Do corals NEED the white channel from LED?

[mjw011689]

I know this is gonna get a ton of different answers, but I’m curious if corals need to have the white lights from LED? Obviously it’ll depend on the light brand and what type of whites they’re using I’m sure.

i guess the goal of my question…. If I’m trying to cut back on lighting temporarily to fight algae, do I even need to have the white channel on? Do corals still grow under just the blues? And I’m sure it would change their colors long term, correct?

Ive reduced my lighting intensity and number of hours by quite a bit, and also killed the whites altogether to help reduce some dinos, just curious if this will have any affect on the corals if my lights are like this for a couple weeks or so.

 

[Subsea]

Expect changes. A full tank picture with white light now and in one month might not show it.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I know this is gonna get a ton of different answers, but I’m curious if corals need to have the white lights from LED? Obviously it’ll depend on the light brand and what type of whites they’re using I’m sure.

i guess the goal of my question…. If I’m trying to cut back on lighting temporarily to fight algae, do I even need to have the white channel on? Do corals still grow under just the blues? And I’m sure it would change their colors long term, correct?

Ive reduced my lighting intensity and number of hours by quite a bit, and also killed the whites altogether to help reduce some dinos, just curious if this will have any affect on the corals if my lights are like this for a couple weeks or so.

Corals will still grow under just blue light, yes. As mentioned, changing from white and blue or just white to just blue will likely impact the coral's growth, coloration, and possibly health (if the coral is from deep water rather than shallow water, using just blue light will likely increase coral growth and health - if the coral is from shallow water, switching to just blue may decrease the growth and health).* Switching to blue light from white or white/blue will also impact any photosynthesis going on in the tank:

"More importantly, under blue light calcification is very high, even higher than under full spectrum, while photosynthesis remains below the compensation point, meaning that CO2 production is higher than consumption (Figure 4B)." **

*Source:

Green fluorescent protein-like pigments optimise the internal light environment in symbiotic reef-building corals

Scalar irradiance microsensor measurements performed inside the tissue of living corals show that absorption and fluorescence emission by host pigments produce dramatic spectral alterations in the light environment experienced by the symbionts.

elifesciences.org

**Source:

Frontiers | Light Enhanced Calcification in Hermatypic Corals: New Insights from Light Spectral Responses

Light enhanced calcification (LEC) is a well documented phenomenon in reef-building corals. The main mechanism proposed for LEC is that photosynthetic CO2 up...

www.frontiersin.org

***This third link reinforces both of the points listed with the other links:

The spectral quality of light is a key driver of photosynthesis and photoadaptation in Stylophora pistillata colonies from different depths in the Red Sea

SUMMARYDepth zonation on coral reefs is largely driven by the amount of downwelling, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) that is absorbed by the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) of corals. The minimum light requirements of zooxanthellae are related to both the total intensity of downwelling...

journals.biologists.com

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Corals absolutely need white light. Remember that our "white" leds are actually blue leds made to look white.

 

[Midrats]

Blue LEDs grow algae just fine.

 

[rtparty]

Algae is from lack of predation, not excessive light

 

[52728299]

In my 10g tank I run blues and purples only. Seems to be good, I only have 1 coral in it right now tho and don't remember what type it is lol But nice polyp extension and really bright color. I'll share a picture but photo doesn't do its color justice tbh