lighting needs of certain LPS compared to other LPS

jacksonpt · 01/12/2017, 11:06 AM

Obviously there are tons of threads about how high in your tank a certain coral should go... but that's pretty relative. The amount of light a coral receives when placed high in my tank could be hugely different than what it would get placed high in yours.

So let's talk about lighting needs with respect to other corals.

Would you suggest acans be placed lower, same or higher than a hammer?
What about a torch compared to gonipora compared to duncans?
Frogspawn vs bubble?

I've got a bunch of LPS in my tank... most are doing OK (happy, but not thriving/growing), a few are struggling, and a few are doing fantastic. Simply asking how high or how much light acans need doesn't mean much as there isn't much context to that conversation. But if acans need more light than my goni, then that would explain why they aren't doing well.

See what I'm trying to do?

organism · 01/12/2017, 12:34 PM

I think for LPS it's less about the quantity of light and more about the spectrum. They don't like much white light from LED's, but you can smash them with blue light from LED's.

Reefer40b · 01/15/2017, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by organism

I think for LPS it's less about the quantity of light and more about the spectrum. They don't like much white light from LED's, but you can smash them with blue light from LED's.

I would have to agree with this, I turned up my whites for a week and my LPS did not appreciate it. I keep my white at a ratio of 40% to my Blues

Appaloosa1224 · 01/15/2017, 10:24 AM

I just started up a new 10g after a few years mostly out of the hobby. Everything except my bubble love the Kessil I have on the tank. The bubble however, can't stand it and it currently recovering in a very shady spot. I don't recall my other bubbles being this sensitive to lighting conditions before so possibly this one is just picky. I've always enjoyed LPS's tolerance to many lighting conditions.

jacksonpt · 01/18/2017, 07:34 AM

Good to know, thanks.

Over that last 9 months or so (since adding a controller to my system), I've finally gotten my params consistently testing in the good-ideal range. Most of my corals are doing well, but I still don't have much growth, even looking back on pictures from 6 months or a year ago. The few starter SPS I have are growing pretty well, not so much with most of my LPS, and there are a few species I've just never had luck with. (like acans)

Maybe I'll try fussing with my bulb combos and see what that does. Right now I'm running T5s - 1 white, 2 blue, 1 purple, all ATI bulbs (I forget what ATI calls each), which looks/feels pretty well balanced to my eye.

01/12/2017, 11:06 AM	#1
jacksonpt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 3,679	lighting needs of certain LPS compared to other LPS Obviously there are tons of threads about how high in your tank a certain coral should go... but that's pretty relative. The amount of light a coral receives when placed high in my tank could be hugely different than what it would get placed high in yours. So let's talk about lighting needs with respect to other corals. Would you suggest acans be placed lower, same or higher than a hammer? What about a torch compared to gonipora compared to duncans? Frogspawn vs bubble? I've got a bunch of LPS in my tank... most are doing OK (happy, but not thriving/growing), a few are struggling, and a few are doing fantastic. Simply asking how high or how much light acans need doesn't mean much as there isn't much context to that conversation. But if acans need more light than my goni, then that would explain why they aren't doing well. See what I'm trying to do? __________________ Jackson - All advice I give is based on my first hand experience. YMMV. Current Tank Info: 38g (mostly LPS) with a 20g sump/fuge and all the other standard goodies

01/12/2017, 12:34 PM	#2
organism code monkey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: south bay Posts: 6,223	I think for LPS it's less about the quantity of light and more about the spectrum. They don't like much white light from LED's, but you can smash them with blue light from LED's. __________________ I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros

01/18/2017, 07:34 AM	#5
jacksonpt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 3,679	Good to know, thanks. Over that last 9 months or so (since adding a controller to my system), I've finally gotten my params consistently testing in the good-ideal range. Most of my corals are doing well, but I still don't have much growth, even looking back on pictures from 6 months or a year ago. The few starter SPS I have are growing pretty well, not so much with most of my LPS, and there are a few species I've just never had luck with. (like acans) Maybe I'll try fussing with my bulb combos and see what that does. Right now I'm running T5s - 1 white, 2 blue, 1 purple, all ATI bulbs (I forget what ATI calls each), which looks/feels pretty well balanced to my eye. __________________ Jackson - All advice I give is based on my first hand experience. YMMV. Current Tank Info: 38g (mostly LPS) with a 20g sump/fuge and all the other standard goodies

01/15/2017, 10:24 AM	#4
Appaloosa1224 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 282	I just started up a new 10g after a few years mostly out of the hobby. Everything except my bubble love the Kessil I have on the tank. The bubble however, can't stand it and it currently recovering in a very shady spot. I don't recall my other bubbles being this sensitive to lighting conditions before so possibly this one is just picky. I've always enjoyed LPS's tolerance to many lighting conditions.