Efect on color of corals ?

How much dose the kind of lighting and type of bulbs have on the colors of corals ? I have 4 54wat T-5's and 2 110 wat VHO's on a 90G . 3 bulbs are 12000k actinic white and 3 420nm super actinic . I have good growth and every thing seems healthy but the colors of my purple gorgonia and a few other things just dont pop like they seem to in most otheres pictures . Do i need to get different kinds of bulbs ? Do i need to bite the bullet and go with MH's ? Thanks for any input .

 

I'm losing some color that I had in my montipora and red planet. I have cheap Odyssea 250 w bulbs that are brand new.. I just ordered another ballast and bulbs. I think mainly it matters for SPS... and from all I've read it really does make a difference.

 

I may be worng but the spectrum of the bulb has a great deal to do with the color of the coral. A 20k bulb will give a blueish color and make the color pop while a lower k rating bulb will not. Also i learned when i was light shopping the other day that a 20k (or for that matter any k bulb) will be different by each manufacturer and also depending on the ballast.

So with that said I would say that you buld definately matters in the color of the corals.

 

Reef Guru just posted this. might want to give it a read!

http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-lighting/coral-color-60936.html#post577598

 

Thanks cuttingras . That was a bit over my head but I see there is a big difference . I wish it was black and white on wich bulbs to use . Every one has different ideas and it's to expencive to try them all out .