How Much Can Lighting Spectrum Change the Actual Color of SPS?

[gws3]

Ok, this was a rhetorical question. The answer is a lot. Check out these two chunks of pinky the bear I cut from a large colony that was shadowing other colonies. The colony is lit by a combo of Radion G4 Pro / Blue Plus T5 / Reefbrite XHO in my one display.

The top piece I cut a couple months ago and put in a tank lit only by Radion G5 Blues. The bottom piece I just cut last weekend. They were both cut from the same exact colony.

I was blown away by the difference. Figured I’d share.

 

[Yellowsound]

Were the PAR and all water chemistry parameters identical in the two systems?

 

[gws3]

Were the PAR and all water chemistry parameters identical in the two systems?

Oh, sorry I wasn't clear. It's the same system, two different tanks. PAR is around 400 on both, a little bit higher on the bottom piece.

 

[Yellowsound]

Oh, sorry I wasn't clear. It's the same system, two different tanks. PAR is around 400 on both, a little bit higher on the bottom piece.

Wow, that’s incredible.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Wow! Awesome!

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Really interesting comparison. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Robinson]

Nice growing and observation. This make me think about what is contributing more to the difference on the bottom frag; the t5 or the Reefbrite?

Always have been a fan of Reefbrite and currently run some in my tank.

 

[jda]

As you have found, it can matter a lot both in actual color rendering and also illumination.

Always found that more daylight made the best actual color in the coral. You gotta blue-them-up to look at 'em, though.

What is nuts is that some acros don't seem to mind different light and look near the same under many different types. This is why some will just never understand this since they have an acro or two where it doesn't matter and they assume that all act this way.

Then, you have arguments over which looks better - I am a contrast guy. I prefer the look of the piece on the bottom, but many others will disagree.

 

[ceaver]

Ok, this was a rhetorical question. The answer is a lot. Check out these two chunks of pinky the bear I cut from a large colony that was shadowing other colonies. The colony is lit by a combo of Radion G4 Pro / Blue Plus T5 / Reefbrite XHO in my one display.

The top piece I cut a couple months ago and put in a tank lit only by Radion G5 Blues. The bottom piece I just cut last weekend. They were both cut from the same exact colony.

I was blown away by the difference. Figured I’d share.

Super interesting! Are you able to say which of these two is more representative of how this piece "normally" looks?

 

[jcdeng]

Top one looks more exotic, and of course I am bias since purple is my favorite color.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

As you have found, it can matter a lot both in actual color rendering and also illumination.

Always found that more daylight made the best actual color in the coral. You gotta blue-them-up to look at 'em, though.

What is nuts is that some acros don't seem to mind different light and look near the same under many different types. This is why some will just never understand this since they have an acro or two where it doesn't matter and they assume that all act this way.

Then, you have arguments over which looks better - I am a contrast guy. I prefer the look of the piece on the bottom, but many others will disagree.

I agree prefer the bottom one but both are nice.

 

[blstravler]

Ok, this was a rhetorical question. The answer is a lot. Check out these two chunks of pinky the bear I cut from a large colony that was shadowing other colonies. The colony is lit by a combo of Radion G4 Pro / Blue Plus T5 / Reefbrite XHO in my one display.

The top piece I cut a couple months ago and put in a tank lit only by Radion G5 Blues. The bottom piece I just cut last weekend. They were both cut from the same exact colony.

I was blown away by the difference. Figured I’d share.

Very interesting - do you run the G5 Blue all channels at 100%?

 

[SamMule]

Wow, that's pretty incredible! The bottom one definitely looks better to me too.

 

[DannoOMG]

And both those cuts are completely healthy? Just different color?

I dont deal with acro's. I just lurk.

 

[ninjamyst]

Could also be flow right?

 

[ClownSchool]

I have an acan that was moved from one tank to another.
In the first tank, it was in shades of green like army camo. Within 24 hours in the second, it turned bright orange and blue.

 

[ceaver]

I have an acan that was moved from one tank to another.
In the first tank, it was in shades of green like army camo. Within 24 hours in the second, it turned bright orange and blue.

Pictures of this, by chance?

 

[ClownSchool]

Pictures of this, by chance?

Unfortunately, it was a fairly new addition and I didn’t get a before picture. Sorry.

 

[RevMH]

Great stuff!!!

 

[brahm]

Makes sense, I have the same corals often in different places under the same lights and they don’t always colour up the same. What this does for sure remind me is I need a frag of pinky