Actinic Lighting

[MizTanks]

I'm sure this will be a topic for much discussion seeing I've read so many different opinions about the exact subject. So here's my question. Does Atenic lighting have any value at all to the growth of corals? Or is it simply for bringing out the colors in corals?

[jojo22]

It simply makes the colors "POP" similar to how a black light would react with different colors. Now there was mention of a bulb that did provide substantial PAR, but I have not seen the bulb, don't even know the brand or bulb for that matter. But 99% of Acintic bulbs will not do anything for your corals.

[MizTanks]

Ok, so would it not be wiser of me to install another 18w 10k as far as health and growth of my corals?

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Ok, so would it not be wiser of me to install another 18w 10k as far as health and growth of my corals?

More than likely, yes. But your corals will not maintain their color. You'll end up with a lot of fast growing brown coral.

What type of lights are you currently using?

[Sir Patrick]

Actinic lighting is beneficial to stimulating zooxanthellae and providing corals with energy. It is also beneficial to have some actinic lighting to replicate the deeper water reef light conditions that ocure naturally on the not so shallow reefs. Actinic lighting isnt a big factor on shalow reef corals, but beneficial to all, especially deeper water corals.

The lower K rated bulbs (like 10k) are, for the most part, the best for growth. Actinics arent necesary, but do play a roll in reefkeeping, and make our corals "pop" and is pleasing to the eye.

But, just a jojo stated, unless you get some heigh quality actinic bulbs with a heigh PAR rating, actinics do very little for growth. They for the most part just help with synthesis and replicate deeper water lighting conditions.

[jojo22]

Sir, I really like your post, but one point needs to be made, higher K rating is not always better. A 10K will supply much more PAR than a 20K, but I do totally agree that some acintic sould be included in every reef.

So Miz. Tanks, I would need to know how many bulbs you have and what is currently in them before giving you my thoughts on if adding another 10K will IMO help you. Also note that Acintic lighting does not need to be of any type (VHO, T-5, PC) in order to work, while some will look better all will do the job.

[MizTanks]

18w 10k flor~18w atenic~x2 moon leds compact~I don't understand???? Corals get their colors from photosynthesis right?

[Sir Patrick]

Yes, corals get their colors from photosynthesis. Different spectrums of light (K ratings) will bring out different colors in your corals, and different spectrums (and intensities) of light for an extended period of time will cause different colors to synthesize in the coral itself.

[MizTanks]

I guess I'm looking at more research~I'm still not getting the light spectrums~lol I just learned what wats actually are.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Corals get their colors from algae that is living in their tissues. The vivid colors you see in corals is actually the algae producing color pigments to block damaging UV rays. Blue light (not the beer) is closer in spectrum to UV wavelengths and therefore highlights these pigments.

The most important aspect for lighting corals is PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation), which is the spectrum of light that is usable for photosynthesis. I believe (but could be wrong) that true actinic bulbs supply little to no PAR. However, in the T5 world of bulbs there are blue bulbs that are not truly actinic which supply good PAR and fluorescence in corals (e.g. ATI Blue+). I'm not sure that such a bulb is available in other bulb types.

For your light set up I'd stick with a 10K and an actinic bulb. That will give you good color and good growth.

[Sir Patrick]

Heres a good link-

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-08/dw/index.php

[jojo22]

I would leave things as they are, If anything I seem to recall some clip on type low wattage CF lighting that could be gotten in acintic blue, so if you do want to switch the 18 Acintic bulb to a 10K I would look into getting the Acintic clip on.

Also note: I never used an acintic bulb and ran a 10K halide. Here are some colors I got under just 10K lighting.

my tank and SHK_ATK\'s frags!!! video by jojosr22 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid179.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jojosr22/100_0686.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid179@@AMEPARAM@@179@@AME PARAM@@w308/jojosr22/100_0686 (http://s179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jojosr22/?action=view&current=100_0686.flv)

fish tank video by jojosr22 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid179.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jojosr22/100_0022.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid179@@AMEPARAM@@179@@AME PARAM@@w308/jojosr22/100_0022 (http://s179.photobucket.com/albums/w308/jojosr22/?action=view&current=100_0022.flv)

[Sir Patrick]

Sorry to get off topic, but-

Sweet tank Jojo!

[MizTanks]

Heres a good link-

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-08/dw/index.php



Awesome link Sir! Thanks soooooo much!

[Sir Patrick]

Just wish I could find one that shows the colors of each K rating.....

If you have a drs.foster and smith catalog, they have different pics of the same thing under different K bulbs.

If you dont get the catalog, you can sighn up on their website and get them set to you for free.

[jojo22]

Sorry to get off topic, but-

Sweet tank Jojo!


Thank You, I really liked it.

[Steven Pro]

Zooxanthellae, the symbiotic dinoflagellates in corals, are all golden brown. Coral coloration comes from various proteins the corals make which either act as a sunscreen of sorts blocking excess light. Or, as a mirror when they are underneath the zooxanthellae. In this way, the zooxanthellae get to "use" the light twice, once going through and once after bouncing back. This is usually found in deepwater corals, where there is less light.

[Steven Pro]

In response to your original questions, yes, actinic lighting does contribute some PAR so it can be used for growth, but it has less PAR than most any decent whiter lamp. Actinic lamps are used primarily to bring out color.

For most setups, I don't use more than a 50/50 split between blue and white lamps.

[jojo22]

Steven:

You say you don't use any more than 50/50, it sounds like that is you maximum split. I assume that would be the most "blue" bulbs you would use, correct?? Also the way you stated that it sounds like you prefer less. What do you see as ideal as far as white to "blue" bulb ratio?

[Steven Pro]

I won't use more than a 50/50 split blue to white. Any more blue and it just looks way too unnatural to me. But, I am old school. I "grew" up in reef keeping with the Iwasaki 6,500 K lamps.