Corals Vs led light
- Thread starter helen123
- Start date
rainbow grouper
Active Member
the relationship between light and corals is simple: photosynthesis
aquaknight
Active Member
I'm not sure why you're almost intentionally putting "led" in everything, but assuming you mean aquarium lighting as a whole, not just something specific about led's...
Let's see
Mainly, well, you don't control the time the sun rises/falls. It's 3:55am here. I can turn on the tank lights. Can't turn on the sun. Some people do use the sun, google "solar tube aquarium" (or youtube). You really just can't set an aquarium in front of a window and expect the sun to light the tank effectively enough for corals. Let alone the fact that the corals would have to face the window, and you'd never see them.
Let's see
Mainly, well, you don't control the time the sun rises/falls. It's 3:55am here. I can turn on the tank lights. Can't turn on the sun. Some people do use the sun, google "solar tube aquarium" (or youtube). You really just can't set an aquarium in front of a window and expect the sun to light the tank effectively enough for corals. Let alone the fact that the corals would have to face the window, and you'd never see them.
flower
Well-Known Member
It's actually very complicatede to explain, kalven and light spectrum....whatever the intensity is that the corals need to feed on.
Lots of coral require good lighting but not the brightest, some require Metal Halide intensity (the brightest) and some corals don't use or need light at all non-photosynthetic
The technology today has been able to use TH5O and LED lighting created bright enough to replace Metal Halides. The MH lighting is hot and it heats the tank, so fans are needed to keep things cool.. It creates a sun like shimmer inside the tank that is truely beautiful. A single bulb costs $70.00 and must be replased once each year because it loses it's intensity and it no longer feeds the coral.
LED lighting can be bright enough, and the bulbs last for years and it does not heat up the tank. TH5O can also be bright enough but the bulbs (which are cheaper) also must be replaced once each year. Power compact lighting is not bright enough for high intensity corals, but soft corals are quite happy with them....nothing except MH lighting creates the shimmer in the water.
You need to figure out what type of corals you want to keep, (anemones also need MH lighting intensity) once you can decide what you want, get the lights suited for keeping them.
Sunlight feeds nuisance algae like hair algae, so you want lights. If you have only fish, the regular fish lights are just fine, non-photosynthetic and mushroom corals (some soft corals, like Kenya tree) can live under those lights.
Lots of coral require good lighting but not the brightest, some require Metal Halide intensity (the brightest) and some corals don't use or need light at all non-photosynthetic
The technology today has been able to use TH5O and LED lighting created bright enough to replace Metal Halides. The MH lighting is hot and it heats the tank, so fans are needed to keep things cool.. It creates a sun like shimmer inside the tank that is truely beautiful. A single bulb costs $70.00 and must be replased once each year because it loses it's intensity and it no longer feeds the coral.
LED lighting can be bright enough, and the bulbs last for years and it does not heat up the tank. TH5O can also be bright enough but the bulbs (which are cheaper) also must be replaced once each year. Power compact lighting is not bright enough for high intensity corals, but soft corals are quite happy with them....nothing except MH lighting creates the shimmer in the water.
You need to figure out what type of corals you want to keep, (anemones also need MH lighting intensity) once you can decide what you want, get the lights suited for keeping them.
Sunlight feeds nuisance algae like hair algae, so you want lights. If you have only fish, the regular fish lights are just fine, non-photosynthetic and mushroom corals (some soft corals, like Kenya tree) can live under those lights.
travelerjp98
Active Member
I'm confused about what exactly your asking...
travelerjp98
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by helen123 http:///forum/thread/387281/corals-vs-led-light#post_3406540
Who knows the relationship for corals and led aquarium light? I heard from that many corals lovers use the led aquarium light to shine on the corals. But I don't know why and how.
Who can help me and share the great idea?
Grateful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm confused about what your asking...
Originally Posted by helen123 http:///forum/thread/387281/corals-vs-led-light#post_3406540
Who knows the relationship for corals and led aquarium light? I heard from that many corals lovers use the led aquarium light to shine on the corals. But I don't know why and how.
Who can help me and share the great idea?
Grateful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm confused about what your asking...
btldreef
Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/387281/corals-vs-led-light#post_3406733
Thinking of a word that rhymes with roll.
I'm with you, and will be watching this.
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/387281/corals-vs-led-light#post_3406733
Thinking of a word that rhymes with roll.
I'm with you, and will be watching this.
btldreef
Moderator
I think we're a little confused as to what you're asking exactly. Are you wanting to know why we are using LED's vs Metal Halides, etc? Or Why certain people use LED strips as accent lighting?
I'll try to explain this simply, because to go into great detail looses a lot of people, myself included:
Lights, and not just LEDs can produce the same spectrum as natural sunlight and can sustain corals. Corals don't NEED the actual sun to grow if we can get a substitute with the same spectrum, etc.
I'll try to explain this simply, because to go into great detail looses a lot of people, myself included:
Lights, and not just LEDs can produce the same spectrum as natural sunlight and can sustain corals. Corals don't NEED the actual sun to grow if we can get a substitute with the same spectrum, etc.
flower
Well-Known Member
The person asking doesn't know anything at all about what lights compared to what corals need, so even the question makes little sense. I tried to explain the different lights...maybe someone with more knowledge can explain the kalven whatever spectrums.
Sometimes it's hard to articulate a sentence when you can barely figure out how to ask the question.
Sometimes it's hard to articulate a sentence when you can barely figure out how to ask the question.