Why there is always a photo period with blue light only?
- Thread starter ahchung
- Start date
tigerarmy40
New member
one thing I can say is that in my experience that it has not mattered weather I have a period of strictly actinic as much as it has mattered that i have my system on timers so that the inhabitants have a stable envirement! I went from timers to manually turning on the lights when I moved into my new home and things just never looked quite right. I put it back on the timers and bam!!! back to beautiful....
I guess what I am saying is that it doesnt matter if both your act and daylight come on at the same time because the light is there either way and the inahbitants will benefit regardless of weather they are run seperately or not!?!?
I guess what I am saying is that it doesnt matter if both your act and daylight come on at the same time because the light is there either way and the inahbitants will benefit regardless of weather they are run seperately or not!?!?
Mariner
New member
I think the point is to make the lighting transition from night to day as natural as possible -- blue light simulates dawn and dusk.
I don't know if studies have been done on whether this helps the corals, but I'm pretty sure that reefers who would be concerned about such things are also reefers who would be concerned about other small details that make for successful coral keeping.
FWIW,
Mariner
I don't know if studies have been done on whether this helps the corals, but I'm pretty sure that reefers who would be concerned about such things are also reefers who would be concerned about other small details that make for successful coral keeping.
FWIW,
Mariner
ahchung
New member
Yes, I am trying to see whether this small details is related to successful coral keeping.
For me, lighting transition is not extremely important since my living room is not completely dark when I turn on/off the light. I am very interested to see whether a pure blue/actinic period helps on SPS color.
Please continue to share your experience.
For me, lighting transition is not extremely important since my living room is not completely dark when I turn on/off the light. I am very interested to see whether a pure blue/actinic period helps on SPS color.
Please continue to share your experience.
Mariner
New member
I'd have to agree that stability/consistency in the lighting schedule is probably more important than what color light comes on first/goes off last.
Also, IMO, IME light under the water on a natural reef is very blue at sunrise/sunset in most places. The red/yellow spectrum that we see in the dawn/dusk sky bounces off the water. Red/yellow light penetrates best at high noon.
FWIW,
Mariner
Also, IMO, IME light under the water on a natural reef is very blue at sunrise/sunset in most places. The red/yellow spectrum that we see in the dawn/dusk sky bounces off the water. Red/yellow light penetrates best at high noon.
FWIW,
Mariner
tigerarmy40
New member
and at the shallowest portion fo the natural reefs....
XeniaMania
Active member
My lights don't come on till 2pm, so there's plenty of natural sunlight to simulate dawn. The lights go off at 12 midnight, so the room light then becomes their dusk.
masterswimmer
New member
Don't you like the way the corals flouresce or 'POP' under actinic lighting? There is also proof that the actinic spectrum ~ 420 NM is beneficial to coral.
Russ
XeniaMania
Active member
I do, but I also run 20K so that's plenty blue...and xenias don't show much color under Actinics anyways..
masterswimmer
New member
Sure, here's one link. Hope this helps:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1789&articleid=2388
Russ
masterswimmer
New member
Obviously we can't believe everything we read, but 420nm does fall into the useable light spectrum. It is both healthy for the corals and provides an asthetic property that many reefers do enjoy. Some don't like it, that's the beauty of having choices.
tigerarmy40
New member
I think that there is no dought that 420-460nm is beneficial but I think the question that the original poster is trying to answer is more about weather or not it is beneficial to have a dawn dusk affect!!! personally I dont believe so. the light is there and affecting the corals weather run together or not!
although now that the question has been raised I watched my tank come on yesterday morning and while the act was running the leathers and lps only half way inflated but once the daylight came on they then extended and inflated to full mass!!! this may be something that shows otherwise!?!?
although now that the question has been raised I watched my tank come on yesterday morning and while the act was running the leathers and lps only half way inflated but once the daylight came on they then extended and inflated to full mass!!! this may be something that shows otherwise!?!?
The Marmot
New member
I use the sunrise/sunset photoperiods, although I have not always ran the lights this way. I 've noticed no difference in growth with this strategy, but it is prettier to look at for those few hours of pure blue.
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
When my halides go off - I see the fish react - knowing that in a short period it'll be dark.
Most days I'm home, there's lights on in the room - but IMO that actinic time is for the fish to know it'll be dark soon.
That, and the fact it just looks super cool - that's why I have them.
If the corals benefit - great ... but IMO actinics are more for our aesthetic pleasure than for a definite, proven coral need.
Most days I'm home, there's lights on in the room - but IMO that actinic time is for the fish to know it'll be dark soon.
That, and the fact it just looks super cool - that's why I have them.
If the corals benefit - great ... but IMO actinics are more for our aesthetic pleasure than for a definite, proven coral need.
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