Pure blue LED SPS tank

[Lousybreed]

Does anyone have an SPS tank that is lit entirely by blue LED’s? I am thinking about doing an experimental tank that would only have LED light (400-410, 410-420, 420-430, royal blues, and blues). That would be it. And maybe the blues would be too “white” for this set up. I am wondering if I will have disastrous growth rates with this set up. Again I am asking people that have this set up, or have seen one that was run like this.

 

[Ranjib]

Does anyone have an SPS tank that is lit entirely by blue LED’s? I am thinking about doing an experimental tank that would only have LED light (400-410, 410-420, 420-430, royal blues, and blues). That would be it. And maybe the blues would be too “white” for this set up. I am wondering if I will have disastrous growth rates with this set up. Again I am asking people that have this set up, or have seen one that was run like this.

Not that I have seen in the forum, but I know several folks who prefer blue heavy lighting. Jason Fox in particular talks about blue only light setup

 

[jda]

Don't compare all-blue T5 tanks with all-blue LED tanks. Blue T5 bulbs still have a good amount of red, yellow and green and just have a bit more blue for our eyes - they are still true full spectrum whereas the LEDs are not. Jason Fox also uses some Metal Halide and his "blue" bulbs are a lot like Blue Plus which are on the blue side of white.

The people who tried to light SPS tanks with ReefBrite-only and DIY all-blue setups had a lot of problems with monochrome color, lack of pop over time (color shifted), death and slower growth. Blue waves in that range are better at illuminating coral that got their color from a full-spectrum source... like Reefbrite XHO on when the people get home after some MH ran all day.

As a general guide, if you want good growth and color, then daylight for color rendering and nourishment and bluer (to your taste) for illumination.

 

[Lousybreed]

Don't compare all-blue T5 tanks with all-blue LED tanks. Blue T5 bulbs still have a good amount of red, yellow and green and just have a bit more blue for our eyes - they are still true full spectrum whereas the LEDs are not. Jason Fox also uses some Metal Halide and his "blue" bulbs are a lot like Blue Plus which are on the blue side of white.

The people who tried to light SPS tanks with ReefBrite-only and DIY all-blue setups had a lot of problems with monochrome color, lack of pop over time (color shifted), death and slower growth. Blue waves in that range are better at illuminating coral that got their color from a full-spectrum source... like Reefbrite XHO on when the people get home after some MH ran all day.

As a general guide, if you want good growth and color, then daylight for color rendering and nourishment and bluer (to your taste) for illumination.

I hear you on your points. But from an absorption point of view, it seems like the zoxanthella (sp??) absorb a lot of the blue. I know WWC does a white heavy period that is quite short like 4 hours and then is blue only. I saw a tank full of SPS that was lit with only blues (ok like 5% whites and reds) and it had been going for 1.5 years. The tank had crazy PE and absolutely insane colors. It kinda makes me want to try it out. My lighting idea would be 400-410, royal blues, blues.....but one kicker...T5 actinic. I have these bulbs and I don’t think that there is any red in them....this combo gives me complete coverage from 400-475nm.....

 

[jda]

WWC still uses T5 bulbs... which have all of the spectrum. Don't they use AB Special or B+ (not sure... asking, not telling)? If so, check out a chart of these and you will see a lot above 475nm.

If you are just concerned with absorption, then get a lot of UV on there... it has more energy than what you are planning. UV can also make for some awesome color - I am talking about true UV from 360 to 400nm and not what EcoTech and AI call UV at 400-405nm. Your actinics can supply this if you have enough of them.

You just mentioned that WWC and the tank that you saw do indeed use white/fuller spectrum light. Learn something from this, IMO.

Daylight for color rendering and then make it more blue for illumination - this will get you the best color and pop. If you cannot stand the daylight, then just run it when you are not around - 4 hours will be fine if it is strong enough. I feel that you will get here eventually, anyway, since nearly everybody does.

If you want this look and stuff, then why not just use a 6x or 8x T5 setup like Jason Fox or the like and supplement with some RB XHOs? This has worked for more folks since the spectrum is actually pretty full and they also look like windex.

Don't get me wrong. Blue is very important, but blue LED alone has failed many people.

 

[oreo54]

Itty bitty green and yellow.. ;)

ANY tech.. there are MANY reasons to not run all blue ...

sorry a follow-up and in interesting link:
https://www.apogeeinstruments.com/how-to-correct-for-spectral-errors-of-popular-light-sources/

Don't compare all-blue T5 tanks with all-blue LED tanks. Blue T5 bulbs still have a good amount of red, yellow and green

not really though there is some IR and of course green.
now "one trick" blues is another story.. like all royal..

 

[Lousybreed]

Guys I am thinking about doing this. This isn’t about my personal tastes, rather testing the hypothesis that all blue light doesn’t work. I just don’t believe it. Do I believe a complete royal blue tank would fail? Absolutely. A “full spectrum” blue tank....not convinced.

My main 250 gallon DT has a beautiful full spectrum lighting schedule and uses halides, T5’s, and LEDS. I run some KZ’s coral lights which are pretty white. I also overdrive my Radion halides which produces a more white light. I want to try this as a learning. I would only frag my existing livestock for stocking incase it doesn’t workout.

 

[Lousybreed]

So, back the the question is there anyone that has maintained a pure blue tank or experimented with it in the past!? LPS, SPS, softies? I would love to hear from you!!

 

[hart24601]

I would like to see this documented, be a fun experiment. I suspect many coral will be just fine with a wide blue range from UV to RB. I think side by side you might see some impacts to growth and color – maybe, but aside from a point to argue on the internet it’s pretty amazing what coral are adaptable to. Of course the best would be a shared system with one tank full blue spectrum only and the other mixed and look at those results, not just run a blue tank since if it fails who knows why exactly. It seems to me the biggest changes in the hobby in the past 10 years or so have been showing what is possible and displacing “that won’t work”.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I like the idea, but I think I would chicken out and do a couple of hours of full spectrum whites, just to be safe

 

[Lousybreed]

I would like to see this documented, be a fun experiment. I suspect many coral will be just fine with a wide blue range from UV to RB. I think side by side you might see some impacts to growth and color – maybe, but aside from a point to argue on the internet it’s pretty amazing what coral are adaptable to. Of course the best would be a shared system with one tank full blue spectrum only and the other mixed and look at those results, not just run a blue tank since if it fails who knows why exactly. It seems to me the biggest changes in the hobby in the past 10 years or so have been showing what is possible and displacing “that won’t work”.

I should explain more. I think you will like this experiment even more!! I do plan on tying this tank into my 500 gallon system. And I plan on fragging my corals in the 500 gallon for the 65 gallon. So not only will it be the same water, it will be the same corals!!!!

 

[xiaoxiy]

I just visited a local reefer's frag setup, and he only uses the blue channel on chinese black box LEDs. I've always been a proponent of full spectrum lights, but was nonetheless impressed by his colors and growth, with just blue LEDs alone. His coloration was so great that I decided to cut back my whites a bit and run more blues throughout the day.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I just visited a local reefer's frag setup, and he only uses the blue channel on chinese black box LEDs. I've always been a proponent of full spectrum lights, but was nonetheless impressed by his colors and growth, with just blue LEDs alone. His coloration was so great that I decided to cut back my whites a bit and run more blues throughout the day.

I certainly like the look of the bluer lighting. Let us know how it turns out...

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Jason Fox uses only actinic tubes & blue reef bright strips on several of his grow out tanks
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...cQo7QBCCYwAA&usg=AOvVaw1yxrWmQJ9ZGXiGb_M7Rymx