Your favorite Metal Halides for Acropora Growth and Coloration

[coral reeftank]

Hmm, I’ll have to see once the lights are on. In my system there is fairly little algae beside this red turf algae type, coralline and sea lettuce. I also have an over abundance of snails and stomatellas so perhaps they are keeping it at bay.

 

[coral reeftank]

I also have another system lit with only t5 and I do notice that there is less overall algae growth in that tank. It definitely could be related to the wavelength that our lights emit. People run UV sterilizers to reduce algae, so it’s definitely plausible that lights such as halides which emit UV light act as an algaecide in some capacity as well.

 

[njreefkeeper]

Hmm, I’ll have to see once the lights are on. In my system there is fairly little algae beside this red turf algae type, coralline and sea lettuce. I also have an over abundance of snails and stomatellas so perhaps they are keeping it at bay.

The red turf algae definitely does better under LEDs as well. It just disappears under halides.

 

[njreefkeeper]

I also have another system lit with only t5 and I do notice that there is less overall algae growth in that tank. It definitely could be related to the wavelength that our lights emit. People run UV sterilizers to reduce algae, so it’s definitely plausible that lights such as halides which emit UV light act as an algaecide in some capacity as well.

True. I agree with that completely but I don’t think a UV sterilizer has any effect on this algae growing in the tank. I have a 40 watt uv on the tank with the Sky LEDs, but yet that algae is growing in the tank like it did 7 years ago.

 

[Yanir34]

I watched it. My guess is that he’s there for a reason; possibly the same reason Chris Meckley from ACI had him come to his farm to figure out how his prized torches that were moved from halide to LED weren’t doing so well; and then when moved back started to thrive again.

I will say this…and it may be hard for people who have LED’s to understand if they’ve never had halides or t5’s. There is definitely an algae that develops in an LED tank that doesn’t present itself in any way under halides and t5’s. I used to own a retail store a few years ago and ran a for sale SPS frag system plumbed into an equally sized LPS and zoanthids system. The SPS system was lit with t5 and the LPS and zoanthid system lit by hydra 32’s. Both shared the same sump. There was a velvety brownish red algae that developed on the frag rack and onto plugs in the LPS/zoanthid system that never showed one trace of being in the t5 system. I was constantly scraping it and cleaning it. Never saw it in 20 years of keeping a reef tank. Fast forward to this year. I had an ati t5 lighting system on one of my home displays but when a couple of the ballasts started kicking the bucket I decided I wanted to try LEDs again. This time I went with the Neptune Sky. Then I watched the Reefbum video of Chris mentioning the exact same algae I had years back. After having the Sky lights on this tank since August, I can now see that same algae starting to develop on my rocks again. I’m not saying it’s good or bad, but tangs and my Foxface rabbit fish won’t touch it; even going so far as to pick at the rocks around the algae. It’s velvety in appearance. If you watch some of Reefbum’s videos where he does top down views of his tanks, you’ll notice that algae is non-existent in his halide and t5 187 gallon tank…yet his Mitras LED tank has it. I know it when I see it.

So here’s the thing…I’ve been fortunate enough to dive some nice reefs in the Indo Pacific rim. The algae present in nature is what I see in my home tanks lit with t5 and or halide. I’ve never seen the algae anywhere in nature that led develops. Maybe it’s an algae that develops at a deeper depth? Since most led fixtures skew blue these days, they’re still more blue than the bluest of 20k halide bulbs. I don’t know if this algae is bad or good for our tanks. But it’s definitely new to our hobby since the introduction of LEDs.

My guess is that halide and t5 provide a level of UV that keeps this algae at bay like the sun does in nature. The absence of UV may allow this algae to flourish. My concern is long term health of our entire systems under led. With all the dinoflagellate talk these days, I’m curious if we’ve caused our own first year woes in tanks with LEDs. And…if this algae only presents itself under LEDs, what else is happening biologically to our tank biomes that we can’t see under this light source? With everyone trading and buying frags from vendors and hobbyists that have made the switch, a new strain of something pathogenic is very possible to have reached the majority (if not all) of our systems by now.

I’m very curious to hear Tulio’s results, but I’m confident I know what I’m going to hear.

I have 2 tanks that connected to same sump.
1 tank is 500 liters that powerd with MH/LED .
tank number 2 is powerd with Radion G5 blue it's 120 liters tank.
I also have chamber with macro alge that powerd by Kessil h160 flora.

the smaller tank and refugium have problems with nuisance alges , all time.
The 500 tank with MH have absolutely no alge at all , except coraline purple alge.
That is true fact.

 

[xabo]

I watched it. My guess is that he’s there for a reason; possibly the same reason Chris Meckley from ACI had him come to his farm to figure out how his prized torches that were moved from halide to LED weren’t doing so well; and then when moved back started to thrive again.

I will say this…and it may be hard for people who have LED’s to understand if they’ve never had halides or t5’s. There is definitely an algae that develops in an LED tank that doesn’t present itself in any way under halides and t5’s. I used to own a retail store a few years ago and ran a for sale SPS frag system plumbed into an equally sized LPS and zoanthids system. The SPS system was lit with t5 and the LPS and zoanthid system lit by hydra 32’s. Both shared the same sump. There was a velvety brownish red algae that developed on the frag rack and onto plugs in the LPS/zoanthid system that never showed one trace of being in the t5 system. I was constantly scraping it and cleaning it. Never saw it in 20 years of keeping a reef tank. Fast forward to this year. I had an ati t5 lighting system on one of my home displays but when a couple of the ballasts started kicking the bucket I decided I wanted to try LEDs again. This time I went with the Neptune Sky. Then I watched the Reefbum video of Chris mentioning the exact same algae I had years back. After having the Sky lights on this tank since August, I can now see that same algae starting to develop on my rocks again. I’m not saying it’s good or bad, but tangs and my Foxface rabbit fish won’t touch it; even going so far as to pick at the rocks around the algae. It’s velvety in appearance. If you watch some of Reefbum’s videos where he does top down views of his tanks, you’ll notice that algae is non-existent in his halide and t5 187 gallon tank…yet his Mitras LED tank has it. I know it when I see it.

So here’s the thing…I’ve been fortunate enough to dive some nice reefs in the Indo Pacific rim. The algae present in nature is what I see in my home tanks lit with t5 and or halide. I’ve never seen the algae anywhere in nature that led develops. Maybe it’s an algae that develops at a deeper depth? Since most led fixtures skew blue these days, they’re still more blue than the bluest of 20k halide bulbs. I don’t know if this algae is bad or good for our tanks. But it’s definitely new to our hobby since the introduction of LEDs.

My guess is that halide and t5 provide a level of UV that keeps this algae at bay like the sun does in nature. The absence of UV may allow this algae to flourish. My concern is long term health of our entire systems under led. With all the dinoflagellate talk these days, I’m curious if we’ve caused our own first year woes in tanks with LEDs. And…if this algae only presents itself under LEDs, what else is happening biologically to our tank biomes that we can’t see under this light source? With everyone trading and buying frags from vendors and hobbyists that have made the switch, a new strain of something pathogenic is very possible to have reached the majority (if not all) of our systems by now.

I’m very curious to hear Tulio’s results, but I’m confident I know what I’m going to hear.

Similar to this?

 

[njreefkeeper]

Similar to this?

Not really. It almost seems black. Your picture has the purplish/red look of cyano; even though it may very well be a turf algae.

 

[wmb0003]

This? Some of my rocks are more covered than others; this picture is one of the more covered areas areas.

 

[njreefkeeper]

This? Some of my rocks are more covered than others; this picture is one of the more covered areas areas.

That’s the stuff.

 

[wmb0003]

That’s the stuff.

I hope to switch to halides soon so we will see what happens to it

 

[njreefkeeper]

I hope to switch to halides soon so we will see what happens to it

It goes away. And fast too. I’ve moved frags on plugs that have that algae from my led tank to a halide tank and it disappears. And vice versa, I’ve moved halide frags to led and the plugs started growing that algae. It’s repeatable. I’ve done it numerous times.

 

[madlos123]

I got something that looks kinda it but its more redish brown. More brown on shaded area. Very thin and smooth, it wont blow away even using turkey baster.

 

[jmichaelh7]

well one of my Millie’s RTN , I tested dkh and realized I was at 3.5 Salifert from typically 4.6 - 5.0

Im assuming that since the light switch LED to MH that my corals alk demand slowed down significantly due to the shock and adjustment. while my Carx kept running it has definitely caused the spike in dkh

I shut my Carx off tonight to bring the Dkh down slowly and will test again tomorrow. I definitely did not plug this scenario into the equation. fingers crossed this is the only corals lost.

 

[coral reeftank]

well one of my Millie’s RTN , I tested dkh and realized I was at 3.5 Salifert from typically 4.6 - 5.0

Im assuming that since the light switch LED to MH that my corals alk demand slowed down significantly due to the shock and adjustment. while my Carx kept running it has definitely caused the spike in dkh

I shut my Carx off tonight to bring the Dkh down slowly and will test again tomorrow. I definitely did not plug this scenario into the equation. fingers crossed this is the only corals lost.

3.5 dkh for alk sounds extremely low, I usually don’t let it drop below 7 and try to keep it between 8-9 dkh

 

[rc1626]

3.5 dkh for alk sounds extremely low, I usually don’t let it drop below 7 and try to keep it between 8-9 dkh

I use Salifert test kits and I believe what they are referring to is the amount of titration fluid left in the syringe that then corresponds to a particular dkh. Don’t have the chart in front of me but I know 3.5 cross referenced would be 6dkh or possibly lower.

 

[xabo]

I use Salifert test kits and I believe what they are referring to is the amount of titration fluid left in the syringe that then corresponds to a particular dkh. Don’t have the chart in front of me but I know 3.5 cross referenced would be 6dkh or possibly lower.

 

[njreefkeeper]

3.5 dkh for alk sounds extremely low, I usually don’t let it drop below 7 and try to keep it between 8-9 dkh

^^^^this.

 

[SpSDrew]

Very curious the see long term results from Andrew’s tanks. UV spectrum rays could be more beneficial to coral health and hopefully we can prove this soon

 

[A. grandis]

Very curious the see long term results from Andrew’s tanks. UV spectrum rays could be more beneficial to coral health and hopefully we can prove this soon

To get caught on the UV miracle deal is a big mistake IMHO. The whole spectrum offered by halides is what we need to understand and know to be a huge part of the reason why they are the best artificial light option for reef tanks in many ways. Don't get me wrong, I was and am the one that always brought UV to be very beneficial, along with IR, but in truth, we need to understand that UV alone isn't the "essence of the magic". The whole spectrum WORKS TOGETHER!

 

[coral reeftank]

How come there hasn’t been an led light that fully mimics a metal halide?