself therefor the acros algae within the tissues will lightin up to reflect the uv without a uv spectrum the most beatiful green acro will fade in color and eventually brownout this is why sps keepers like myself and others use mh lighting , mh has higher uv consentrations common blue and white leds will make a coral color pop but a led fixture with uv added will make the acros tissue lightin up

You shouldnt need actinics for a coral to show its tru color i use 14k mh and the coral looks no different with actinics off or on this is a mh only tank no actinics

 

[jjamontan]

You shouldnt need actinics for a coral to show its tru color i use 14k mh and the coral looks no different with actinics off or on this is a mh only tank no actinics

Beautiful tank!

 

[danbstrong]

Beautiful tank!

Thanks much so ya this is my opinion if your doin sps they will benefit greatly from uv whether from mh or leds with uv im working on a fixture with all 3 whites blues and uv just my opinion and experience

 

[Convict2161]

You shouldnt need actinics for a coral to show its tru color i use 14k mh and the coral looks no different with actinics off or on this is a mh only tank no actinics

Man that tank gets me every time!! Awesome!!

 

[danbstrong]

Man that tank gets me every time!! Awesome!!

Lol ya most love it this tank is why i really like mh some of those coral were nearly brown when i put them in this is also why i think leds need at least a couple uv bulbs for sps that is

 

[Convict2161]

Lol ya most love it this tank is why i really like mh some of those coral were nearly brown when i put them in this is also why i think leds need at least a couple uv bulbs for sps that is

Makes me want MH, I think they make one that fits the BC29 too! Sun something or other. Only thing is it would have to be topless. But I heard good things about the light, just can't remember where I saw it.

 

[danbstrong]

Makes me want MH, I think they make one that fits the BC29 too! Sun something or other. Only thing is it would have to be topless. But I heard good things about the light, just can't remember where I saw it.

Coralife makes a 150w pendant for like 150$ i believe my buddy uses it on his 30g