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

Do you use BLUE (actinic) lighting to make your corals POP?

  • YES

    Votes: 688 81.5%
  • NO

    Votes: 116 13.7%
  • Other (please explain in the thread)

    Votes: 40 4.7%

  • Total voters
    844

revhtree

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Boy do blue lights sure make those corals fluorescence (POP)! But why is it frowned upon? If the whole purpose of a reef tank is for our viewing pleasure then why not use whatever colored light, tank props or whatever to enjoy it? With that is mind let's talk about it today!

1. Do you use blue lighting to make your coral colors pop?

2. What are your thoughts on using blue (actinic) lighting for your reef tank?


image via @Orphek
LED-light-coral-pop-orphek-1.jpg
 

amps

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Certain corals just pop and look best under actinics. I know it's artificial but dangit it looks good.

What I don't understand is people that only use actinics and then only look at their corals with those orange glasses on. That's taking it to a whole other level.
 

Sailingeric

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I do like blue light only, at times (beginning and end of day), but not all daylight hours...rather see fish swimming around... blue light is also used to impress guests!
Same here. I have mine only do the blue glow for about an hour at night before "sunset". I do have a setting on my lights to give it crazy blue to show people when they come over but most of the time is more natural lighting.
 

Dvanlier05

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I like a more blue tank than a white one. That's why I have a more white photo period while I'm at work. Then it transitions to more blue when I'm around to enjoy. And like @Sailingeric you got to have the "show off" mode.
 

tallcamera2020

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I like the blue lights because I think it’s relaxing and the colors do pop. It’s easier to see the fish and corals as well but when taking pictures, they don’t come out as well.
 

fcmatt

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1. I am not a fan of having a room that I often spend time in having so much blue light.

2. It seems unnatural to me to run a tank 20K and up.

3. Blue lighting has been an excuse for years to charge more for coral due to newbs not realizing what is going on. Almost all acro will "pop" under enough blue light

4. It is a lazy way to make blah look better. Thus it's current popularity.

5. I am not a coral farm.

6. Yes I run some blue/actinic but just to balance out things out for approx 14-16K look.

7. Get off my lawn
 

RevMH

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I like the pop!

People can/should do what they enjoy with their tank. As long as the critters are healthy/happy, I don't understand why people talk negatively to others if their light setting isn't the same as what they enjoy.

With that said, it happens less here on R2R than I've experienced before, elsewhere.


Thank you, moderators, for helping the forum stay (mostly) positive!
 

azbigjohn

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I, like others, like to look at my corals under blues during the early morning and late evening times, but like the normal lighting most of the time, as I see fish and corals as a whole microcosm.

I think the big blowback against blue lighting is from all of the vendors and sales threads, where the all blues are use to hide the true appearance of the corals under normal conditions.
 
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