Opinions wanted.

[reefwithareefer]

So I have finished re-doing my light set up. I tossed the the MH/T5 fixture and installed 3 - 250 ( Ushio,14000K bulbs)watt pendants. Sunlight HQI pendants with Galaxie ballasts. I then tore apart my fixture and took out the T5 portions and installed them in front and behind the pendants. There is 2 80w bulbs in the front and 2 in the back. (2 pinks and 2 purples)
It really evened out the light throughout the tank and I am pretty happy about that..
But...The corals do not really "pop". I picked up some frags from Slyguy and if anyone has seen his tank, they will know his corals "pop" with color. Ever since seeing his tank I have tried everything to get the same effect. Different bulb and spectrums, types etc etc. I bought a cheap LED and loved the way it made the colors pop at night, but the corals did not do well under them and began to fade. I borrowed a friends Radion and it was nice but not the same as Halide/T5.

I was thinking of buying some cheap LEDs, just for "accent" light in order to get the Popping effect. I am also contemplating using Kessils instead of LEDs for "accent" lighting. I have only seen vids of the Kessils, but they seem to really make the colors "pop" as well..

LEDs? Kessils? Try a different combo of bulbs?

Damn you Slyguy...

[Skimmer Juice]

kessils are LED , I use kessil a360w and colors pop like crazy and you get the best shimmer I have ever seen . SO you could buy a kessil and use 2 t5's or something like that. I was originally going to use my teklight fixture cut 2 holes in it for my kessils and run 2 t5 bulbs . But after using the kessil I'm getting good growth and really nice colors so I just stuck with the a360w

[apexifd]

have you looking into 20k halide bulb? 14k ushio is really white.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by Skimmer Juice

kessils are LED , I use kessil a360w and colors pop like crazy and you get the best shimmer I have ever seen . SO you could buy a kessil and use 2 t5's or something like that. I was originally going to use my teklight fixture cut 2 holes in it for my kessils and run 2 t5 bulbs . But after using the kessil I'm getting good growth and really nice colors so I just stuck with the a360w

I do know they are LED, just meant that they are not the typical "box" fixture like other LEDs.
My tank is 8 ft, so i am guessing at least three...Not sure if I would need the 360s for accent. Then again, maybe pull the halides, but it seems the jury is not out on LEDS. Some seem to be reverting back to halides.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by apexifd

have you looking into 20k halide bulb? 14k ushio is really white.

I did try the Hamilton 20k bulbs but they were quite blue.
The 14Ks are white, but the T5s give it some blue/pink. But no real color pop...

Don't get me wrong, the corals have some nice color, just not any "wow" factor. The main concern I guess is that they are getting the proper light to grow, then color pop.

[Aquattro]

Honestly, I would look at water quality before lighting. Any coral I've bought that "popped" in another tank "pooped" in mine, whether MH, T5 or LED. Anytime they lacked the pop, it was a WQ issue that was resolved by cleaning up my water quality.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Honestly, I would look at water quality before lighting. Any coral I've bought that "popped" in another tank "pooped" in mine, whether MH, T5 or LED. Anytime they lacked the pop, it was a WQ issue that was resolved by cleaning up my water quality.

Good point, but I only use RO/DI water for changes and top off. I do water changes regularly. I was letting the Apex do daily changes, but found that did not work as well as weekly for whatever reason. I can take some tank water out in a glass and set it beside new RO/DI and there is not much difference. in color. I will say that I always have little bits of "stuff' floating around, which seems to be normal. Not microbubbles, but tiny bits of stuff.

My water dumps into filter socks, 200 and 200 microns, goes thru my skimmer, UV and ozone, then thru another 200 micron cloth, before going back to DT. Not sure if I should be doing anything else. Although Slyguys water does look more clear/clean than mine. Is that because of lighting? Does it have to do with the fact mine is a peninsula? Or as you say, just water quality. It is frustrating....

Water clarity in my tank does "change" depending on the time of day. The sun comes thru my windows and fills the room and tank as the day starts and leaves by 2 ish. At a certain time, the water looks dead clear and another shows the tiny tiny "stuff" floating around.

[reefwithareefer]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Honestly, I would look at water quality before lighting. Any coral I've bought that "popped" in another tank "pooped" in mine, whether MH, T5 or LED. Anytime they lacked the pop, it was a WQ issue that was resolved by cleaning up my water quality.

Just sayin...But it is not really my intention to have my coral "poop" in my tank, but rather "pop" ;P Did you ever find out why they pooped in yours?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by reefwithareefer

Just sayin...But it is not really my intention to have my coral "poop" in my tank, but rather "pop" ;P Did you ever find out why they pooped in yours?

fed too much

[apexifd]

Blue led does give coral that special effect that halide/t5 won't be able to provide.