Pulse Amplitude Modulation fluorometer and SPS

[marsh]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/3/aafeature1

Article about optimal lighting for SPS corals...to the species level. Goes beyond PAR and PUR. Thought discussion in this forum might be enlighting.

 

[pjf]

Tolerance, not Dependence

Tolerance, not Dependence

Riddle’s recent article complements a previous one, entitled “Too Much Light!” (http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2004/feature.htm).

Apparently, many corals inhabit shallow waters because they can tolerate the intense mid-day sun, not because they are dependent on it. Although they can be photoinhibited at mid-day, they can resume photosynthesis in the lesser afternoon light.

There are two lessons that I’ve learned from these articles. First, we need not replicate the intensity of the noon sun for our aquarium corals to thrive. Light intensity between the compensation and saturation points will suffice. Second, a modest two-tier lighting scheme may work quite well. At mid-day, metal halides can illuminate the depths of the aquarium. If the corals at the top of the aquarium are photoinhibited by the metal halides, these corals can resume photosynthesis with the lesser fluorescent lighting at dusk.