Radium bleaching?

[Doug]

I though I would post this, after reading one_divided,s post on RC.

I have had, what I think is bleaching in many corals. Green digita, new pink digita, brown digita, pink birdsnest.

I was running 3-400w bulbs on my tank. I have removed the lower temp 400 from the center and raised the pair of Radiums.

Of course it could be many other things, but I have never had a problem like this in all my years keeping corals and through many light changes.

I, like others, though perhaps some of you were correct and the Radiums/Bluewave was not enough light,{perhaps still the reason}, but I really dont think so. Most of the corals seem to be recovering since moving them to the outside and raising the lights. I have also added several new sps, that I am watching very close.

The above mentioned frags came from vho or 175w halide systems. As the general view was that Radium/Bluewave lack punch, I figured the corals were safe.

This is something that only time will sort out. However it may show some truths. Such as if the above combination are as good as mentioned or not. I am only running two of the 400w Radiums over my tank, but with excellent reflectors. If that colours and grows the corals, then we will know. If not, then perhaps the Radium/pulse start systems need supplemental lighting. I really dont know.

[Dez]

Doug,

This is interesting. I haven't been keeping sps all that long. I do have the Radium/Bluewave combo as well. 2 400watters over my tank. I went from 2 175 watt 5500 k bulbs plus a 400 watt poor man's bulb (a standard hydroponics bulb with a blue light filter on it-which decreases the intesity a lot and changes the colour slightly....this set-up had no reflectors).

Then I went to the 2 400 watt Bluewave/radium combo...of course acclimating my corals to them and not going to the full 7-8 hour photoperiod until 5 weeks later. Within 2-3 weeks, I noticed that my what used to be brown acropora changed to red and green... Since then, new growth has definitely been noticed.

I also got a bright pink cat's paw frag (stylopora I think) from a friend. It was under vho's and it's not as pink under the radiums...

Some of my other corals showed major polyp extension after putting the radiums on...

I have given a brown monitpora frag to Canadian Man just a week and a half ago. This is probably one of the sps that I've had the longest. Started out as a frag about an inch....and now it's about 40 branches...in about 6 months I'd say. However, it is starting to show a tinge of a pink skeleton and lightened up a lot in Canadian Man's tank under Iwasaki's. Another green Montipora that I gave him a month ago has lightened up as well....

I also got a frag of Acro that was white with purple tips about a month ago, and under the radiums it is darkening up substantially...still don't know what the final colour will be...

Hmmm.... I am so far very happy with the Bluewave/radium combo...

Only time will tell...i have about 28-30 different sps's now since I've converted to a stony tank... I'm looking forward to the colours and growth...they are mostly frags...

I don't know if this info helps...

Des

[Aquattro]

Doug, just a comment on the lacking punch thing. I've had my radiums running 5 days now and I have to say they don't really lack anything. Sure, they aren't Iwasakis, but they compare well to the 10k bulb. I am happy with the intensity.
I also don't see any problem yet with my SPS, although I had 400w to begin with. I also don't think Adam's acro is bleaching, I think it's just going thru a color change.

[One_Divided]

Here's the pic for anyone who hasn't seen it:

http://members.shaw.ca/limestone2/colourloss01.jpg


I suspect that my particular combination of ballast and bulb, may be lacking in an area of the spectrum that the 10k had previously filled in.

Doug have you found the same type of bleaching? With mine, the zoox seems to have evenly disappeared from the entire coral. Most light related bleaching only effect the area exposed directly to the light. This is why I am looking for similar experiences. If it's not the light cuasing the problem, I want to know what is!

[Samw]

Is that what's being called as the bubblegum acro? I think I have a frag of that one. I think I agree with Brad that its just changing colour. When I first got mine, it was very light in color after being under Halides. Then, after being under PCs for a few months, it turned dark purple which I kind of like.

Before

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/200301/116-1688_IMG.jpg

After

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/200301/129-2967_IMG.jpg

[One_Divided]

Yep, that's the one Sam. Whether it's a colour change or not, I don't like it! lol ...You might just say, my bubble gum has lost its flavour..

[Doug]

Adam, "did your bubble gum lose its flavour on the bedpost overnight". :D

My pink digita looked like that and then bleached complete. It came right from a dealer though, so lighting was different. The green & brown digita was bleaching near the edges and tips. Its also very close looking to tissue recession on some of them.

Brad, are yours not on HQI?

Dez, I also like mine. Very much. I think they are bright enough also, but looking at all possible problems here. I hope it was just bleaching from not adapting the corals slow enough. That would show that the Bluewave/Radium combo is providing all the light the corals need. I have been thinking that perhaps they are high in uv output. :? That would cause some bleaching.

[Doug]

I have another comment after looking at Adam,s pics again. Why would the coral lighten in colour under the pfo/Radium combination. Its not that bright. Should the coral not darken in colour with deeper purple from the more actinic lighting than going to a pinker colour, which is what happens under lower "K" bulbs like Iwasaki.

[stephane]

I will have picture soon but I now begin to have the show tank I have alway dream of! birdnest is solid pink and improve in color each day All my sps brown boring acrow have now completly turned
blue,purple,aqua,bright orange, the color are only awsome!
on the other hand green frog spaw have take about 4 1/2 month to
be happy at first the tips have turn from green to pink but now they returm green but have realy slow the grow,green tree have slow there grow,trompet is slowly dying (the onnly one who realy hate the Radium),yellow plate have fade but grow well (no more solid yellow on this) the lesss demanding coral are the one who have hard time focus ont the radium but all hight light coral seem to all improove and color a lot the grow is awsome on the clam side the blue and the purple grow like mad and the color is amazing, the brow have shift a part of is mantle to pale blue but dont seem as happy than the other I tink the light is to bright for brown clam

I use the HQI Ballast with optimal reflector and the bulb is 6 inch from the water. I love the radium they are one of the best move I have done!

sorry to heard you lost Doug :(

[Doug]

Thanks Stephane,
Your corals were use to a fair bit of light though. It shows, as does Brads, that you guys are running them on HQI, which burns them brighter than mine.

Thus, the idea that mine bleached because they were to much, seems a bit far fetched. The pink monti came from under several vho bulbs and 250w Radium bulbs, however it bleached in a week in my tank.

Which ever it is, I lowered the bulbs today, oriented them different and added two fixtures running 4-40w 65K Ultra normal output bulbs.

[stephane]

An engineer friend of mine have tested the radium bulb on a m135 ballast frome venture and get 285 watt from the bulb he also tested a sodium and get 395 watt but he have not tested the agro is conclusion is that runing a bulb with that low wattage is harder on the bulb than with the sodium who is realy close to the bulb cause the radium is a 360 watt so he recomand me to fire the bulb with regular 400 sodium but I dont care cause my agro is waht Im looking for :lol: