BLUE LIGHT REEFING: So you like to look at your reef under blues?

[jsvand5]

I actually really like high blue coming from MH lighting. I used to run my tank much bluer than most when I had Halides. The blue that halides gave off looked so much more natural than the crazy blue from LEDs.

 

[Jim8o]

Yes, but only at the beginning and end of the day.. oh, and when guests pop over.

 

[Brew12]

Lol of course someone mentioned this while I was writing this post.

oops ;Sorry

 

[rmiles54]

Interesting variety of opinions! I like to see my corals under blue lights. It still awes me at the thought of how it’s even possible that a living thing can just grow and glow the way they do. A little blue light to keep that feeing alive is ok for me. Like a lot of others, I have a couple hours before and after whites that I get to enjoy. On a side note, my lights are mounted about 15” over the tank. With my open canopy I get a lot of spill into the room which I’m disliking more and more. Exploring different canopy options now, I’m thinking an enclosed will aid in the reduction of blue room. Lol my wife will also be happy about that! After over 10 years, I feel as though my corals have always enjoyed at least a few hours of whites. Plus it’s nice to see the fish and all their beauty.
great topic...

 

[JustAnotherReefer]

I only run blues and UV because in the real world the reds greens and whites get filtered out by the water.

 

[rmiles54]

The last 3 hours of my light schedule is all blue. Th rest is full spectrum. Actually closer to AB+. So it is more towards the bluer side. Sure do enjoy watching the my Rock Flowers pop though.

Awesome setup!!!

 

[jayala12]

Whatever AB+ is. That’s what I run and I like it. It’s blue but not crazy blue to my eyes. Corals look good and my kids love the colors so I’m a happy camper

 

[Jordan Prather]

Honestly I use to run my lights more blue but here of late I've been adding more white light to the tank during the day. And blue at the beginning and end of the the day. The fish look better and are more active. I'm getting better polyp extension. And corals still look awesome.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Nahh, it makes the tank look like it’s full of windex in my opinion. I’m partial to a more white look.

 

[becon776]

It's all about CRI color rendering index... which is what things ACTUALLY look like as opposed to the illusion that is painted by the blue lights. It's like make up. it can make an unattractive person look good. 10k and even lower gets a much higher CRI value than 20k. So many people say put your whites on and lets see what your tank REALLY looks like. There is truth to it.

with that being said I run majority blues bc well my tank needs a little makeup. lol. Unless I have had some scotch then I have the beer goggle and think everything looks great! lololol.

 

[Dev795]

Well i just went from Fowler to adding a couple corals
It is great for viewing and makes them pop but my kids love the fish swimming around more not wanting to hide and sleep so i go all blue in the morning to full during day and then blue later on before all lights shut off so the whole family can enjoy

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

I don't mind the blues and I will use them for ramp up and down on the LEDs, but the blue+ and coral+ do the growing, and I really want the tank to fill out good. Buuuuuut when guests come over, my wife is the first one to say " play with the lights so they can see all the colors"

 

[iramack]

I chose, "Other." I run 4 A36Xs over my tank with no other lighting. There's no other supplementation. That said, the Kessils do give off a very blueish light. I spend a lot of time on the web camera for work, and can see just how blue it is.

As for how people light their own tank? It's their money, their choice. So long as the livestock is getting what it needs, what does it matter?

What settings are you using? I have 2 A360X running at 21 intensity and 25 color(white). This is on a 65 gallon JBJ with mostly LPS and 9 inches off the water. I always prefer to run whiter but I burn my corals if I increase the whites past 25 or 30 percent. Ideas? Tank looks bluer than I would like so I use the orange glasses.....lol

 

[Pickwun]

I like mostly blue for the fluorescence with some white to get the other colors back.

 

[Phillips/reef]

I use actinic lighting in the evening for viewing after regular lighting period. So no problem there or with any other type of lighting. if just for viewing but when they use black lights and filters and any other way to make the coral look like eye candy for sales. Makes me mad cause to me its false advertisement . They should be taken under the average reefers lighting. If different then needs to be stated. That's why if a vendor does that I dont do business. Sorry for the rant but newbies need be a ware and us long time reefers no the difference when we see.

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

I use actinic lighting in the evening for viewing after regular lighting period. So no problem there or with any other type of lighting. if just for viewing but when they use black lights and filters and any other way to make the coral look like eye candy for sales. Makes me mad cause to me its false advertisement . They should be taken under the average reefers lighting. If different then needs to be stated. That's why if a vendor does that I dont do business. Sorry for the rant but newbies need be a ware and us long time reefers no the difference when we see.

I Can't remember which vendor it is, but I have seen where they show 2 pictures of each coral, 1 under extreme blue light and 1 under average lighting so you could see both sides of it.... that was pretty thoughtful of them so customers don't feel like they got jipped on the sale...

 

[Thaxxx]

The only thing I don't like about running all blue or very heavy blue ard the folks that post pictures for ID purposes. Disease, pests etc. You can't see detail in that spectrum. Maybe it's my eyes, but when someone ID's someones blue pictures for diease. And says.... Oh that looks like ick. I say to myself...... I can't see a darn thing.

 

[Thaxxx]

Awesome.
That would make a great blacklight poster.

 

[ainarm]

T5 running ATI Coral +, Blue + and 1 bulb each of purple and actinic. Prefer the more white look and the corals still look good.

 

[Salt_Creep]

I cant imagine anyone runs full white, that would be gross. Some coral really can look nice under unaltered light, but many do not. I do not run deep LFS like blues all day, but they are definitely mixed in and deep blue at sundown (AB+). I don't think blues are frowned upon either. Its just went its over exaggerated for pictures specifically in sales, that it becomes an issue.