T5 Lighting Question

[DarrenUnwin]

I have been reading the following interesting article on marine aquariums

http/www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/12/aafeature2

Basically some of my leather corals have gone a slightly golden colour, they still look very healthy and are growing fast but the article got me wondering if the 4 Arcadia 22" T5s HO (2 White 2 blue) would be better swapped for 3 white and just one artinic based on the principles in the above article. The tanks hood is wood to match the cabinet base unit so MH are out due to heat build up.

For information one of the leather corals was yellow when purchased.

Hope you guys can help.

Many thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

Heh, thats really hard to say. If the coral still has good polyp extension and looks healthy, chances are that it is healthy. Switching to more 10k's will provide more PAR/PUR/microenstiens to your corals and will influence a color change both in the short term and the long term. If you don't lke thhe color of your corals currently, feel free to change your lighting to get a different appearance, the cora's health will probably not be impacted (especially since we're only talking leathers here, not acros). In the end, aquarists really have to experiment with different lighting solutions before they find the one they like

 

[DarrenUnwin]

SKifeltch

Many thanks for the advice, will try out the addiitional white when I replace the bulbs in about 2 months time as they will be ready for changing them and I see how the colour looks then

Scubadaz