coral colors from different viewing perspectives

[jselzler1]

Hi,

Does anyone else notice that coral colors change for a given viewing angle?

I run 250W MH with 20K bulb, 4 bulb T5's, 2 ATI blue+, 1 ATI Coral+, 1 ATI actinic. (thinking of about adding a purple+ in place of the coral+ or actinic). My corals colors are more vivid, and even change from a top-down perspective versus a front display perspective. The top-down perspective is more colorful, vibrant, and variety. Is there any techniques to change this? I want the top-down colors to be there from the side perspective.

For example, I have an Acro that looks tan/brown from the front perspective. It almost blends in with the LR. However from top-down this Acro is a very nice shade of green. I have some tri-color Acros that are tan/brown in middle, green at base, blue at tips from side perspective but from top-down, vibrant blue, green, and greener. I have some goni and Caulastrea sp. (trumpet coral) yellow from side view, but fluorescent green from top. Purple people eaters more vibrant from top. I can say reds are about the same in either viewing angle. Tips?

Thanks.

 

[freakit]

It may be because the light hits the corals from the top. I notice the same thing. Clams always look better top down too. I guess that's one advantage of a shallow tank that you can look down into.

 

[nemodan]

The aquarium glass, depending of ???? change the coral color too.

 

[jselzler1]

Glass, good thought. Aquarium is glass, not starfire. No glass on top.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[this is me]

The light don't hit the coral at all angle. Depending on the position of the light, the position of the coral, and the rockscape, etc.., the coral only develop the color(or a sun screen layer) where it get the most light.

 

[wpeterson]

This is the advantage of the goose neck mounts on my two kessil A350Ws. I have them at a 20-30deg angle to the water surface, which helps light hit the top and the front of my reef. 45deg might be ideal, but hard to get that much angle.