RareEarthCorals
Well-Known Member
What I have learned allows a general understanding of lighting and color spectrum. I wanted to take a simpler approach and write a condense version. There really is a lot of information out there. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself the best you can. This will insure your success and quantify your choices. What I write here is basic and not inclusive of all the information there is out there. You take your lighting into your own hands so the more you know the better off you are.
Kelvin is the breakdown of color temperature given a numerical number. You hear colors as cool or warm. Warm is lower on the kelvin scale more yellows, greens and reds below 7000kelvin. Cool is higher on the kelvin scale more blue, violet, dark blue above 7000kelvin. Color temperature is a representation of looks and not feel. Red looks like a warm color and blue looks like a cool color, simple.
Natural sunlight is approximately 6500k but using that color spectrum is an invitation for algae due to the levels of chlorophyl A. Yes it is an almost perfect spectrum for growth but thats all kinds of growth, good and bad.
10,000k-12000k has more bluish tint, a cooler color spectrum, think of an overcast bright cloudy day. This is mostly daylight, but what you would notice is a Bluish grayish color. Minimal pop but good growth.
12000k up to 20,000k is more in the actinic range causing colors to fluoresce. Almost eliminating reds, greens, and yellows. Focusing more on dark blues, blue, violet. This color spectrum is higher in chlorophyl B. Great pop but minimal growth.
Chlorophyll A and B allow corals to absorb energy from light, think photosynthesis. This is responsible for the color, growth, and overall health of your photosynthetic corals.
The single most important function in your marine tank is lighting. You have heard of zooxanthellae in corals. Corals host more zooxanthellae in lower light which gives coral a brownish color. This allows corals to survive in low light situations. It gives corals the ability to absorb what light there is for photosynthesis.
The goal is for the coral to represent accurate coloration and good growth. The correct spectrum and concentration, the less zooxanthellae the coral needs for photosynthesis. It expels the zooxanthellae and naturally absorbs light from the color spectrum. This allows for truer coloration, better health, good growth.
Finally UV light is and can be destructive at high levels, but equally as important in corals coloration. Corals use blue, purple, and pink to filter UV light. Caution is needed when introducing UV in the spectrum. As in any changes acclimatization is key to your success. Starting low and ramping up for periods of months not days or weeks will allow your corals to acclimatize and handle the new lighting spectrum, concentration, and schedule.
If anyone wants to add anything or correct any errors please comment and we will learn together. Here is to your reefing success!!!
Kelvin is the breakdown of color temperature given a numerical number. You hear colors as cool or warm. Warm is lower on the kelvin scale more yellows, greens and reds below 7000kelvin. Cool is higher on the kelvin scale more blue, violet, dark blue above 7000kelvin. Color temperature is a representation of looks and not feel. Red looks like a warm color and blue looks like a cool color, simple.
Natural sunlight is approximately 6500k but using that color spectrum is an invitation for algae due to the levels of chlorophyl A. Yes it is an almost perfect spectrum for growth but thats all kinds of growth, good and bad.
10,000k-12000k has more bluish tint, a cooler color spectrum, think of an overcast bright cloudy day. This is mostly daylight, but what you would notice is a Bluish grayish color. Minimal pop but good growth.
12000k up to 20,000k is more in the actinic range causing colors to fluoresce. Almost eliminating reds, greens, and yellows. Focusing more on dark blues, blue, violet. This color spectrum is higher in chlorophyl B. Great pop but minimal growth.
Chlorophyll A and B allow corals to absorb energy from light, think photosynthesis. This is responsible for the color, growth, and overall health of your photosynthetic corals.
The single most important function in your marine tank is lighting. You have heard of zooxanthellae in corals. Corals host more zooxanthellae in lower light which gives coral a brownish color. This allows corals to survive in low light situations. It gives corals the ability to absorb what light there is for photosynthesis.
The goal is for the coral to represent accurate coloration and good growth. The correct spectrum and concentration, the less zooxanthellae the coral needs for photosynthesis. It expels the zooxanthellae and naturally absorbs light from the color spectrum. This allows for truer coloration, better health, good growth.
Finally UV light is and can be destructive at high levels, but equally as important in corals coloration. Corals use blue, purple, and pink to filter UV light. Caution is needed when introducing UV in the spectrum. As in any changes acclimatization is key to your success. Starting low and ramping up for periods of months not days or weeks will allow your corals to acclimatize and handle the new lighting spectrum, concentration, and schedule.
If anyone wants to add anything or correct any errors please comment and we will learn together. Here is to your reefing success!!!
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