Updated - Reef Lighting Test

[ATLANTIS]

I have just updated my Reef Lighting Test page


synopsis

I suspect one of the most hotly debated subjects in Reefkeeping is Marine Reef Lighting. I have been using 400 watt, 10KK Ushio lamps for a long time. I love how white the light looks and feels. I drive them with both PFO HQI ballasts as well as standard PFO ballasts.

Many of my friends in this hobby swear by the Iwasaki 6500K bulbs. I have seen incredible growth in tanks lit by both types of bulbs. We know from Sanjay Joshi's Tests that the Iwasaki bulbs produce more par. The question is.... Which bulb produces the most growth and coloration in SPS corals.


My experiment will be quite simple.

I have several propagation tanks that are plumbed together. In essence, the water parameters of these tanks will be very similar. I have installed new bulbs over all tanks in April 2001. I have allowed a 2 month break in period for the bulbs. On 5/20/01 I made 2 frags of 7 different SPS corals. I attempted to make each frag of each specific coral as similar as possible in both height and girth. I have placed each frag in a similar spot in 2 tanks. One tank is being lit by a 400 watt, 10KK Ushio lamp, driven by a PFO HQI ballast. The Other by a 400 watt, 6500K Iwasaki lamp, driven by a standard PFO ballast.

[Reefstud]

Brian,

I really appreciate you trying to make some head way on this issue. I have been following your test religiously. It sometimes is hard to evaluate the results from pictures. I was curious if you have an opinion of which bulb is producing better results in your system? Do you plan on making a change in all your grow out tanks based on this test?

[fishpoo]

i would rather have your opinion also. Very hard to tell from pics. Rather go by your experience.

[ATLANTIS]

I do not plan on posting my opinions.... just reporting facts..

I want everyone to have the opportunity to decide for themselves....

Interestingly, it seems that different people look at the same pictures and see different results...

;)