High everyone. I'm an old reefer that in my day of keeping beautiful SPS. I was running metal halides and actinic VHO or T5's. With everyone now running LED and all the new information on keeping SPS. Is everyone here only using the blue spectrum of lighting to illuminate their tank?
Blue lighting?
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leighla wolf
Active Member
Generally yes, many of us use ai primes or Kessil. These are really cool because they have programs that can be set to adjust HOW MUCH of each color spectrum you want in the tank which as you probably know helps with algae! 
if you have any questions about specific lights or models let me know! I’ve tried and researched a few of the more popular brands and can tell you pros and cons of each.
if you have any questions about specific lights or models let me know! I’ve tried and researched a few of the more popular brands and can tell you pros and cons of each. 
Spare time
10K Club member
Its the main color for coral growth, but most people supplement it with some degree of white (and the occasional green and red). Some people like the neon color with violet lighting but others like some white. Its more or less personal preference.
xxkenny90xx
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My tank has a hint of blue but when I take a picture of it all my camera picks up is blue. Maybe that's what your seeing? Blue pictures from tanks that really aren't all that blue?
That being said alot of people do have really blue tanks....
That being said alot of people do have really blue tanks....
sp1187
bird flu antidote
I'm not keeping SPS aside from a few monti's.
I'm running AquayRay LED's. I have two tiles with blues and whites and two strips blues only.
I'm not a fan of the blues only look.
I'm running AquayRay LED's. I have two tiles with blues and whites and two strips blues only.
I'm not a fan of the blues only look.
Personally I'm not a fan of the deep blue "Windex" look. Don't enjoy a tank that looks like a black-light poster from the 70's... That said, I do try to reproduce a cooler white light similar to ATI Blue+ T5 lighting as it is good for coral growth.
A lot of the commercial fixtures out there run quite white with all the led channels at the same level, with the possible exception of the radion g5 blue. Many run the white, green, red channels at 10-15% with blues at 100%, if one likes white start with having the channels all balanced, if you really like the white look you can always run the blue channel lower than the white as well.
People now mostly just run whatever they like their tank to look like since unlike the old days we are not limited to a handful of spectrums. People in the hobby a long time sometimes like a whiter tank as they had one for many years, or they like the better color rendition it gives the fish. Others like the fluoresce pop blue gives. Some do white then blue at night- so really whatever you like the lights can do it.
People now mostly just run whatever they like their tank to look like since unlike the old days we are not limited to a handful of spectrums. People in the hobby a long time sometimes like a whiter tank as they had one for many years, or they like the better color rendition it gives the fish. Others like the fluoresce pop blue gives. Some do white then blue at night- so really whatever you like the lights can do it.
SeaDweller
2500 Club Member
Running an ALL blue spectrum all the time isn’t good, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You still need full spectrum to color up sps.
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
This!
Yes, blue does impact the growth of corals. However, they need the rest of the spectrum just as much.
I just switch from LEDs to all T5s. Even though it is much whiter, my tank looks 100% better after only the first week.
Spare time
10K Club member
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
Of what? Evidence that corals need the full spectrum?
homer1475
Figuring out the hobby one coral at a time.
I'm and "older" reefer and still run T5's. I hate the windex look when walking into an LFS now. First thing I do is ask them to turn on some white light if I'm looking at buying anything.
BackToTheReef
Valuable Member
leighla wolf
Active Member
Evidence:
www.researchgate.net
(PDF) The role of light in coral physiology and its implications for coral husbandry
PDF | Light is important as a source of energy for zooxanthellate corals. A short overview is presented of the current scientific insights in the... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate
www.researchgate.net
Spare time
10K Club member
Yes. I am curious what evidence there is that corals need full spectrum. Not disagreeing, just wanting evidence that they need full spectrum to grow and reproduce.
Spare time
10K Club member
Evidence:
(PDF) The role of light in coral physiology and its implications for coral husbandry
PDF | Light is important as a source of energy for zooxanthellate corals. A short overview is presented of the current scientific insights in the... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate
Where in that are they answering the question that corals need x spectrum for growth and reproduction? In fact, that article seems to only mention that 400-500nm is the range that corals are utilizing (it does mention red at 630-700nm but notes that red doesn't penetrate past 1-5m). It also mentions that the photopigments are regulated and, therefore, allowing these corals to sustain themselves in various light conditions.
Spare time
10K Club member
Yes but in the ocean, red does not penetrate past 1-5m. Blue on the other hand goes MUCH further.
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
Most of the corals we have are collected within the 1-5m range. Most of our pieces that we have in our tanks can be collected from a one breath snorkel dive. At that range they are getting most of the full spectrum.
It depends on what you have as well in your tank. You can have deep water corals and yes they will do better with more blue.
