RPEs and T5 only people, please post pics

[ficklefins]

I was wondering if those with T5 lights could post any pics of their RPEs? I've had an issue lately with them losing their skirt color and I wanted to find out if anybody else was having this issue.

Thanks

 

[jessiesgrrl]

This should be interesting!
:hello1:
Laurie

 

[Azurel]

I don't have T-5 but every colony/frag I have had all did that. The ones I have now are doing that but keeping the bright red in the oralface and they are not in direct lighting too......I don't know what that is either.....

 

[rocko918]

I will have to take some pics when i get home.

I have not had any issues with them fading.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I have 2 different colonies purchased from 2 different places. Both are in the middle of the tank, ~12" away from the lights (they are growing on the rocks, so I can't move them lower). Both have bleached equally. They didn't start losing color until about 6 weeks after being placed under brand new T5s.

It has been a month since that pic & I think I can see a little color starting to come back in both colonies. I also have a blue brain that bleached:

That one has been moved into the shade, with no improvement.

 

[fishes2889]

These aren't true RPE's but close enough. They are on the SB about 10 inches from 3x54 watts of T5's...

Steve

 

[Pufferpunk]

Mine were deep red when I got them. The funny thing is, all the new babies are lighter than the origionals.

 

[twon8]

under one 6500k ge and one blueplus overdriven on an icecap 430 over a 55

 

[fishes2889]

Man! thier skirts are colorless!

Have you tried moving them down in the tank twon? or do you like how they look cuz i do..

Steve

 

[Azurel]

Mine are almost identical to yours Twon....

 

[ficklefins]

I've got a set that is starting to get more and more like yours Twon. I have since moved them to the sand hoping they regain their colors.

I've heard people suggest that it isn't the T5 lights that cause this but I really believe that the lights are causing something. This could be from improper acclimation, to much par or something else, but I do know that I had them near the surface with my MH setup and they remained rich in color.

Any ideas?
Are we missing a certain spectrum?
Water quality?

BTW, I read on a Canadian forum that a SPS guy was very unhappy with his red colors under T5 lights. He decided to try a bulb in the 3000k spectrum and he was having better coloration from it. I've tried to search for the thread but just can't find it.

 

[da6d2003]

under one 6500k ge and one blueplus overdriven on an icecap 430 over a 55

These are WILD looking!

 

[Pufferpunk]

From what I hear, their color will come back & that was my main concern. Looks like it may be coming back already.

 

[berns]

well ive noticed since getting this morph that infact wat glows red under higher k lights is actually the orange looking dust that develops on this morph, under whiter lights the dust as i say is orange, if you loose this dust coating your rpe will look more brown and not glow red no matter how high kelvin you use.

id suggest if yours are loosing/lost the magic dust then its trial and error placement in your tank for it to regain, depending on your lights it could be either way ie more light required or lower light, maybe half shade the colony to help speed up your trials etc.

heres a few frag pictures with a full coating of the magic dust glowing red that have been under 100w of 20k T5 tubes in my 6" deep prop tank and they been improoving their glow to wat i guess must be their peak now

frags were placed in my reef under twin 150w 20k halides without actinic supplement for these pictures

so as a guide 100w 20k T5 tubes over 6" deep tank makes them pop.

 

[fishes2889]

So basicall what RPE's like the most is the lower light situations. In other words less PAR.....

Steve

 

[berns]

as above thats my experience, tho 100w over any zoa/paly in a 6" deep tank is not really very low light, about 4" of actual water above polyp heads means they receiving the full blast of the tubes.

wat i do know (as tested) is that with only 70w of same 20k tubes over this shallow tank is not enough for RPE to sustain the magic dust.