Pygmey is back!

I think I remember you from about 8 years ago. Welcome back! What are you planning to keep in the new tank?

 

It has been a while. I could tell from your LED controversy statement lol. Good to see someone back though I haven't been around long enough to know you. I think LEDs are regarded now as equal to or better than traditional lighting options depending on what you get. That idea reminded me of the US Senator during a congressional debate that said railroads would never catch on because if the human body exceeded 50 mph the person would instantly die.

 

Hi!

 

I've watched that series too. I think what's key that they said is that what light looks best to our eyes isn't always the best light for the corals. The trick with controllable LEDs is that you have to find the proper setting that lets the coral thrive even if it doesn't make the colors pop as much. You can always crank up the blue if you're showing the tank off to someone and then set it back to the normal healthy settings. I've had great luck with LEDs with all types of coral thus far. I get the same if not better growth and health with the LEDs than I did with my T5s/MH on older tanks. I do think MH can add a level of perfection for some corals, but it is not necessary for thriving coral.

 

That's very interesting. I wonder what the chemistry/biology behind that is.

 

I wonder if somehow it has to do with light penetration, Like if you hold a flashlight up to your finger that is powered by an AA battery vs one powered by two C batteries. So when you put a coral thats been under LEDs back under MHs, all the color growth is closer to the surface. The MH penetrates deeper into the coral luminescing the non-colored growth that the LED failed to penetrate and makes the neutral colors dominate visually. On the other hand when moving from MH back to LED the LED has less light penetration and illuminates the colors and doesnt go deep enough to bring out the neutral browns. Just my crazy idea I pulled out of thin air.