Blue or Royal blue

drtrash

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What is the go to color for LED. Most using a combo or aesthetic choice not spectrum (not that its all that diff)
 

jonbar1

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Royal blue is the main one you want. A small amount of regular blues is supposed to be a nice addition to the look.
 

Reef Breeders

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Royal blue is the main one you want. A small amount of regular blues is supposed to be a nice addition to the look.
+1, royal blues add all the POP you want, blues just bring out the colors rb's cannot, some come with time, other colors instantly.
 

Ace25

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Royal blues provide the correct spectrum for photosynthesis, regular blues do not.
 

ReefLEDLights

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Royal Blue with a Spectrum 450-455nm give the best colour pop.

For the XT-E you wand a bin D36 or D37

For the XP-E you wand Bin D316

The Blue are in the grow spectrum but the Royal Blue covers both Chlorophyll A & B

Bill
 

Ace25

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Royal blues do not cover both chlorophyll A and B, royal blue only covers the lower B spectrum. Actinic/420nm LEDs will cover the lower A spectrum. If you look at the chart you will see right after the royal blue spectrum (around 455nm) photosynthesis usage of the light spectrum drops off to almost nothing until you get into the reds. Regular blue LEDs are usually 470-480nm, which falls into the flat portion of the graph. It is true, regular blues do provide a some usable light for other aspects of photosynthesis beyond the main A and B spectrums, but no where near what royal blues put out. You would be much better using 420nm LEDs + Royal blues than using royal blue + regular blue if your looking to get the most growth from corals.

03.jpg
 

ReefLEDLights

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Ace25

Were did you get the chart. I might have to change my opinion. This is the reference I commonly see.

6a010535f11c3d970c0153913a22d7970b-800wi.jpg

Bill
 

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Ace25

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I was just going through doing some more research trying to find out why there are 2 different graphs then I re-read the wiki link again. I maybe the one wrong here since there are multiple answers. I am not sure now which one is the correct answer, if and how saltwater changes the spectral requirements of chlorophyll.

Measurement of the absorption of light is complicated by the solvent used to extract it from plant material, which affects the values obtained,
  • In diethyl ether, chlorophyll a has approximate absorbance maxima of 430 nm and 662 nm, while chlorophyll b has approximate maxima of 453 nm and 642 nm.
  • The absorption peaks of chlorophyll a are at 665 nm and 465 nm. Chlorophyll a fluoresces at 673 nm (maximum) and 726 nm. The peak molar absorption coefficient of chlorophyll a exceeds 105 M−1 cm−1, which is among the highest for small-molecule organic compounds.
  • In 90% acetone-water, the peak absorption wavelengths of chlorophyll a are 430 nm and 664 nm; peaks for chlorophyll b are 460 nm and 647 nm; peaks for chlorophyll c1 are 442 nm and 630 nm; peaks for chlorophyll c2 are 444 nm and 630 nm; peaks for chlorophyll d are 401 nm, 455 nm and 696 nm.
 

ReefLEDLights

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I was just going through doing some more research trying to find out why there are 2 different graphs then I re-read the wiki link again. I maybe the one wrong here since there are multiple answers. I am not sure now which one is the correct answer, if and how saltwater changes the spectral requirements of chlorophyll.

Yea I thought I was wrong as well.

I have had a few long discussions with one expert in this field and his conclusion was chlorophyll A was more important than B and the 420-460nm was its best grow spectrum. 420nm being significantly dimmer than the current XT-E LEDs we felt the Royal Blue in 450-455nm offered the best choice for photosynthesis in marine organisms. This also went on with how certain pigments can positively or negatively effect photosynthesis in the zooxanthellae algae

Do you have any thoughts on this?

Bill
 

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http://www.ledgroupbuy.com/true-violet-led-420nm/


DIY LED Lighting: 420nm LEDs - True Violet

Their Photosynthetic Graph is off as it is for terrestrial plants which like that 660nm. If your Growing "Tomatoes" in you basement, this spectrum works quite well.

Zooanthellae Algae is what the coral need and the 660nm is blocked really quick in the ocean.

They have adapted with chlorophyll A & B one is more receptive to the 420-430nm and the other to the 460-470nm. They cross at 450-460nm. This is the sweet spot which feeds both.

The brightest Royal Blue or the Cool White with the best 450-460nm spike is your growth LED....

BTW 450nm pops the colours better than 460nm....

The only problem with 410-420nm LEDs is they are a lot less efficient than the Cree XT-E at 450-455nm.

That said the 410-420nm does bring out certain pigments in SPS and is worth having if you want ultimate looks.

Bill
 
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Adrnalnrsh

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Their Photosynthetic Graph is off as it is for terrestrial plants which like that 660nm. If your Growing "Tomatoes" in you basement, this spectrum works quite well.

Zooanthellae Algae is what the coral need and the 660nm is blocked really quick in the ocean.

They have adapted with chlorophyll A & B one is more receptive to the 420-430nm and the other to the 460-470nm. They cross at 450-460nm. This is the sweet spot which feeds both.

The brightest Royal Blue or the Cool White with the best 450-460nm spike is your growth LED....

BTW 450nm pops the colours better than 460nm....

The only problem with 410-420nm LEDs is they are a lot less efficient than the Cree XT-E at 450-455nm.

That said the 410-420nm does bring out certain pigments in SPS and is worth having if you want ultimate looks.

Bill

So if I am understanding correctly, if we had more efficient 410-420nm LED's then those LED's would be better for growth than they are today and possibly better that CW and RB's if they were more efficient?

Cause from what I've read thus far happens to be true, corals prefer Chlorophyl A over B and Chlorophyl A spikes 420nm.

My current LED configuration is as follow

Same Driver Dimmable
8 Blue - Cree XPE
8 Royal Blue - Cree XPE

Dimmable Driver
8 Cool White - Cree XPG

Non Dimmable Driver
4 Violet 410-420 - 3 Watt ???

Primarily SPS coral.
 

ReefLEDLights

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So if I am understanding correctly, if we had more efficient 410-420nm LED's then those LED's would be better for growth than they are today and possibly better that CW and RB's if they were more efficient?

Cause from what I've read thus far happens to be true, corals prefer Chlorophyl A over B and Chlorophyl A spikes 420nm.

My current LED configuration is as follow

Same Driver Dimmable
8 Blue - Cree XPE
8 Royal Blue - Cree XPE

Dimmable Driver
8 Cool White - Cree XPG

Non Dimmable Driver
4 Violet 410-420 - 3 Watt ???

Primarily SPS coral.

That is my understanding and experience. Back in the late 80s I saw an awesome LPS tank only lit with URI 420nm VHO...Growth was outstanding....

Reasonably priced LEDs I would go Royal Blue 450nm over Violet 420nm only due to brightness.

In a perfect world with equal intensity per watt I would choose a 50/50 Mix for growth.

Your mix is good. Depending on driver configuration you might want to consider swapping two Blue for two Royal Blue or Violet.

Bill
 

Dana Riddle

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A complicated subject. When we consider the absorption characteristics of the main photopigments in zooxanthellate (chlorophyll a, and accessory (antennae) pigments chlorophyll c2, beta-carotene and possibly fucoxanthin, it would seem that light with a bandwidth of a few nanometers either side of about 450nm would be best. However, the major accessory pigment in zoox is peridinin and it absorbs well into the green portion of the spectrum. The plot thickens - protective xanthophylls (diatoxanthin and diadinoxanthin) absorb best (and offer protection from) wavelengths around 450nm. If it were me, I'd go with LEDs producing UV/violet/blue at 405-420nm and green around 515-525 (even if the latter are lousy at producing green light intensity.) Coloration is another issue altogether. UV/violet are very good at promoting fluorescence. There is some evidence that light at 470nm will arrest development of fluorescent proteins, such as the green to red fluorescence seen in Open Brain corals (Trachyphyllia sp.)
 

Dana Riddle

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Here is a chart of major/minor photopigments found in zooxanthellae. Bear in mind the type of solvent used to extract these pigments will alter the major absorption peak by a couple of nanometers.
upload_2018-3-17_9-10-57.png
 

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