lighting schedule??

[fishnchip]

I run my white lights the majority of the day.. wondering what the difference between running blues and whites is other than the color? Coral health?

Any input is appreciated!!

-Thanks

 

[Somuchflo99]

#reefsquad

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Following along...

My $0.02
I have Kessils on all both of my tanks and I run the single over the 14g at 15% color. I run the duals over the 35g at 30% color. I've always read, set it to what color you like and the Kessil logic makes sure it's a good spectrum for growing coral.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Not sure how to answer this. The question isn't clear. Mixing blue and white isn't a color preference but the spectral range of 10k-20k and provides optimal growth for chlorophyll A and B. There is so much more to discuss but it is a necessity for coral. Ideally you want blues in the morning and blues at night with white and blue 6-8 hours of the day. Here are some articles by @Dana Riddle to help you with understanding lighting in reef aquariums.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/4/corals
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/2/aafeature
http://www.aquarium-design.com/reef/uvlighting.html
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2014/5/aafeature

 

[Somuchflo99]

 

[Dana Riddle]

Let me know if there are any questions about the articles @reeferfoxx posted. Red light is most efficient (probably due to direct absorption by the specialized chlorophylls (P-680 and P-700) in photosystems' reaction centers and by antennae pigments. Red light is also not strongly absorbed by beta-carotene and protective xanthophylls. The standard blue/white is least efficient, for reasons opposite those of red light. A good schedule is full spectrum in the morning (3-4 hours), with blues/reds for the rest of the photoperiod (maximum PAR of about 175.)

 

[Somuchflo99]

So reds are a good thing? @Dana Riddle

 

[jakeh22]

Reds are a good thing yet too much exposure and the forbidden green grass algae starts to grow much quicker they love the red

 

[Dana Riddle]

So reds are a good thing? @Dana Riddle

All things in moderation. Excessive red light will reduce zoox/chlorophyll content, but low levels will promote photosynthesis best (at least in the spectra/coral/zoox clade(s) I've tested.) Sort of like drinking red wine - one glass is good for you, one bottle is not.

 

[Somuchflo99]

So if there was a percentage of a 100 what would u say

All things in moderation. Excessive red light will reduce zoox/chlorophyll content, but low levels will promote photosynthesis best (at least in the spectra/coral/zoox clade(s) I've tested.) Sort of like drinking red wine - one glass is good for you, one bottle is not.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Let me get some more spectrometer/PAR measurements and crunch some numbers. Bear with me, it will take some time but I'll give you some exact numbers concerning spectral quality.

 

[Dana Riddle]

Here are some numbers (for good coloration, shoot for PAR of at least 100 and up to 350.) Spectrum should look like this for perhaps 8 hours, with full spectrum (not to exceed ~25% on any channel, but see PAR values) for about 2-3 hours.
UV-A 1.20%
Violet (400-430 nm) 9.90%
Blue (431 - 480 nm) 64.60%
Green-Blue (481 - 490 nm) 10.30%
Blue-Green (491 - 510 nm) 7.60%
Green (511 - 530 nm) 2.20%
Yellow-Green (531 - 570 nm) 2.30%
Yellow (571 - 580 nm)
0.40%
Orange (581 - 600 nm) 0.60%
Red (601 - 700 nm) 0.80%

 

[Somuchflo99]

Holy crap thanks @Dana Riddle

 

[VTBig053]

[QUOTE=" Sort of like drinking red wine - one glass is good for you, one bottle is not.[/QUOTE]

Agree to disagree :)

 

[NS Mike D]

Photosynthesis
Coloration
Our Eyes

These are three different things. Certain spectrums result in healthy corals. Some spectrums will produce the florescent colors. But any one who has noticed that incredibly florescent green sps is actually brown in natural daylight knows that what our eyes tell us can be manipulated by lighting.


@Lasse has a good post on white LEDS (which are actually blues that are treated) and how they miss the mark with regard to mix of spectrums - which is why, IMO, highly respected reef LEDS manufactures use less white LEDs than their earlier version. They come close and, IME, will do a fine job growing most corals and producing coloration that will pop under the blues. But will lack the ability to create the blends (like what dana riddle posted) for the more finicky corals and our eyes.

read the linked articles and check your light's manufacture for spectrum and PAR information. If you are growing healthy corals and not happy with their color, it's possible it's not the corals but rather what your lights produce that reflects to your eyes - and thus you may want to upgrade not so much for your corals but rather for your viewing pleasure.

 

[fishnchip]

Here are some numbers (for good coloration, shoot for PAR of at least 100 and up to 350.) Spectrum should look like this for perhaps 8 hours, with full spectrum (not to exceed ~25% on any channel, but see PAR values) for about 2-3 hours.
UV-A 1.20%
Violet (400-430 nm) 9.90%
Blue (431 - 480 nm) 64.60%
Green-Blue (481 - 490 nm) 10.30%
Blue-Green (491 - 510 nm) 7.60%
Green (511 - 530 nm) 2.20%
Yellow-Green (531 - 570 nm) 2.30%
Yellow (571 - 580 nm)
0.40%
Orange (581 - 600 nm) 0.60%
Red (601 - 700 nm) 0.80%

That really helps clarify! Thank you!

 

[Dana Riddle]

The spectral numbers I posted are from a LED array, and is maintaining quite a few coral genera (Acropora, Montipora, Stylophora, Goniopora, Acanthastrea, Echinophyllia, Echinopora, Zoanthus spp., Plesiastrea, Pavona, and on and on.) Although the red LED channel is on, it doesn't generate much radiation according to the Ocean Optics spectrometer.

 

[NS Mike D]

dupe post