Our own eyes are terrible at seeing color in dim light. Every single astrophoto is already a massive translation from what the sensor captures to what we can see. The real question is whether your edit helps share the WOW of the object, not if it matches a reality our biology can't even perceive.

I read that the right sand moisture is CRUCIAL for a strong mold.

Yeah, the part about it cutting down on bedding really got me. I was a total clean freak with my coop, hauling everything out every single week. Took forever. Tried the deep litter method last fall and figured out it just works. Way less work for me, and the birds clearly liked the built up heat. Totally changed my whole winter routine.