Dumb question about blues

[seanarino]

I should say: I am an artist, and I really don't want permanent eye damage from looking in the general direction of my reef tank because I don't have orange lenses, orange glasses, or anything that can filter that horrifically strong blue light. I was thinking about finding a clear film or even a removable sheet to cover the glass in my tank that worked as a blue filter (orange sheeting) but I can't find anything wide enough for the height of the glass, and I've heard people say the normal orange sheets don't work because they just glow and defeat the purpose.

Is it possible to run a reef tank successfully with something that washes out that strong blue color? The concept of algae isn't particularly a problem for me because I don't mind spending time scraping the glass or using a q-tip and wrapping up strands of hair algae or whatever. Is it possible I will have to go with metal halides when or if I upgrade to my 75 gallon tank? What metal halides should I use (that won't break the bank)? And, additionally, is it possible to use more, but smaller metal halides? I could still possibly use *some* blue lights, but the strong, "super ick cure, exploded smurf" blue is a little bit much for me. I could do with "mtn dew voltage" blue or like, "windex" blue, but I don't think I could do "fluorescent pepsi can" blue.

 

[marinesnow]

How about using a white light spectrum instead of blue?

 

[seanarino]

How about using a white light spectrum instead of blue?

But they say you can't do that because the blue is for corals, and without blue, you won't be able to grow them... But the blue is extremely harsh to look at - even painful for me (sensory issues). Metal halides give the "look" I want, but the only problem is that they get super hot and the actual thing to put the bulbs in would bust my budget instantly, after looking for a while, so I guess that's out of my range. I don't know what to do because I can do "light blue" tints but anything below that is actually physically painful (and I wasn't aware of this until I got a light that uses blues....)

 

[bushdoc]

How about growing photosyntetic gorgonians from the Caribbean?
Those corals are from shallow water and prefer more "white" than blue spectrum.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

But they say you can't do that because the blue is for corals, and without blue, you won't be able to grow them... But the blue is extremely harsh to look at - even painful for me (sensory issues). Metal halides give the "look" I want, but the only problem is that they get super hot and the actual thing to put the bulbs in would bust my budget instantly, after looking for a while, so I guess that's out of my range. I don't know what to do because I can do "light blue" tints but anything below that is actually physically painful (and I wasn't aware of this until I got a light that uses blues....)

You will still have the same amount of blue, it's the green and red turned up. Before Windex tanks people ran 10k light. Some people will run a 6500k bulb in there t5 for better growth. The tank doesn't look blue at all

 

[marinesnow]

As long as you have blue mixed with the white you’ll cover photosynthesis activation. White actually has blue in it already. There are a lot of tanks running predominantly white light with success. I’ve done it myself.

The algae in our corals are just dinoflagellates, and they don’t need special glowing blue-only lighting to thrive. Obviously in shallow areas the light is white.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I should say: I am an artist, and I really don't want permanent eye damage from looking in the general direction of my reef tank because I don't have orange lenses, orange glasses, or anything that can filter that horrifically strong blue light. I was thinking about finding a clear film or even a removable sheet to cover the glass in my tank that worked as a blue filter (orange sheeting) but I can't find anything wide enough for the height of the glass, and I've heard people say the normal orange sheets don't work because they just glow and defeat the purpose.

Is it possible to run a reef tank successfully with something that washes out that strong blue color? The concept of algae isn't particularly a problem for me because I don't mind spending time scraping the glass or using a q-tip and wrapping up strands of hair algae or whatever. Is it possible I will have to go with metal halides when or if I upgrade to my 75 gallon tank? What metal halides should I use (that won't break the bank)? And, additionally, is it possible to use more, but smaller metal halides? I could still possibly use *some* blue lights, but the strong, "super ick cure, exploded smurf" blue is a little bit much for me. I could do with "mtn dew voltage" blue or like, "windex" blue, but I don't think I could do "fluorescent pepsi can" blue.

The viparspectra 165watt is a cheap light and easy to adjust so the tank looks white, it has 2 channels a white and a blue it would fit the bill without breaking the bank

 

[seanarino]

How about growing photosyntetic gorgonians from the Caribbean?
Those corals are from shallow water and prefer more "white" than blue spectrum.

Well, I'd like to do that, but I'd also like to grow something that isn't photosynthetic shallow water gorgonians...

You will still have the same amount of blue, it's the green and red turned up. Before Windex tanks people ran 10k light. Some people will run a 6500k bulb in there t5 for better growth. The tank doesn't look blue at all

As long as you have blue mixed with the white you’ll cover photosynthesis activation. White actually has blue in it already. There are a lot of tanks running predominantly white light with success. I’ve done it myself.

The algae in our corals are just dinoflagellates, and they don’t need special glowing blue-only lighting to thrive. In shallow areas the light is white.

Is there anything you can point me towards on the right track? I don't... actually know what I'm looking for.... I just can't do the bright, solid blues that a lot of people have in their tanks because it's painful for me.

 

[SGV - Bluestar]

just Coral + from T5?

 

[seanarino]

The viparspectra 165watt is a cheap light and easy to adjust so the tank looks white, it has 2 channels a white and a blue it would fit the bill without breaking the bank

Is there any examples? I tried googling but all the images are really really blue still.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I should say: I am an artist, and I really don't want permanent eye damage from looking in the general direction of my reef tank because I don't have orange lenses, orange glasses, or anything that can filter that horrifically strong blue light. I was thinking about finding a clear film or even a removable sheet to cover the glass in my tank that worked as a blue filter (orange sheeting) but I can't find anything wide enough for the height of the glass, and I've heard people say the normal orange sheets don't work because they just glow and defeat the purpose.

Is it possible to run a reef tank successfully with something that washes out that strong blue color? The concept of algae isn't particularly a problem for me because I don't mind spending time scraping the glass or using a q-tip and wrapping up strands of hair algae or whatever. Is it possible I will have to go with metal halides when or if I upgrade to my 75 gallon tank? What metal halides should I use (that won't break the bank)? And, additionally, is it possible to use more, but smaller metal halides? I could still possibly use *some* blue lights, but the strong, "super ick cure, exploded smurf" blue is a little bit much for me. I could do with "mtn dew voltage" blue or like, "windex" blue, but I don't think I could do "fluorescent pepsi can" blue.

Corals need spectrums including blue and ive been looking blues at least three decades without issues although everyone's eyes react differently

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Well, I'd like to do that, but I'd also like to grow something that isn't photosynthetic shallow water gorgonians...


Is there anything you can point me towards on the right track? I don't... actually know what I'm looking for.... I just can't do the bright, solid blues that a lot of people have in their tanks because it's painful for me.

Viparspectra 165 Amazon 159.00 24"x24 " coverage, t5 ATI bulbs Amazon fixture,

 

[seanarino]

just Coral + from T5?

How's that look? (Google's being a fool and only giving me images of the color spectrum graph??)

 

[steveschuerger]

If you want to minimize the blue look, even 1% white will mitigate most of the blueyness.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Is there any examples? I tried googling but all the images are really really blue still.

Give me a moment

 

[seanarino]

Corals need spectrums including blue and ive been looking blues at least three decades without issues although everyone's eyes react differently

For you, perhaps. I'm autistic and I have severe sensory issues, and looking at the "brilliant blues" is like sticking needles in my eyes. It's physically painful and I feel like everything looks darker after I've looked at the blue lights for a few seconds.

 

[marinesnow]

Most LED fixtures will allow you to tune them for spectrum. I personally use radions, and there’s a slider in the app that allows me to set the light temp/color from 0k to 20k, and 10k has that nice daylight look to it. The AI brand lights also have something similar. Alternatively if you like the shimmer of metal halides, but not the electricity bill or heat, check out kessil’s lighting.

 

[steveschuerger]

Blue lighting isn’t going to damage your eyes physically although some people are more sensitive to certain light spectra than others.

 

[seanarino]

If you want to minimize the blue look, even 1% white will mitigate most of the blueyness.

With my current nicrew, during the day (the 6 hours I have the whites on) is fine, but the 1 hour of blue wind down is really hard to look at.

Most LED fixtures will allow you to tune them for spectrum. I personally use radions, and there’s a slider in the app that allows me to set the light temp/color from 0k to 20k, and 10k has that nice daylight look to it. The AI brand lights also have something similar. Alternatively if you like the shimmer of metal halides, but not the electricity bill or heat, check out kessil’s lighting.

Those would break my bank. I can't see radions from google's shopping preview less than $500 - the AIs aren't... horrific... I guess... and Kessils for me have the same issue as the radions. I'm pretty limited in the money department (especially since I don't have control of my own money).

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Is there any examples? I tried googling but all the images are really really blue still.

Tank is in repair stage but you get the idea