t5 and crocea ??

i got this pm from someone and i cert'ly don't know enough to adequatelt answer it, so here, eeeexperts.

i see that you're using t5's and am wondering how your croceas are holding their colors under them? i'm using 4x54ho t5's/ice cap reflectors and notice light related color and pattern changes over the years with the croceas, actually ready to give up on them and stick with my squamosa and try maximas. i recently got a 5th t5/icecap end caps and reflector just havent installed it yet but don't expect it to make much a difference as they're not stretching form the shell for light and growth is fine. a guy with experience told me that croceas only just about keep their wild colors found on the reefs under high mh lighting and end up two or three basic colors when under all forms of fluorescent lighting. so i'm wondering if you've been taking photos of yours over the years and have found this to be true in your system as i have in mine?
he had said that its not a issue with maximas just croceas and that they really don't belong under any aquarium lighting. citing the wild colors and patterns found in the wild that he doesn't see last or develop in home aquariums. as i said before i'm ready to get rid of at least two if not all three of my croceas.

Paul

If your not going to use MH it maybe a good idea. I know the crocea I got from Charlie at DPA, was a faded shriviled hot mess and it was under T5's, I have him twards the top and he has made a complete recovery and is getting the blue back in the mantle. IMO the T5 lights are nice but I don't think they put enough light out to sustain those type of clams and some types of SPS. I've heard the standard VHO's are going away so I need to stock up on them because I feel they put out a nicer light.

First i dont see a direct question except him/her asking how yours are doing.

There are a whole bunch of factors that can effect the colors that clams show. Bulb quality, spectrum, ballasts, nutrient levels, genetics ect... Good T5 setups have been shown to have PAR levels that rival or beat MH so saying they are not strong enough isnt accurate. One advantage multi tube T5's have over MH is the ability to mix and match bulbs spectrum to get a broad range of peak spectrum's. Croceas are found in very shallow water and therefore receive full spectrum daylight 5000K to 6500K



The yellow in the above graph represents daylight at noon. All spectrum's are present in relatively equal amounts and intensity's. Now look at a typical MH 14K



You can see there is a whole lot of light missing. Heres a typical t5 graph



Same thing.

Marine aquarium lamps tend to be focused on the blue end of the spectrum and thats just fine for photosynthesis of most zooxanthellae but the light we see in our corals and clams is a reflection. We cant expect to see all the colors they can reflect if we dont provide all the colors they would naturally receive.

95% to 98% of all the croceas we see for sale are wild collected and have lived their whole lives under full spectrum light. They have produced protective proteins to block out and reflect away unwanted/needed light frequencies. Take them out of the wild and place them in an aquarium where they are no longer receiving these frequencies and they slowly stop producing these proteins.

Heres a little more on clam colors and patterns.

Clam colors and patterns, where do they come from?

thanks, C&B. i feel mine are not losing colors or patterns at all. of course, my oldest crocea is only about 5 months in the tank.

Good info Chris....Doesn't get any better then that.

Originally Posted by chris&barb

First i dont see a direct question except him/her asking how yours are doing.

There are a whole bunch of factors that can effect the colors that clams show. Bulb quality, spectrum, ballasts, nutrient levels, genetics ect... Good T5 setups have been shown to have PAR levels that rival or beat MH so saying they are not strong enough isnt accurate. One advantage multi tube T5's have over MH is the ability to mix and match bulbs spectrum to get a broad range of peak spectrum's. Croceas are found in very shallow water and therefore receive full spectrum daylight 5000K to 6500K



The yellow in the above graph represents daylight at noon. All spectrum's are present in relatively equal amounts and intensity's. Now look at a typical MH 14K



You can see there is a whole lot of light missing. Heres a typical t5 graph



Same thing.

Marine aquarium lamps tend to be focused on the blue end of the spectrum and thats just fine for photosynthesis of most zooxanthellae but the light we see in our corals and clams is a reflection. We cant expect to see all the colors they can reflect if we dont provide all the colors they would naturally receive.

95% to 98% of all the croceas we see for sale are wild collected and have lived their whole lives under full spectrum light. They have produced protective proteins to block out and reflect away unwanted/needed light frequencies. Take them out of the wild and place them in an aquarium where they are no longer receiving these frequencies and they slowly stop producing these proteins.

Heres a little more on clam colors and patterns.

Clam colors and patterns, where do they come from?

also to add more chris said t5 doesn't last more then 6 to 8 month so if you leave a t5 until it blown off that also be a down side for the crocea and you have to provide nutriens