Natural light spectrum.. Why do we use these so much blue lights?

[buruskeee]

If all that’s needed to grow coral is blue light, then why do Top shelf and many of the experts run full spectrum during the bulk of the day for growth? Why don’t the farms just run high PAR, blue light only?

Refs and greens bring out other pigments. Let’s not mix up “grow” with “color up”.

 

[djf91]

Refs and greens bring out other pigments. Let’s not mix up “grow” with “color up”.

So they use the fuller spectrum lighting to bring out colors but it has no effect on growth?

 

[djf91]

 

[VintageReefer]

If it means anything I took this all as open discussion and took no offense.

I was asked to change settings for some pics. @Reefering1 felt my tank looked better in those pics. Then I posted some comparisons. He agreed some coral looked better in blue. But also liked that white light showed other details.
Clearly he likes the whiter look more but is not unreasonable and was able to admit that the blues can make things look more appealing.

I personally like a bit of a blue tint in my light. All just discussion and opinions.

Oh no, someone on the Internet named Reefering1 told ME this is how MY tank SHOULD look. I’m not offended. He has his opinion. I respect it but don’t have to agree or go changing my profiles. And I certainly don’t have to get upset that someone likes things different than me

I did the white look a long time. I got bored and wanted a more neon tank. I like it. I don’t have nor use social media. I don’t care what is trending or what other people think. My coral are happy, and I like the tanks look. That’s all that matters to me

 

[Yanir34]

I really don't understand what is the endless argument...if you want , ho with the blue side.
you can also choose the full spectrum side...
every reefer should choose the side that's fit him.
BUT do not expect that some corals will look under blues , the same they look under full spectrum.
note - there is certain colors that simply will not show under heavy blue ,that's all .
If blue light is not good for high growth rate ? I really don't know.
What I do , know is that my corals consume HUGE amounts of Calcium ,Carbonat and some Magnesium.
that is solid fact.
Damm, It's got non-ecoomical to maintain balling method at this time.
that is the reason that I'm hooking up calcium reactor.
it's 2.5 dkh that being consumed daily by this sticks.
Is it related to full spectrum bulbs that I'm running over my reef ? who knows.
those lovely Stag and stylos was 2 cm frags , 18 months ago ,and being frged evey 10 days .
by the way , good lighting fixture is just one of many factors , that have to be tune in good way to support healty reef tank.

 

[madlos123]

Heres some eye candy for people to enjoy to cool things down

Yes I do have a heavy blue spectrum at night about only 1 hour at the end of the day. Im using T5 actinic and some weak led strips to add that extra blue pop. This picture was a couple months back. Later tonight ill take some newer pictures.

 

[Northern Flicker]

I really don't understand what is the endless argument...if you want , ho with the blue side.
you can also choose the full spectrum side...
every reefer should choose the side that's fit him.
BUT do not expect that some corals will look under blues , the same they look under full spectrum.
note - there is certain colors that simply will not show under heavy blue ,that's all .
If blue light is not good for high growth rate ? I really don't know.
What I do , know is that my corals consume HUGE amounts of Calcium ,Carbonat and some Magnesium.
that is solid fact.
Damm, It's got non-ecoomical to maintain balling method at this time.
that is the reason that I'm hooking up calcium reactor.
it's 2.5 dkh that being consumed daily by this sticks.
Is it related to full spectrum bulbs that I'm running over my reef ? who knows.
those lovely Stag and stylos was 2 cm frags , 18 months ago ,and being frged evey 10 days .
by the way , good lighting fixture is just one of many factors , that have to be tune in good way to support healty reef tank.

I love your tank - one thing I noticed is you run full T5. For whatever reason, I find my coral love my T5 whiter bulbs but get absolutely nuked if I raise the white on my LEDs. There seems to be some kind of difference.

 

[KrisReef]

I was not reacting to the colours - I react on the growth pattern of the Seriatopora coral. I never get this slender type of growth with my Seriatopora.

Sincerely Lasse

How much current are you blasting them with? They will get thicker to withstand the tidal wave surge when that is present.

As far as depth, based upon the lack of blue color and presumption that this is a GoPro camera I think this was very shallow, and probably just at a meter below the surface.

 

[djf91]

Heres some eye candy for people to enjoy to cool things down

Yes I do have a heavy blue spectrum at night about only 1 hour at the end of the day. Im using T5 actinic and some weak led strips to add that extra blue pop. This picture was a couple months back. Later tonight ill take some newer pictures.

Even that blue pic though looks good to me. Maybe I’m just partial to metal halide/t5

 

[djf91]

Food for thought, to add to the whole ecosystem benefits from full spectrum theory. Nothing brings up my pH more than when my full display lights are on. This is caused by the algae in the display, probly the film algae that grows on all of the surfaces everyday and is then consumed by my fish and snails. Just more reason in my opinion to run some whiter lighting. To grow algae for a pH boost, granted you have the proper means to control it.

 

[VintageReefer]

Even that blue pic though looks good to me. Maybe I’m just partial to metal halide/t5

How’s this

 

[VintageReefer]

Food for thought, to add to the whole ecosystem benefits from full spectrum theory. Nothing brings up my pH more than when my full display lights are on. This is caused by the algae in the display, probly the film algae that grows on all of the surfaces everyday and is then consumed by my fish and snails. Just more reason in my opinion to run some whiter lighting. To grow algae for a pH boost, granted you have the proper means to control it.

That’s why I run an dual outlet airpump to an algae scrubber in my sump 18-19 hours per day

 

[areefer01]

This was talked about in 2018 and I'm sure even prior to that...

Just for Fun - The Perfect Spectrum

There is no such thing as a *perfect* spectrum for corals, but I arrived at these numbers while working on a project. It includes UV-A as well as the normally considered violet-red wavelengths. Again, just for giggles, but its fairly close. UV (350-399) 13.6% Violet (400-430) 22.3% Blue...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[djf91]

How’s this

It kind of looks like there’s a pink/purple glow to it. Maybe it’s just me.

 

[djf91]

That’s why I run an dual outlet airpump to an algae scrubber in my sump 18-19 hours per day

Yep I’ve got a line to my skimmer from the outside but I still struggle with getting the pH I want in my basement. I think I can finally open all of the windows tomorrow with fall temps coming in. Should see a good pH boost by next weekend.

 

[VintageReefer]

It kind of looks like there’s a pink/purple glow to it. Maybe it’s just me.

There is. It’s heavy blue, medium white, and as suggested, medium red and green added

The coral gets fluorescence, but without the ambient darkness of blue. It has brightness of white, but without being washed out

I made a new trend. 2024: blues are out. Whites are out. New trend - pinkish purple hahahah

 

[djf91]

There is. It’s heavy blue, medium white, and as suggested, medium red and green added

The coral gets fluorescence, but without the ambient darkness of blue. It has brightness of white, but without being washed out

I made a new trend. 2024: blues are out. Whites are out. New trend - pinkish purple hahahah

If you were going to try to replicate your old metal halide tank spectrum, what intensities do you think you would run the channels at? This is what I would want to shoot for if I ever go full LED. Those were Phoenix bulbs right?

 

[Northern Flicker]

There is. It’s heavy blue, medium white, and as suggested, medium red and green added

The coral gets fluorescence, but without the ambient darkness of blue. It has brightness of white, but without being washed out

I made a new trend. 2024: blues are out. Whites are out. New trend - pinkish purple hahahah

It looks much worse than your usu lighting imo. LPS tanks look better in blue.

 

[buruskeee]

So they use the fuller spectrum lighting to bring out colors but it has no effect on growth?

Growth and coloration are 2 different things. I shared a peer reviewed study earlier (one of many written about this) of how the corals are more sensitive and stimulated to the lower wavelengths.

 

[djf91]

Growth and coloration are 2 different things. I shared a peer reviewed study earlier (one of many written about this) of how the corals are more sensitive and stimulated to the lower wavelengths.

That’s just a very small piece of the overall puzzle.