Yea, I have had the same experience with my frogspawn. I finally covered it
with some rock work, and it has since darkened back up and is looking quite
nice. I agree 100% with your earlier statement, in that many people
overlight their system, me being one of them. The problem is then increased
when we try and mix different corals from different regions in our tanks. I
have 3 corals in mind right now, that are absolutely beautiful colors under
the lighting regimen that I had. I am not sure how they will react with a
long term shorter lighting schedule. If I was to look for and only stock my
tank with corals that did that well under that amount of light, there would
be no problem. The challenge with that, for the average aquarist, is that
the selection of corals readily available to us for any specific lighting
amount or regimen is limited. Thus, we attempt to acclimate and mix in
corals that normally wouldn't receive the amount (be it more or less) than
they would in nature. That is where we start having problems with colors
changing, slowed growth, bleaching and death.
I am guilty of it myself. I have LPS in the same tank as the 3 corals I
mentioned above. The 3 love the light, but obviously, it is too much for my
LPS (even with the LPS on the bottom). So, we try and make out tanks
suitable for species of animals that come from different regions, and thus
dot necessarily get the best color and growth from any of them. That is part
of the thing that makes some of the tanks in some of the books so nice. The
picture in Reef Aquariums 1 of Steve Tyree's (I think it was his) SPS tank,
where it is all sps from the same region, looks stunning. The corals are all
very large and colorful. They all thrive under the same conditions, thus
they all look healthy and happy.
Dot get me wrong, I think corals from different regions can be mixed, and
many people do it succesfully, but I think it makes it much more difficult
to get maximum results from all of your corals if you do. Not only is
lighting a factor, but so is current and the ability to live with and
utilize dissolved organic compounds.
IMO, if you want a drop dead, knock out, kick ass tank, do one that has all
animals (especially corals) from the same region of the ocean.
Your experiments with your corals sounds really cool. Good luck, let us know
what you find (even if it is a couple years from now)!!!
Shane C.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 10:33 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Lighting regimen....
>
> In a message dated 8/22/01 1:18:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> << If you consider the amount and or type of lighting to use on a reef
> aquarium
> or an explanation of xooanthellae and its role in coloration of coral
> common
> sense, then you are a much smarter person than I am. >>
>
>
> LOL, perhaps not so much common sense, but basic science. I noticed that
> when
> I had a frogspawn under 2x30 watt NOs and moved them into 2x55 watt PCs.
> Even
> after a CAREFUL and SLOW acclimation, the polyp extension was just not the
>
> same. I also noticed a lessening in the brown color. The polyps became
> more
> transparent instead of translucent. In a sense the coral did bleach
> itself,
> which I feel corals have control over in response to their environmental
> factors. There are a few holes in my theory one being the overall net use
> of
> energy the polyps use to expand, if the coral is attempting to maximize
> surface area but in so doing expends more energy then its zooxanthellae
> can
> gain and contribute. Another thing is i am nowwhere near an expert on
> coral/zooxanthellae relationships. Its just a theory at this point. Once i
>
> get some more systems set up I do plan to research a little bit into my
> theory and do a few experiments. Right now with paying for college I cant
> afford the different lighting systems i need.
> ________________________________________
>
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