# Do Coral only POP under blue light?



## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

(I almost feeling embarrassed asking this one…)

Under normal daylighting (white) my some of my older zoas are brownish. As I increase the blue light they really POP (like a rave party). Is this normal?

I have used MH for many years but this year I changed to LED and noticed that my older coral are brownish (especially the orange centre ones)UNTIL I use blue lighting. 

I read about the symbiotic algae/coral pigmentation and how the S A will make the zoos look brown and block the light from the pigmentation part of the coral. Should I not worry about this (this is normal or at least change over time) or is this something that can change so that the coloration is better under daylighting??

Blue lighting = POP colouration
day lighting = some corals brown (typically older coral).

Thanks!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

It has to do with the pigment proteins. Under white lights, none of the fluorescent proteins are excited, so not much of the "popping" colours are visible. However, when you slide into the bluer colors, those wavelengths of light do a better job of exciting the fluorescent proteins, and do a poorer job of illuminating the regular colours, so the net effect is much more of the bright popping colours you see.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

So….. does that mean don't worry about it or
use more blue for awhile to feed the coral pigmentation more.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

This is a balance of "white" light and "blue" light for overall visual look of the aquarium and "pop" of coral coloration to suit ones' taste. 

Personally I like the overall "whiteness" in the 12,000-14,000K range but 20,000K too dim/blue but the corals are the most vibrant in color.

It's easier to keep the "white light source" the same and supplement w/actincs for FL or royal blue and UV LED strips.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

Thank you WTAC. This is what I am doing but wasn't sure it was right or if those brown ones were needing something.


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