Feeling blue: What color lighting fills your tank?

[Peace River]

Feeling blue: What color lighting fills your tank?

There are many different colors of lighting that reef keepers use for their aquariums ranging from strong blues to a yellowish white. There is a Kelvin color temperature scale that is used to help us put numbers to these colors as well as the light spectrum with frequencies related to different colors of light. As lighting technologies have changed, the ability to choose more specific colors has improved. Some people choose a more “natural” look and other choose a deep blue that highlights the fluorescent colors. Let’s talk about the color of lighting that you have selected for your tank. How blue (or not) have you decided to go and why?

Photo by @jose.morejon14


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

"Our mission is to help save the reefs by providing the highest quality live reef foods for every aquarium - from small biocubes to mid-sized reef aquariums, to giant aquaculture facilities" @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens

 

[RedReefer]

I just turned up my warm whites and cool whites to 25% on G6 Pro's on AB+ program. I was running the whites around 15%. The tank was just too blue.

 

[exnisstech]

I think a mixture is what most folks are running vs just one of the color choices available on the poll. For that reason I voted other. I run heavy blues but also enough whites so the tanks doesn't look glow in the dark fake.

 

[RedReefer]

I think a mixture is what most folks are running vs just one of the color choices available on the poll. For that reason I voted other. I run heavy blues but also enough whites so the tank doesn't look glow in the dark fake.

Agreed. I have to be able to see the true color of my fish.

 

[Azael]

To the human eye my lights seem cold white. On my lamp I have 10000K, 20000K, Royal Blue and UV.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

A mix of both blue and white, but I have it mostly blue

 

[fishface NJ]

I run ATI T5...blue plus, coral plus and true antinic

 

[Murphs_reef]

What ever this is called

 

[vetteguy53081]

As many know, I'm an Orphek person and run a balance of blue/purple/soft white and low red and green

 

[reefadam]

I’ve always liked my daytime lights to be on warmer end of the spectrum in the speculative 12-15k range with heavy blue highlights in the last few hours of the day. In regards to LEDs, it means I’ve normally ran the cool white spectrum around 65-75% and the blues around 75- 85% depending on brand and depth of tank.
Shout out if you remember Radium 250s

 

[saltyhog]

I have no idea what total spectrum would average out at. I'm running over 100% (AI Hydra 52's) on violet, Royal blue and blue and 30% Cool white. No red/green.

I'm a diver also and I want the tank to look more like what I see when diving.

 

[shakacuz]

no idea what my spectrum classifies as. see attached. taken with orphek yellow& orange lenses with an iphone 12 pro max

 

[Fishy888]

Up until a couple of days ago I ran a 6500k MH. I just got a MH/T5 hybrid light bar. The MH lamps are 14000k (Plusrite) and the T5s are ATI actinics. I love having the cold whites by day and the actinics in the early morning and late evening.

I’ll probably replace a couple of my actinics with a couple of ATI blue pluses to get some better PAR and not have a totally purple looking display. I love the pop the actinics bring to the table though.

 

[gurthystag]

blue plus radion gen 4, and 4 blue reef brite xhos

 

[oliverout]

cool white

 

[naterealbig]

2 hours at front and back of lighting cycle are Actinic XHO.

Remainder of photoperiod is comprised of 50/50 XHO (8 hrs) + Kessil A500X @ 100% Color + 100% V, R, G (5 hours).

"Full Spectrum" develops the pigments within the coral tissue. Blues bring out those pigments and make the corals fluoresce. It is a necessary to maximize the genetic potential of the animals.

Edit: Cool whites just make everything look ugly. Very low color rendition - everything looks twilight grey... makes me woozy just thinking about it.

 

[QuickrdenU]

Blue in the morning, ramping up to 5 hours of white, and then ramping back down to blue.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I bet we could use this poll to date, somewhat accurately, when folks got into the hobby.

 

[naterealbig]

Do you mean we'd see more blue votes for newer folks, trending towards more white as the "skill set" develops?

 

[i cant think]

Feeling blue: What color lighting fills your tank?

There are many different colors of lighting that reef keepers use for their aquariums ranging from strong blues to a yellowish white. There is a Kelvin color temperature scale that is used to help us put numbers to these colors as well as the light spectrum with frequencies related to different colors of light. As lighting technologies have changed, the ability to choose more specific colors has improved. Some people choose a more “natural” look and other choose a deep blue that highlights the fluorescent colors. Let’s talk about the color of lighting that you have selected for your tank. How blue (or not) have you decided to go and why?

Photo by @jose.morejon14


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

"Our mission is to help save the reefs by providing the highest quality live reef foods for every aquarium - from small biocubes to mid-sized reef aquariums, to giant aquaculture facilities" @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens

I prefer whites - Blues don’t give coral growth nearly as well as they put the energy into colour more than growth.