Bulb color

[csmart287]

What wavelength range of blue light are we trying to provide to the coral's symbiotic zooxanthellae, that is, what bulb temperature, in degrees Kelvin, should we try to use that corresponds to the color the zooxanthellae need? Is 10,000 K optimal or some other?

Chuck Smart

[griss]

Chuck,

It really depends on more than just the Kelvin temperature of the bulb. You have to take things like PAR into account as well.

IMO, IME if you want fast growth of corals and don't care too much about color, nothing beats a 6500K Iwasaki bulb. I used a lone Iwasaki over my prop tank and had great growth, but all my SPS turned brown. I could have offset this by adding some VHO actinics.

If you want great colors and don't mind slow growth, go with 20000K 400 watt Radiums. These bulbs produce incredible colors in SPS and are very pleasing to the eye.

If you want a compromise, the Ushio or AB 10000K bulbs would be a good choice. They allow for decent growth and nice colors.

My lighting choice is 2 400 watt Radiums (great color) and 3 250 watt Iwasakis (fast growth) over my 200 gallon SPS dominated tank.

HTH,

Griss

[CaptainCoral]

Does anyone know does that apply to VHO bulbs for soft corals as well? I'm debating whether to get URI 10K or Coralife 65K in conjunction with URI's super actinic bulb for my 40 long soft coral prop vats.

I just can't figure out why such a great reputable company like URI doesn't offer any 6500 VHO bulbs. Do their daylight bulbs outcompete competators 6500 bulbs?

Some help here please

[CaptainCoral]

Man, just can't seem to get any feedback in here.
There's like only one or two other people in here every time I look, which I admit isn't very often either. :)

[sharkdude]

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/june/features/2/default.asp

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/b/sbj4/aquarium/aquarium.html

check out some of the articles and work done by Sanjay Joshi.

It should help clarify some of the concepts and lead you toward some conclusions with regards to bulb color temp, PAR, and optimum absorption spectrums of corals.

[CaptainCoral]

right on thanks sharkdude