How do you think different lighting affects zoas

[user 26995]

So many people are going to LED lighting. Mainly I think because they make the color of our corals more appealing. I have also switched from metal halides to LEDs. I have found though, that there are some beautiful zoas that just dont have the color under LEDs that they did under the halides.
What is your experience.

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[tat2z_21]

I found this very informative on zoanthids and the different lighting.

http://www.faszl.com/reef/wp-content/uploads/eovwolobzc.pdf

 

[sedrostyle]

That's why I want to go led lorrie. Mainly for the color. I am curious about the growth you guys have.

 

[user 26995]

Hmmm interesting. I am running the blues at 100% and the whites at approx 70%. I like the color I am getting out of the light I am using right now.
I seem to be getting some good growth out of most of the zoas.

This is one of the corals that really changes under different lighting.

The first pic is it under 250W Metal halides - this is a crappy pic, but these zoas have a real nice pink skirt and gold an pink speckles.

This is the same zoa currently under the LED lighting

I thought the LEDs were supposed to give a broader spectrum of light to enhance the colors of coral. Which it does on most.
Under 100% blue and no whites these zoas look pretty, but they sure looked better under metal halides.

 

[user 26995]

I have to admit though, I love the color of corals under LED's. I wont go back to halides for sps and zoas. I still use T5s on my softy tanks. They dont need LEDs.
I am getting great growth on most of my zoas too. Its just that some seem to get washed out from them and not sure why.

 

[luisse25]

lorrie,i think the pink and golds are really hard to get that nice pink color on skirts and goldish on face...i think they dont do good when it comes to colors under leds...
have this really high up in my tank....lighting is metal halides 14k phoenix bulbs..

heres my colony with big polyps,haave it mid center of the tank and im planning to put it higher to achieve better color

i would say pink and golds gets better color under halides...barrier has the nicest pink and golds,they have a mini colony up high in their elos mini tank and its lit with halides.

 

[user 26995]

Yeah, that is what I have figured out with the pink n golds. They really like being up high under metal halides. And they are really pretty.

 

[tat2z_21]

Lorrie, not sure what lighting system you have, but 100% blues and 75% whites seems like a lot of power which would increase the zoo within the tissue, and ultimately cause the color change. Have you thought of bringing the lighting down a bit. Possibly to the point that you see the coral reach for the light and then bring it up a little over time. As far as the spectrum of a LED, they have a very narrow bandwidth when it comes to spectral output. Meaning a blue LED will put out 460nm, give or take a few, which is perfect for photosynthesis. The problem is that the whites also put out a huge spike in that range. So, having your lighting up that high you are dosing heavy in that range. My belief is that because blue wavelength penetrates the water column with such force, the rest of the white spectral output can be filtered out by the water column, leaving the huge spike of 460nm to keep feeding the zoo within the tissue. Which would cause a build up in the tissue, leading to a browner color. Just a thought. Maybe someone else can chime in here.

 

[user 26995]

Huh, Okay. I understand that better now. I'll turn them down a little at a time and see what happens.

 

[tat2z_21]

I find this very informative as well.

Obtaining the best colours from your corals. | Reefworks

 

[TJL]

Hey Lorrie fully agree with Floyd here, the PUR (useable light) on the LED's is much more concentrated then on MH or T5. Your Corals are reacting about the same as having 1000w MH's over them. I only run my mix of Led's lights at 60-65% without any optics and still need to place many corals in shaded areas.

Cheers, Todd

 

[user 26995]

Now does it make a difference if the are 1w or 3w LED bulbs? And how many bolbs there are? I dont actually know which they are. Its the Acan unit I got two years ago.

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[tat2z_21]

Lorrie, it does matter. Depending on what wattage the chips are plays a huge role. The one watt LEDs simply do not pack the punch that the 3w chips do. Tough they are bright, 3w chips simply have more power running through the water column giving that extra energy to cut through it. Meaning more usable PAR at the bottom of the tank. The other portion of this is the use of optics. I am a firm believer that optics should not be used unless your tank is 30" or deeper. Yes, the optics focus the energy. Which means that you are already taking an intense light source and tunneling it into a narrow beam. With tanks less the 30 inches it reall is not necessary and causes what everyone complains about with LEDs, burning of their corals.

 

[user 26995]

Hey Floyd,
I lowered my lighting a bit and the pink and golds colored up real nice.
These are the same ones as the second pic in post 4

 

[luisse25]

wow they look way nicer now!

 

[user 26995]

Yeah, they really do. Didnt take long either. I think it was probably only two weeks for them to color up.

 

[blk822822]

Nice pink and golds. I went from the MH to T5's and mine stayed the same. Well they faded after I started the tech M treatment. But they seem to be coming back pretty quick, quicker than the bryopsis is dieing.

 

[SeaLion]

That is an amazing improvement in color after lowering the intensity.

 

[vlangel]

So I am browsing this thread and learning a lot about LEDs. I am wondering if its possible to buy a one strip fixture to supplement my AquaticLife T5 lighting. In all of your opinions, would that enhance the colors and general appeal of my tank?

 

[tat2z_21]

Lorrie, those Zoa's look amazing. I am still trying to find the sweet spot with my lighting. I have 144 x 3w'ers. Still trying to dial it in just right.