Corals loosing their coloration under LED lights

shellz · 07/09/2012, 10:51 PM

Hi, I got a question regarding LED lighting. I currently have the Sun-Brite LED light system with various bulbs....6500K, 12K, UV, 10K, atenic. My issue is that my SPS, LPS are losing their bright coloration and my shrooms are not growing at all. I was told that everything will color up in a couple of months...that just plain sucks IMO. So I am scared that every time I get something new that was growing under MH I am gonna have this issue. Anyone else out there going thur this type of thing? Do I just need to go back to MH and forget LED ? The reason I made the change was to try to eliminate a chiller....well that didn't work for I live in the valley in Ca and its smoking out here in the summer....

SoLiD · 07/10/2012, 02:26 AM

Sorry to be so short but RC backup will soon start.

1. Get a PAR Meter
2. More Tank Specs needed.
3. Pumps run 24/7 and put more heat into the water that lights do usually.

BigAl2007 · 07/10/2012, 06:59 AM

It's possible you're over doing the coral with our new LED. Are they dimmable?

Water Quality is just as important as light so you'll want to be on top of your game in that regard too. Bleaching is common with water quality issues.

wildman926 · 07/10/2012, 10:52 AM

I had to add T5 HO's back in the lighting mix due to the same issue of losing color in the corals. They all popped back nicely. I only added half of what I had in T5's, so no harm or fowl with electricity costs or heat issues.

shellz · 07/10/2012, 12:12 PM

Thanx, my water parameters are cool, corals are not bleaching just loosing color gradually and I know it is due to lighting change. I read something somewhere its like a "brown out effect" or something like that. Ok, I will look into added T5's...never had that type of lighting before but what the heck my babies are well worth it....thanx again

07/09/2012, 10:51 PM	#1
shellz Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 13	Corals loosing their coloration under LED lights Hi, I got a question regarding LED lighting. I currently have the Sun-Brite LED light system with various bulbs....6500K, 12K, UV, 10K, atenic. My issue is that my SPS, LPS are losing their bright coloration and my shrooms are not growing at all. I was told that everything will color up in a couple of months...that just plain sucks IMO. So I am scared that every time I get something new that was growing under MH I am gonna have this issue. Anyone else out there going thur this type of thing? Do I just need to go back to MH and forget LED ? The reason I made the change was to try to eliminate a chiller....well that didn't work for I live in the valley in Ca and its smoking out here in the summer.... __________________ Sea Shellz for life Current Tank Info: 78 Gallon Cube

07/10/2012, 02:26 AM	#2
SoLiD -=Snake=- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 893	Sorry to be so short but RC backup will soon start. 1. Get a PAR Meter 2. More Tank Specs needed. 3. Pumps run 24/7 and put more heat into the water that lights do usually. __________________ -David 40 Gallon Breeder on Steroids!!! Current Tank Info: Where you'll find an Acan and Orange Ricordea Garden in Bloom...

07/10/2012, 10:52 AM	#4
wildman926 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: CTX Posts: 1,676	I had to add T5 HO's back in the lighting mix due to the same issue of losing color in the corals. They all popped back nicely. I only added half of what I had in T5's, so no harm or fowl with electricity costs or heat issues. __________________ The search function actually works quite well!! Current Tanks: Planet Aquarium 150g LPS Planet Aquarium 90g Softie

07/10/2012, 12:12 PM	#5
shellz Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 13	Thanx, my water parameters are cool, corals are not bleaching just loosing color gradually and I know it is due to lighting change. I read something somewhere its like a "brown out effect" or something like that. Ok, I will look into added T5's...never had that type of lighting before but what the heck my babies are well worth it....thanx again __________________ Sea Shellz for life Current Tank Info: 78 Gallon Cube

07/10/2012, 06:59 AM	#3
BigAl2007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waynesville, NC USA Posts: 1,459	It's possible you're over doing the coral with our new LED. Are they dimmable? Water Quality is just as important as light so you'll want to be on top of your game in that regard too. Bleaching is common with water quality issues.