Color temp question

[DesertBandits]

Does it benefit the reefer to have many different color temperature bulbs over a reef tank to activate the different types of chlorophyl (like what is in green marine alges vs a given type of coral)?

Is what makes 50/50 lighting so popular; aesthetics? Where is the line between spectrum for growth and spectrum for aesthetics? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wetWolger]

10k......imo.....10k has more than enough spectrum for any corals. So 6700K with actinic would also be at the line of getting all the light needed for corals.

10k with actinics, and 14k/20k with or without actinics are for astetics.

 

[tasos]

many good looking and coral growing tanks have 14k or 10K with actinics.Do you know any 6700K going fine with coraline or fluorecent corals ?I think we have actinic just for pleasure!

 

[Ti]

6700 wont flouresce, too yellow for my liking.

 

[DesertBandits]

Yeah, the blues for pleasure huh? I wonder do corals really use all that blue spectrum in their photosynthesis? Aesthetics aside; would 6500k be the ideal bulb? does a 10k have anyting a 65 doesn't? Hmmm Wiish I could read up more on this subject.

 

[Tava176]

I use 50/50 bulbs that are actinic/12k and I also have actinic 420.

I do not get a ton of blue, but my Montipora Digitana is growing at about 1/2 inch a month.

so, on that note....I like the color, and it seems to be working for hte corals too.

 

[Puffdragon]

I believe the lower temps would be more for the shallow water clams and corals.

 

[stillcity]

chlorophyl? More like Borophyl.

 

[jimbo045]

I like and use 14,000s

 

[pch90265]

Keep in mind that the sun over reefs in the wild is approx 6500 Kelvin... so, one could argue that is the "best" temp. However, it would be nearly impossible to find a "6500K" lamp that provides the bredth/intensity of spectrum sunlight provides.

The question of color is more related to -- Color Rendition Index -- of a bulb. That is a measure of how well two bulbs of the same Kelvin rating render color. It's a 1-100 scale, and higher is better.

Not to plug a product, but there's a great discussion of this in the new Delbeek and Sprung book...

Personal opinion -- search for bulb comparisons on this board, and choose a bulb of a color temp that is pleasing to you. My new tank will be running 24 x T-5's, and there will be a mix of 10000K, 14000K, and 20000K in a 3:2:1 ratio. It's a little on the white side of pure 14000K's, and that's my opinion of what looks best, but your mileage will vary . . . All of those bulbs have CRI's above 90 -- ie, they will render color very accurately compared to other bulbs of the same Color Temp.

--SM--

 

[Tava176]

I agree with the statment of natural sun being 6500K.

Does it also make sense to say that 3rd or 4th generation tank raised corals may be adapted/evolved to growing quite well under 10k or 12k (if that is what they are used to)?

So, could one take that theory and feel confident that there corals will grow under which ever light spectrum they feel like installing as long as it is of a desent intensity?

I could be wrong....just a theory.

Thanks!

 

[Fast Fred]

Hi folks, I'm new to this forum - my first post here.

Here's my thoughts, and please correct me if I'm wrong:

While some (few I think) corals live right at the ocean's surface, many live 3 or more feet below the surface, even the one's we reef keepers consider 'light lovers'. If anyone has ever veiwed or taken photos under water in the tropics, the photos look blue. I think this is because the blue light has a longer wave length, and therefore is able to better penetrate the water.

The point I'm trying to make here is that while some corals may recieve the 6500k that the sun offers at the surface, many, if not most are recieving something closer to 10,000k or higher at depths exceeding a few feet.

I've also read somewhere that if you want your corals to grow faster, try using 6500k. If you want your corals to be more colorful, use something closer to 20,000k. As reef keepers, we're trying to find a ballance somewhere in the middle (at least I am).

I think we also forget sometimes that no matter how much man-made light we install over our aquariums, it's dismally dark compared to the light from the sun.

Like I said, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I'm here to learn just like most everyone else.

 

[quack]

IMHO, as i have been taught:

Kelvin (temp) is for your pleasure
wattage is for their pleasure!

(ie more watts for deeper tanks)