Acan Lovers - What Lights Are You Using?
- Thread starter thewackyreefer
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I was pretty happy with the colors of my acans under my Sunbrite LEDs, except for the reds which turned orange as so many aquarists have reported. In August I removed 2 Sunbrite bulbs added 2 80 watt t5s to my system. One is a Geisemann Pure Actinic and the other a KZ Fiji purple. The actinic for the UV, and the Fiji Purple to add colors in the orange to red spectrum. I have always liked the LEDs but for my SPS there were some that still had good color but just seemed washed out. I was just looking to add the red/orange spectrum not only for my viewing pleasure, but was curious if the missing spectrum may have been contributing to my recession issuse at the time.
I had noted in the past that acans would morph after bringing them home, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. Most often the changes for the worse were acans that sported red colors, which would turn orange. Scolys which have red would also tend toward orange. The addition of the T5s definately helped the acans morph back to their oringinal color. These changes were not immediate, but rather over a few weeks and definately a color shift as visibly the colors didn't change when I first turned on the new lights. I am not sure which bulb stimulated the color shift back, but it makes sense that the UV is responsible. As a side note, the T5s also made a nice improvement with my SPS corals as well.
This series of pictures were taken in August and November, with the August picture preceding the November picture of the same coral.
These teal acans didnt change much, but the red with yellow/orange ring on the left did.
Neither did these pink ones, however they did morph to their current color from how they arrived from the wild.
These didn't change much either.
These sure changed. They were a brick red when I got them, oranged out under straight LED, and changed back with the addition of T5s.
So did these.
Not so much here.
Huge changes with the Bowerbanki and Scloy though.
No changes noted with these.
I had noted in the past that acans would morph after bringing them home, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. Most often the changes for the worse were acans that sported red colors, which would turn orange. Scolys which have red would also tend toward orange. The addition of the T5s definately helped the acans morph back to their oringinal color. These changes were not immediate, but rather over a few weeks and definately a color shift as visibly the colors didn't change when I first turned on the new lights. I am not sure which bulb stimulated the color shift back, but it makes sense that the UV is responsible. As a side note, the T5s also made a nice improvement with my SPS corals as well.
This series of pictures were taken in August and November, with the August picture preceding the November picture of the same coral.
These teal acans didnt change much, but the red with yellow/orange ring on the left did.
Neither did these pink ones, however they did morph to their current color from how they arrived from the wild.
These didn't change much either.
These sure changed. They were a brick red when I got them, oranged out under straight LED, and changed back with the addition of T5s.
So did these.
Not so much here.
Huge changes with the Bowerbanki and Scloy though.
No changes noted with these.
i'd imagine it's the additional red spectrum from the fiji purple. i was careful to add red spectrum to my led mix, but not from a red led...bill at reefledlights guided me towards the addition of a couple of "warm whites", which have the same red peak as the red leds, but with additional beneficial spectrum. he suggested the addition of the warm whites would give a similar result of the fiji purple bulb, which is what i was seeking.
so many of the early led fixtures featured only a "blue" and "white" led combo. newer ones feature violet, ultra violet, red, green, yellow... it's so odd/interesting/overwhelming. but it's interesting to see the effects of spectrum on our corals - especially lps it seems.
so many of the early led fixtures featured only a "blue" and "white" led combo. newer ones feature violet, ultra violet, red, green, yellow... it's so odd/interesting/overwhelming. but it's interesting to see the effects of spectrum on our corals - especially lps it seems.
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charliet21
Active Member
Starting to color up under mh
DaniSLOelle
Active Member
Ive been following this Thread for a few months. Two days ago I pulled off my 28G JBJ nano LED hood and put up T5s with just a single blue LED stunner strip for accent. My Acans were slowing changing color patterns so I built a screen cover and went for it. I'll post pics once they've acclimated to the T5s. I love the look for my LPS/softie tank so far!
I moved my acan up in my T5 lighting and I took this picture. I'm starting to notice a change as it's getting more yellow in it. I took this picture under blue LEDs and thought it came out really neat.
Duffam3434
**TASTE THE RAINBOW**
Your Acan's Look Great as well!! Glad your having luck with moving them up! For best color I keep mine in the sand, For the Acan's I have on the rocks mid to top of tank they lost some color... But I don't have anymore room on the SandBed!!
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