Ricordea Lighting
Ricordea husbandry will only be successful with the right type of Ricordea lighting. Selecting the right type of lighting can be a challenge because there are many different options to choose from. The sunlight can be quite intense even far below the water’s surface as I have seen from diving. This is surprising to many people who assume that under the water’s surface the light refracts and basically disappears. And, while in the deep sea this might be the case, in areas closer to the surface where ricordia is found the lighting can be very strong. If you have the opportunity to dive for ricordia pay close attention to the natural ricordia lighting. You will likely be quite surprised at the brightness of the light below the water’s surface.
Ricordea Lighting Sensitivity
Ricordia lighting is so important because they are Ricordea Lighting PC so sensitive to light change, especially fast changes. For Ricordea, metal halide aquarium lights are the best option.
Commercial Ricordea Lighting
In environments that are semi-commercial it is important to have the lights fairly high off the tank. The best bang for your buck is with metal halide lights. What’s more important is that you also use natural sunlight in your reef or aquaculture system.
Ricordea Lighting / Daylight Ricordea Lighting VHO
Growth, healing, and coloration can be affected significantly by adding sunlight to the aquarium. Because of this you will want to use 400w metal halide aquarium lights, but also plenty of natural light, too. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to create the perfect balance of light for ricordia lighting.
Ricordea Lighting and 20,000k
If your sunlight is high intensity all year round you can lean towards a deep blue bulb like a 20k. If you have lower level sunlight a 14k or 12k will do fine. I have, in the past, used Power Compact and VHO actinic aquarium lighting to supplement the Metal Halide bulbs but in the long run found no real value. Ricordea Lighting Halide
Placement of Ricordea Lighting
The placement of the Ricordea lighting is important, especially with Ricordea Yuma because it is more sensitive than the Ricordea Florida to both natural light and aquarium light. In general, I keep the Ricordea Yuma to the sides, and most importantly at least for the first month. Each week I move them closer to the center. After a couple weeks the coral begins to brighten. The cuttings from the Ricordea coral are on the side of the tank and receive indirect lighting for about eight weeks. This is important because in the early weeks the Ricordea is recovering and less light will help it recover faster and grow better. You will want to remember, too, that the Ricordea Yuma is much more sensitive to light than the Ricordea Florida. Keep this in mind when you are choosing lighting options for your tank after propagation.
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