Effect of wattage on coral colour...

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

Quinn I gotta learn that language you speak...lol

Quinn was more fun to talk to before he went to school. Now he uses big words and complicates everything. Sheesh....

[Quinn]

But Brad, we've had lots of fun with big words!

Come on now, you guys haven't taken research methods courses? But seriously, midterm tomorrow, I've been putting off studying so I have to at least try to keep the stuff in the easy access sections of my memory.

Basically I was saying that our "research" isn't scientific and therefore has to be taken with a grain of salt.

[BCOrchidGuy]

I could understand that this time. Thanks for the translation.

Doug

[StirCrazy]

hmmm

[StirCrazy]

Brad exactly you hit it on the nose.. read that again.. growth is due to "calcium availability, alkalinity, trace elements, flow, temperature, salinity, food and stability"

but lets simplify this even more and focus on Ca.. a coral grows by shedding Ca. if it can shed Ca for some reason it can't grow. so now here is another twist I learned.. if your calcium is to high you actualy slow down growth.

As far as color, if you have high power lights you reduce the amount of zooxanthellae needed to make food. zooxanthellae are Brown so if you reduce the number you reduce the amount of brown. if you don't have enuf light you will cause the number of zooxanthellae to be increased hence causing the coral to become more brown.

now how much light do you need? I tend to agree with Anthony Calfo when he said "if you are running 400 watts on a tank that is less than 30" deep you are waisting your time."

Brad I realy can say what growth you had as you have had 400's as long as I remember but, did get good growht because of the bulbs or was it a factor from somthing else that might have coinceadently happend close to the same time? (oh we got to do lunch some time soon )

Teevee, speak english or don't. it hurts my head trying to figure out what you said and on the serious side it doesen't lend anything to the discussion.

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

Steve that sure helps me make my decision about not using 2 400s and just going to 2 250s. So, now I'm going to have a 400w 10,000k for sale enclosed ballast etc... how much should I ask so Bob doesn't laugh at me? lol

Doug

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

Steve that sure helps me make my decision about not using 2 400s and just going to 2 250s. So, now I'm going to have a 400w 10,000k for sale enclosed ballast etc... how much should I ask so Bob doesn't laugh at me? lol

Doug

now having said all that you might want to keep the 400 watt to use for a radium (actinic purposes) between a couple 250 watt bulbs.

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

You know I did think of that but I'm having to do this on a bit of a budget, sudden expenses and all. I was thinking of 2 HO actinics off a WH7 would be sufficient for actinic on this tank.

Doug

[Quinn]

Steve sounds like the Seattle meeting was really good. What you've said makes good sense and helps answer my original question.

On another note, I will make an effort to write in a more lucid (translation: easier to understand) fashion while maintaining a level of eloquence (translation: still making myself sound smarter than I am).

[BCOrchidGuy]

What's that old saying, If you can't blind them with brilliance, baffle them with.....