Lighting Deep Dive

[flfrosty]

Does anyone have any good reference articles, etc. on lighting settings?

For example:

Mix of white, blue, red, etc.
Intensity settings of each color
Number of hours
Optimums for different corals or a fish only tank, etc.
Etc.

Thanks in advance

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If you're looking for specific guideline of what intensity and how long at which colours, there are no such guidelines. That would make the hobby too easy.

These might give you some basic info:

Light and the Marine Aquarium

By Tim Wijgerde, Ph.D. Light is one of the most discussed topics in the marine aquarium hobby. It is also amongst the most dreaded, due to its complicated na

reefs.com

Light in the Reef Aquaria

Light is one of the main life-supporting resources on our planet. Being photosynthetic, many marine invertebrates require light to live; Their symbiotic zooxanthellae need light for photosynthesis to produce sufficient nourishment both for their own use and for the host coral.

reefs.com

 

[Doctorgori]

- Duration IME anything for 8-12 hrs is about right, in any event zero benefit going over 12 hrs
- Intensity is best measured using a PAR meter although some have used LUX, I have no experience with that measurement. Anyway. Par should be between 50 - 400 but I parroted this info and would advise broad opinion/ input on that matter. Intensity is dependent on the species involved and is broad and variable
- Color temp: Anything over 5000k - 20000, works, all depends on the actual spectral values output by the light and what looks visually appealing. The charts outlining coral biology and light are pretty ubiquitous (I’d find one but just lazy lol)