Thinking about KZ lighting

[NuraNori]

Hi Everyone,

I recently changed my FOWLR into a mixed reef tank and have quite a few SPS now. Therefore I also updated my old PC lighting to a Current USA 48"-6 bulb fixture, currently running with the original 3-actinics and 3-10,000K 54W. My tank is 75 gallons: 48 (L) x 18 (W) x 20 (H). It's been doing well enough, I do have noticable growth on some of the acros after 3 weeks but I feel like the colour spectrum isn't doing the corals justice. I'd like the corals to pop a little more. I have greens, reds, purples, oranges...really every colour.

So I was thinking of switching out the bulbs for 2 KZ Fiji purples (39W), 2 KZ Coral lights (39W), and 2 KZ New generation 14 K (39W).

Has anybody used this assortment of bulbs and if so how did you like them. Also the KZ website says you should use fiji purple:coral light in a 1:2 ratio, so not quite sure how the new generation bulbs fit into that picture.

Also since I'm currently running 54W and KZ only offers 24W and 39W, I was thinking of going with the 39W.

Thanks for your input!

[lobsterboy]

Hi, in the past i used their ratio of the 2:1 and found it to be too white even using the new gens, so now i am using 6 new gen and 6 fiji purples.
i think the colors are fine. I do change the blubs often, every 2 or 3 months.
I have thought many times about putting an actinic blub on there, but still not 100% sure. It would be intresting to see.
here is a link for some par values, looks like KZ are a bit higher in value.

http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/par

[lorenz0]

New gens are my favorite 14,000k bulbs

right now i am running 4 new gens an 2 22,000k aqua science bulbs. coral is growing decent, can't complain. i do want some more 22,000k specrum though, lost a little color going mostly white.

[NuraNori]

Also, what is the best way to acclimate corals to new lighting without moving them lower. I know people decrease the time the lights are on, but how long do I keep the light schedule short for and how short?

Thanks!

[lobsterboy]

to acclimate your corals, you can move your light higher, instead of the corals them selves.
and gradually move the light fixture closer to the waters surface.

[cchomistek]

It would be nice if we could just raise the lights but they are on the mounts and our tank is in a room with high vaulted ceilings so we don't have them hanging. Have you had any problems putting new lights with your corals or do you just move the lights up for a period of time?

Craig

[lobsterboy]

It would be nice if we could just raise the lights but they are on the mounts and our tank is in a room with high vaulted ceilings so we don't have them hanging. Have you had any problems putting new lights with your corals or do you just move the lights up for a period of time?

Craig

I used to use an aqua light pro 72 inch fixture, with one of the MH burnt out, then i went with the nova extreme pro, 12x 39wt t5 blubs, i too do not have them hanging, and placed the fixture right over the tank with the provided lounts, i did not experince any problems with the new lighting and the corals seemed to react better.
I guess its trail and error. some people experince different problems with new lighting choices and others do not.

[chris88]

I would without a doubt go with aqua science bulbs. They are proven to grow sps faster then ati bulbs which are the top selling bulb in the usa.

[cchomistek]

So we decided upon our new lighting for our tank. We went with 3 KZ New Generation, 2 22K AquaScience, and 1 KZ fiji purple. We are very impressed with the new lights. Just wanted to show the before and after pics for comparison. The lights we had before were the stock Current USA bulbs that came with the fixture.

FTS old 10K and actinic lights
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1399.jpg

FTS old actinic lights
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1417.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1416.jpg


http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1413.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1410.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1409.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/IMGP1401.jpg


New KZ and aquascience light pictures

FTS New lights
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1454.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1456.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1459.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1460.jpg

New frags from lobsterboy!!
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1463.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1465.jpg

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz357/cchomistek/Old%20lights/New%20t5%20lighting/IMGP1478.jpg

Thanks for lobsterboy and Doug for helping us figure out which lights to go with!!

Craig

[lobsterboy]

no problem, the new lights look great. Abit more blue color. :razz: