tanks with crazy colors

[Charlie97L]

ok, well my tank is doing pretty well, have some cyano, but i'm looking to start adding to my stock soon.

i've been looking at people's tanks, and i'm just wondering how the heck you guys get those crazy colors in there... all the blues, pinks, oranges... none of the coral i've seen in person really has looked like that. is it just a camera effect? or am i not looking in the right places.

granted, i have mostly natural colored stuff right now, but I'm just not getting that pop. i am installing my new actinic t5s soon, when the ballast comes back from being repaired.

anyway, my question is, is it the lights? or just getting good corals from the right places?

thanks!

[Dragon Wrasse]

I'm sure its not camera tricks....the only answer I have is Water Quality, Temp. Salinity, water flow, lighting and maybe a few additives. We are all trying to achieve the best tanks that we can with our allotted budgets and our continued quest for knowledge. The closer we can get to our animals natural habitat the happier they will be and look. Good luck on your Quest, were all here for the same reason…..to create the best tanks we can.

[cheeks69]

What type of corals do you have and what type of lighting are you using ? There's soo many very colorful corals particularly SPS...if your LFS doesn't have a good variety then I would consider some of our sponsors they have an awesome selection.

[Witfull]

as mentioned water quality is the first step to any coral looking good. if WQ isnt up to snuff, the best looking corals will not be all they can be.

second is lighting, some corals are sold al lower light. but i had found that this translates into can survive under poor lighting. but they thrive under more light. one thing that has to be remembered, our tanks even with strong lighting is lower than the sun. ive heard LFS say MH lighting will kill leather corals and burn brain corals. this simply is incorrect.

now the next part is the hardest to accomplish. Patience . dont run all willy nilly buying corals just to fill the tank. think of it as decorating a mansion, you dont want to have any old coral, you want a chipendale. make coral shopping an event, go to several stores if available. leave the credit card or cash in the car. look, browse, compare at one store then the next. after looking over all options, then decide if you really liked anything you saw. just because you went doesnt mean you HAVE to buy something.

many of the tanks you see have been built over years of patience and dedication.

end of ramble~

[Charlie97L]

thanks guys, yeah i'm being patient... i really haven't done anything to the tank for about a month now... basically, i have one really brilliant green ricordia, that looks awesome, and i love my leather, i think my water quality is really good, but i wondered basically where people are getting those really good coral...

i guess i have to do more research on which corals have the good colors. i haven't been really happy with my LFS selection, just this one store about an hour away.

thanks! i'll post some pics up when i get my new lights working.

[Cougra]

Even plain looking corals can turn into amazingly coloured corals given the right conditions. Don't always judge the colour from what you see in the store but look for the potential that the coral has. If it's in a store with fairly dull lighting but still has a bit of colour showing, when it's put into a well maintained tank with good strong lighting and high water quality the colour on the coral will most likely get more intense once it is adjusted and starts growing.

[KeyserSoze]

I live in Kansas. Finding those special corals can be difficult. I've had my best luck with locally propagated specimens. If there is a local reef club you can see the parent coral in a home tank. Most members will trade or sell to other members. The LFS also sells local frags. It's healthier pieces with none of the stress from shipping.

[Witfull]

local reefers and forums are a great place to get nice stuff, done some trading,,,always a good experience~