Those shots are all from under the blue LEDs that let the corals really pop with just a white balance adjustment on the camera. I'm sure I could get them to look better if I figured out how to use Photoshop [smilie=smile.gif]. To me, the colors are still a little faded when the whites are on as I had them running with too much power. Cutting the power levels on the white LEDs down has already made a noticeable difference after just a couple of weeks. For instance, I have a red Cynarina that was bleaching out before that immediately started getting some color back. Right now, I'm running my lights on a 8 hour cycle with a 3 hour ramp up and 3 hour ramp down. Settings are currently:
Blue, Deep Blue, Royal Blue 55% max
White 40% max
Green: 15% max
Red: 15% max
I've also noticed less algae on the glass when I lowered the reds and greens as I originally had them at higher percentages.
I did the Red Sea Coral Colors program for a while but found that too much of the Reef Energy A & B supplements would cause a cyano outbreak so I stopped that about a month ago. I may start back up here again but at much lower levels and work my way up. Honestly, I've gotten a little lazy with the Colors A - D dosing and just add about 40 ml of each in the middle of the week. Red Sea Coral Pro salt and 2-part dosing with typical major reef parameters of 8.5 dKH, 425ppm Ca, 1400ppm Mg, undetectable nitrate and phosphate. Dosing of Alk, Ca, Mg is all spread evenly across 24 doses during a 24-hour period by the Bubble Magus doser.
I have also gone back to doing 10% water changes every week instead of twice a month. I've learned that I need to keep up with my water changes to help reduce the amount of chloride and salinity increase that comes with 2-part dosing and I think it helps with overall system health. My new salt water is mixed at a lower salinity and, accordingly to my salinity probe, it will go from 34.5 ppt after I do a water change to about 35 ppt at the end of the week.
So, I don't think I am doing anything out of the ordinary and am still figuring out the best lighting schedule and intensities to try and get better coloration. I think it is a never ending process and no matter what, we always think things can look better and keep trying to figure out how to get there. [smilie=smile.gif]