Blue only?

[Jimmyb819]

I have 2 Kessils above my 75 mixed reef, a 350 and a 360. I really prefer the look of my tank when I turn the whites off and just leave the blues on. My question is, am I depriving my corals of anything with the whites off? Will my reef grow faster/better if it receives some white?

 

[NanaReefer]

Following....

 

[ScottMyers123]

Following....

 

[Snoopeeyy]

From my knowledge of the spectrum, please correct me if I am wrong, for any photosynthesis to happen, white light needs to be present because it contains all colors of the spectrum (including red which is vital). I would recommend a few hours of white light to your corals so they can grow. Maybe turn your white light on during the day or when you go to work and have the blue light on when you are most active around the tank so it becomes more appealing. Just my 2 cents, like I said above, please correct me if I am wrong!!!

 

[Jimmyb819]

I was under the opposite impression, that corals mostly needed the blue spectrum for photosynthesis. I could be wrong as well but that's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't depriving my tank of something extra it might get from the white light.

As far as the Red light goes... I remember reading mixed thoughts on how important it was. Do corals really need the red?

 

[Vance]

If memory serves chlorophyll B's peak absorption wavelength is right about 460nm, the same output of royal blues. Chlorophyll A peaks at a slightly smaller wavelength, while carotenoids a little longer. There are other peaks as well, but in theory it would make sense that corals could survive without the secondary wavelength's. Pretty sure algae's chlorophyll use the red wavelengths.

Coral color might be a different story though. Usually florescent pigment works like a sunscreen, blocking out the wavelengths that inhibit or impede photosynthesis. The color you see is the color reflected away. So without these additional wavelengths the coral has no need to expend the energy to reflect them away.

 

[Jimmyb819]

So it sounds like the blue spectrum of the Kessils is all that is needed for coral growth. Anyone else have any other info/data to the contrary?

As for coloration... it seems to me that at least my reds look way better under the blue light. I have some acans and montipora that tend to look more orange with the whites and the Red really shows nicely under blues.

Any reason to believe that corals need white light for better coloration?

 

[Sprink669]

Interesting

 

[Lynn52]

In the ocean red is the first color lost as you descend. There wouldn't be coral at depths below about 15 feet if red light is necessary.
My understanding of kessils is they are optimized for coral. The intensity control determines how much of the correct light the coral gets and the color control is just to make it pleasing to the eye.
I have kessils on both of my tanks and love them.

 

[Pete polyp]

If memory serves chlorophyll B's peak absorption wavelength is right about 460nm, the same output of royal blues. Chlorophyll A peaks at a slightly smaller wavelength, while carotenoids a little longer. There are other peaks as well, but in theory it would make sense that corals could survive without the secondary wavelength's. Pretty sure algae's chlorophyll use the red wavelengths.

Coral color might be a different story though. Usually florescent pigment works like a sunscreen, blocking out the wavelengths that inhibit or impede photosynthesis. The color you see is the color reflected away. So without these additional wavelengths the coral has no need to expend the energy to reflect them away.

The highest peak is on the blue spectrum around 440nm and the secondary peak is in the red spectrum around 630nm. There's also a spike around 420nm with lots of absorption through the 400nm-460nm.

 

[Pete polyp]

 

[Pete polyp]

In the ocean red is the first color lost as you descend. There wouldn't be coral at depths below about 15 feet if red light is necessary.
My understanding of kessils is they are optimized for coral. The intensity control determines how much of the correct light the coral gets and the color control is just to make it pleasing to the eye.
I have kessils on both of my tanks and love them.

There's still some wavelength at the high end of the spectrum making its way to the reef in the wild.

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Here you go, long but interesting read.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/aafeature

 

[Waters]

In all of my research, I always read that blue white (20K) is for better colors while whiter (12-14K) are for growth. I run mine between 19-20K most of the day with a period of about an hour closer to 14K.

 

[Pete polyp]

In all of my research, I always read that blue white (20K) is for better colors while whiter (12-14K) are for growth. I run mine between 19-20K most of the day with a period of about an hour closer to 14K.

In my experience colors pop more under 20k. I have seen 2 identical corals grown under 20k and 14k. You can swap lights and the one grown under 14k usually has better color on it. This is just in my personal experience though. Difference in type of light has lots to do with it. T5 is probably one of the best to pull out colors and is closely followed by metal halide. In my experience led is misleading on true color and you're seeing the reflection of led instead of actual color. How I know this you might ask? I have taken two chalice that are identical (ora easter egg) taken a frag from under gen 3 Radion and under a Chinese t5 fixture. I held them side by side under a normal soft white lamp bulb and the t5 had 10 times more color. After I placed the t5 chalice next to the Radion chalice under Radion and it was very apparent which one had more color. The lengths I will go to just to prove a Radion fan wrong lol.