I am currently lighting my tank with 3 175mh and 2 72"vho lights and I have been running 2 14k and 1 10k and haven’t seen a lot of growth with this setup so I changed out the 10k with a 20k. Does anybody have any experience with good growth with a 20k? Is there any benifit of a 20k? Or would I get more growth with a lower k?
[quote=“beadlocked450r, post:1, topic:4467”]
I am currently lighting my tank with 3 175mh and 2 72"vho lights and I have been running 2 14k and 1 10k and haven’t seen a lot of growth with this setup so I changed out the 10k with a 20k. Does anybody have any experience with good growth with a 20k? Is there any benifit of a 20k? Or would I get more growth with a lower k?[/quote]
10k will produce more growth than 20k, 20k will produce better colors, but there is a lot other factors involved and all of them must be at proper levels for good growth. Like temp, Cal/Alk levels, FOOD, etc.
Planted tank books have good illustrations for good plant growth, they have three columns, LIGHT/CO2/Temp. All 3 must be good for good plant growth. Same for reef environment, need to have ALL present.
Oh yeah, were is tank pictures, lol
Where’s the Kapt? grab your lighting charts and jump in here Ken
Yes i have to say from my experience. that a high k gives better color and not just appearing better due to highlighting with blue. Actually changing the color of the coral itself. Maybe due to added uv protection. but growth will slow for sure but if you have both. then you can have both fast growth and good color. but yes water quality should be good as well high p04 prevents growth and color. i think a good reflector will help spread the light well. and maybe keep your 20 k mh on with the actinic vho’s. I think that’ll look sweet. pics too wanna see
oh and how about that muffler bearing is it ok?? lol also most of the corals that we have are from 20- 30 feet down in their natural environment they do see a lower k due to the water filtering out the red spectrum.
he most important thing for coral growth is rock solid cal,alk,and mag. once i got all those in line and consistent my corals exploded.
i also want to mention that my po4 and nitrates are pertty low.
as for kalvin, in my experience, higher gives you better color but not sure it really helps growth.
Ken should be on later with some charts.
Pics are posted un members tanks
My water tests like this,mag 1410,nitrate is 35(I’m working on this)po3 is .63(working on also)alk is 3.88,kh is 10.9,ph is 8.0,cal is 525,stronium. Is 7,sg is 1.025
OK, I can take a hint. First off. Welcome to the Club Forum!
I have some basic concepts on lighting. There are several goals to attain. The correct spectrum to support the zooxanthalae in the corals, Enough of it (PAR) to keep them sufficiently productive to feed the corals, and also spectrum to make their colors POP to please our eyes.
The first is to fill the needs of the two chlorophyls in coral zooxanthalae to promote their photosynthesis. Chlorophyl A and Chlorophyl B. Here is a chart of their light requirements. they are most productive at the two major blue peaks of about 420nm and 452 nm.
You can find spectrum charts for most varieties of bulbs, lamps and LEDs. then mix and match as required. Then supply enough watts of lighting power to produce the desired PAR. LEDS are a little different scale. Plus most Blue LEDs are in the 450 nm Chlorophy B range. so if you use LEDs, i would augment them with T5 or VHO 420 Actinic bulbs to supply chlorophyl A. Then you have a zooxanthalae with a healthy supply of both chlorophys harvesting light to feed the coral.
More than that is light choice to sooth your eye. I would note that MH lamps above 10K have their major blue peak at 453 nm and very little light at 420 nm. which is why we use high kelvin MH lamps augmented with 420 nm actinic VHO all these years.
[quote=“beadlocked450r, post:7, topic:4467”]
My water tests like this,mag 1410,nitrate is 35(I’m working on this)po3 is .63(working on also)alk is 3.88,kh is 10.9,ph is 8.0,cal is 525,stronium. Is 7,sg is 1.025[/quote]
nitrate <5ppm, po3 <.1ppm, I would work on that and not waste your money on chasing light. All the charts and graphs are great but the bottom line is, zooxanthalae gives coral only energy in form of sugar, to grow AND be healthy corals need food, lots of food. Problem is the more you feed more nitrates/po3 go up. Both block coral skeleton building (Controlling phosphate in the aquarium - YouTube), so work on controlling them than expect good growth and worry about your lighting equipment.
You need the mrs. To stop feeding. Instead of child locks you need girlfriend locks lol. I haven’t fed since Monday 5pm.