kelvin ratings affecting corals,lets talk

[FraggleRock]

Here is something that crossed my mind. So you go into your LPS and purcase a softy, lets say the tank it came out of had 10k lighting and you have powerfull 20k lighting,besides the regular aclimation regime how does this affect the coral? I drove 3 hrs to Chicago IL and went to a few aquarium shops, bought some corals,mostly xiena type that dont pulse. Also I bought 2 flower pots. They came out of big tanks and I always asked the owner what type of light he was using and mostly everyone had 10k or 14k. I run two 250w 20k aquamedic w/2 54w t-5 10k. All my parameters are dead on! The corals are looking sad ever since I brought them home. Its been a month since my trip. 125gal. 4in sand bed. I also drip kalk. :?:

 

[MikeS]

Photoacclimation deals more primarily with changes in light intensity from one tank to another, rather than shifts in specturm. Degrees of Kelvin describe color of light, but not actual intensity. After a month, your corals should easily be photoacclimated to your new tank, I'd say the problem lies elsewhere....

MikeS

 

[DonW]

So you go into your LPS and purcase a softy, lets say the tank it came out of had 10k lighting and you have powerfull 20k lighting,besides the regular aclimation regime how does this affect the coral?

You do understand that if the lfs had 250w 10k lighting and you have 250w 20k lighting that your 20k is not as "powerful" and will usually have less intensity??

Don

 

[dnjan]

Also remember that a 20k bulb produces the same wavelengths as a 6500 bulb. It is the intensities at the various wavelengths that lead to the apparant bulb color. So, the different intensities at the different wavelengths may be irritating your corals, and they have not yet had time to adapt.

Of course, corals like more than just the correct intensities at the desired wavelengths. They prefer certain nutrient levels in the water. They prefer certain types and intensities of water motion. And, of course, their preferred values for the rather few water parameters we normally measure may be different than the "dead on" values in their new environment (or in the environment they previously came from).

 

[FraggleRock]

Thanks for the input guys. It is a fragile hobby and the endless worm hole seems to be getting closer.....wait,I think I see the light.lol.Well I dont think the flower pot is going to make it,nothing makes me more mad than to watch a coral go through this. I dipped him for 10min so i will put it in the quarintine tank and watch his progress. :shock: