royal gang
Active Member
Would 250 watts of flourescent lighting be good for corals? does it matter what kind of lighting it is?
Flourescent lighting
- Thread starter royal gang
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royal gang
Active Member
ALL CORALS!!! it's a 55 48 x 23 x 19
reefforbrains
Active Member
not so much the delivery method, as the spectrum. Different delivery methods penetrate through water differently.Thats the major consideration when trying to grow/raise coral.
Normal flouresent "cool white" bulbs (typical t-12)are in the 3000-4100 range, useless for coral and other photosynthetic life forms. Corals need higher in the spectrum. please dont take this wrong, but there is a ton of info on this site and anything I would try and type out to explain would take pages.
Normal flouresent "cool white" bulbs (typical t-12)are in the 3000-4100 range, useless for coral and other photosynthetic life forms. Corals need higher in the spectrum. please dont take this wrong, but there is a ton of info on this site and anything I would try and type out to explain would take pages.
reefnut
Active Member
There are four types of fluorescents we see in the hobby... NO Fluorescents (Normal Output - useless for a reef), VHO Fluorescent (Very High Output), PC Fluorescents (Power Compacts) and HO T5 Fluorescents (High Output). Out of the 4 the HO T5s are the strongest.
Not ALL corals can thrive under fluorescent lighting. Some corals require a higher output light… MH (metal halides).
Research the corals you want to keep and base the lighting on that.
Not ALL corals can thrive under fluorescent lighting. Some corals require a higher output light… MH (metal halides).
Research the corals you want to keep and base the lighting on that.
coachklm
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
The more intense the delivery system the better IMO.
The spectrum doesn't matter much except for looks.
i'm going to disagree with that (the first time disagreeing with bangguy..lol) but not wanting to start a serious debate ..I'll just say SOME/many corals adapt their photosynthetic intake periods with the amount and spectrum of the lighting. and all types of corals have different lighting requirements.
and after posting this I'll go back to my research database on this just to make sure i'm not talking out of my ...
I will agree that about 60% of spectrum is for the consumers likeness
The more intense the delivery system the better IMO.
The spectrum doesn't matter much except for looks.
i'm going to disagree with that (the first time disagreeing with bangguy..lol) but not wanting to start a serious debate ..I'll just say SOME/many corals adapt their photosynthetic intake periods with the amount and spectrum of the lighting. and all types of corals have different lighting requirements.
and after posting this I'll go back to my research database on this just to make sure i'm not talking out of my ...
I will agree that about 60% of spectrum is for the consumers likeness
reefnut
Active Member
I’d have to agree with Bang Guy. There is research on the web in direct relation to photosynthesis of zooxanthellae that indicate the photosynthesis rate under a 4000k MH and a 12000k MH are essentially the same. I’d post a link if I could…
Corals are very adaptable to different spectrums of light... and can utilize a wide range of wave lengths for photosynthesis.
Corals are very adaptable to different spectrums of light... and can utilize a wide range of wave lengths for photosynthesis.
coachklm
Active Member
Feature Article: Colors by the Thousands - Light, Colors and Corals, Part I
By Benoît Finet, Florian Lesage, Translated by Nicolas Will
The PAR (Photosynthetic Available Radiation, unit µE/m2/s) measures the number of photons reaching a surface, all this in the wavelengths of the visible light (between 400 and 700nm). It is indeed in this portion of the spectrum that we can find the different absorption peaks of the photosynthetic pigments. As these pigments do not absorb energy in a equal manner on all that 400-700nm range, but only at certain precise wavelengths, some prefer using the PUR (Photosynthetic Usable Radiation) in order to quantify the number of photons truly used by the photosynthetic cells. The PUR is thus defined by the light source (emitted spectrum, intensity) and by the studied pigments (because of their absorption spectrum).
I could be misunderstanding this one but...quick five min. pull there, i'll do some more if needed but I gotta clean house before wifey gets home...lol
By Benoît Finet, Florian Lesage, Translated by Nicolas Will
The PAR (Photosynthetic Available Radiation, unit µE/m2/s) measures the number of photons reaching a surface, all this in the wavelengths of the visible light (between 400 and 700nm). It is indeed in this portion of the spectrum that we can find the different absorption peaks of the photosynthetic pigments. As these pigments do not absorb energy in a equal manner on all that 400-700nm range, but only at certain precise wavelengths, some prefer using the PUR (Photosynthetic Usable Radiation) in order to quantify the number of photons truly used by the photosynthetic cells. The PUR is thus defined by the light source (emitted spectrum, intensity) and by the studied pigments (because of their absorption spectrum).
I could be misunderstanding this one but...quick five min. pull there, i'll do some more if needed but I gotta clean house before wifey gets home...lol
reefnut
Active Member
There are two different thoughts flowing here... spectrum of bulbs and the actual spectral wavelengths of photosynthesis. My point is the 4000k MH and 12000k MH provided the same amount of “usable light” (light between 400 and 700nm).
In addition corals are adaptive and will adjust to maximize the light absorption from the spectrum of light they receive.
In addition corals are adaptive and will adjust to maximize the light absorption from the spectrum of light they receive.
royal gang
Active Member
im sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but i only understood about 10% of what u said :notsure: anyways i was just asking because i might get another aquarium later and why pay so high if u can get the smame watts for less price? 
anyways i just ordered my second pair of metal halides, they'll get here at the..
anyways i just ordered my second pair of metal halides, they'll get here at the..
royal gang
Active Member
26th lol
coachklm
Active Member
The yellow end of the spectrum is practically useless, as is green (a combination of blue and yellow light).
PAR is a measurement of the available energy from light that is usable in photosynthesis. The PAR spectrum ranges from roughly 400 to 700 nm. There is more energy in the shorter bluer wavelengths and it is more efficient to tansform high energy (shorter/bluer) wavelengths into lower energy (longer/redder) wavelengths. That is why we see our coras fluoresce greens and reds when we punch them with strong actinic blue light. Although Chlorophyl a is a commonly used benchmark for PAR efficiency, there are different versions of the pigment with their efficiency attenuated red or blue.
There is no way to meet the exact photo demands of a coral because its particular ChlA and accessory pigment suite will be very specific to an intensity and quality of light.
If you recall Dana Riddle's monochromatic light experiment wherein he used blue and red leds to expose corals to the same amount of differently colored light, the areas of pocillopora exposed to red light bleached and those exposed to blue light turned pink. I agree with Dana's explanation that the red light caused a reduction of zoox because it was a lot more efficient at driving photosynthesis.
another 5min. pull .... still cleaning be back in ten..
PAR is a measurement of the available energy from light that is usable in photosynthesis. The PAR spectrum ranges from roughly 400 to 700 nm. There is more energy in the shorter bluer wavelengths and it is more efficient to tansform high energy (shorter/bluer) wavelengths into lower energy (longer/redder) wavelengths. That is why we see our coras fluoresce greens and reds when we punch them with strong actinic blue light. Although Chlorophyl a is a commonly used benchmark for PAR efficiency, there are different versions of the pigment with their efficiency attenuated red or blue.
There is no way to meet the exact photo demands of a coral because its particular ChlA and accessory pigment suite will be very specific to an intensity and quality of light.
If you recall Dana Riddle's monochromatic light experiment wherein he used blue and red leds to expose corals to the same amount of differently colored light, the areas of pocillopora exposed to red light bleached and those exposed to blue light turned pink. I agree with Dana's explanation that the red light caused a reduction of zoox because it was a lot more efficient at driving photosynthesis.
another 5min. pull .... still cleaning be back in ten..
bang guy
Moderator
Originally Posted by coachKLM
The yellow end of the spectrum is practically useless, as is green (a combination of blue and yellow light).
We'll have to disagree on this. Experiments I have done have convinced me that Zooxanthellae can adapt to any visible light spectrum. Some colors may be more beneficial but I didn't notice a growth or health difference, some corals turn butt-ugly under green light though.
I believe most of the published information about photosynthesis is based on green vascular plants and not brown Zooxanthellae Dinoflagillates.
The yellow end of the spectrum is practically useless, as is green (a combination of blue and yellow light).
We'll have to disagree on this. Experiments I have done have convinced me that Zooxanthellae can adapt to any visible light spectrum. Some colors may be more beneficial but I didn't notice a growth or health difference, some corals turn butt-ugly under green light though.
I believe most of the published information about photosynthesis is based on green vascular plants and not brown Zooxanthellae Dinoflagillates.
taznut
Active Member
Originally Posted by ROYAL GANG
im sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but i only understood about 10% of what u said :notsure: anyways i was just asking because i might get another aquarium later and why pay so high if u can get the smame watts for less price? anyways i just ordered my second pair of metal halides, they'll get here at the..
this is how i feel with most of the lighting questions... it is always a bad thing to start a 'which lights are better' post here... a lot of good information if you can understand it im sure... i have PC and plan on getting MH with my next tank... NO (normal output) wont get you to far, IMO...
:happyfish
im sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but i only understood about 10% of what u said :notsure: anyways i was just asking because i might get another aquarium later and why pay so high if u can get the smame watts for less price?
anyways i just ordered my second pair of metal halides, they'll get here at the..this is how i feel with most of the lighting questions... it is always a bad thing to start a 'which lights are better' post here... a lot of good information if you can understand it im sure... i have PC and plan on getting MH with my next tank... NO (normal output) wont get you to far, IMO...
