What would you recommend for my photoperiod? What do Red Planets like?

Snappy · #1 12-12-2010, 11:21 PM

In my opinion, I don't think you will be able to get the colours you are hoping for under that lighting unless you keep them all near the surface.

christyf5 · #2 12-12-2010, 11:41 PM

I'm with Greg on this one. I have my red planet fairly high up in my tank (probly 6-8" from the surface) under 250W.

Milad · #3 12-12-2010, 11:50 PM

whos got a frag of red planet they want to sell me in a few week? i would like to try it out under some LEDs

ScubaSteve · #4 12-13-2010, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milad

whos got a frag of red planet they want to sell me in a few week? i would like to try it out under some LEDs

Paul at Oceanic Corals. I'm sure he'd love to sell you some.

Reefer Rob · #5 12-13-2010, 12:28 AM

I would lengthen you photo period until you get the colors you want. I just set up a cube with a 150w halide only, and I've thrown in a few SPS as an experiment. If they don't do well then it will become an LPS tank. I've started out at a 10 hour photo period, I assume I'll have to go longer for SPS. Time will tell.

ScubaSteve · #6 12-13-2010, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

I would lengthen you photo period until you get the colors you want. I just set up a cube with a 150w halide only, and I've thrown in a few SPS as an experiment. If they don't do well then it will become an LPS tank. I've started out at a 10 hour photo period, I assume I'll have to go longer for SPS. Time will tell.

I've got several colonies that are just booming under the 150W, I'm pretty sure a master reefer like yourself will do just fine.

When you say 10 hours, is that 10 hours of your main light or 10 hours of actinic with a shorter main light period?

And again, is coloration a strong function of photoperiod as well?

Reefer Rob · #7 12-13-2010, 01:24 AM

For now I only have the one light, so that is the MH photo period. On my 180 when I ran 400s 7 hours was enough (but I did 8 trying to push growth, it was a waste of electricity). I switch to 250s and found 9 hours about right. So now it's 150s (I'm feeling a little inadequate) so I thought I'd start at 10 hours. I like the longer viewing period too

Most of the Acros are in the top 1/2 of the tank.

Reefer Rob · #8 12-13-2010, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

And again, is coloration a strong function of photoperiod as well?

Ask 10 people that question and you'll get 10 different answers. I believe it does. I increase the photo period until the coral lighten to what I want. It remains to be seen whether that with happen with 150s.

ScubaSteve · #9 12-13-2010, 12:01 AM

I figured that was what the answer was going to be. I've talked to a few people in other places who have their RPs in about the same position as mine under 150W MH and they have good growth and colour (nice mix of red/green.. not all red). Weird. I'll try slowly moving the RP up with the bonsai.

The strange thing is though the RP actually started bleaching in the original spot I had it in the tank, about 6" from the surface (Yes, full story comes out). I started it where it is now and them moved it to the high 6" spot a few weeks later. Yes, I understand that more than just lighting can cause bleaching but it was given a loooong acclimation time and other frags that were added the same day were fine. I moved it to a low light area to recover and now I'm moving it back out into the bright light. It's been in a moderate to high flow/light spot for a several weeks now and colour has come back a bit but still nothing of its former glory.

So is colouration only a function of intensity and not intensity+photoperiod?