Actinics

EvilE · #1 09/16/2007, 10:21 PM

Do corals/livestock actually benefit from actinics, or are they merely to bring out color??

EvilE · #2 09/16/2007, 10:51 PM

??? anyone have any input?

markandkristen · #3 09/16/2007, 10:56 PM

i do know that i talked with a lfs near us that works with the ORCA. thier experience is with some of the acros that they work with or alot of them are from the deeper water. the bluer spectrum seems to penetrate farther... thats why 20ks are preffered with alot of sps reefers. they have a huge spike in the 420 and 460nm spectrum.

as far as growth i believe that some growth is attained but as you have stated i believe it brings the color out in corals.

i know vho actinics have some par as to the degree i dont have the stats. i believe vho actinics (super actinics) are 420nm

EvilE · #4 09/16/2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by markandkristen
i do know that i talked with a lfs near us that works with the ORCA. thier experience is with some of the acros that they work with or alot of them are from the deeper water. the bluer spectrum seems to penetrate farther... thats why 20ks are preffered with alot of sps reefers. they have a huge spike in the 420 and 460nm spectrum.

as far as growth i believe that some growth is attained but as you have stated i believe it brings the color out in corals.

i know vho actinics have some par as to the degree i dont have the stats. i believe vho actinics (super actinics) are 420nm

So in others words-- maybe??

fishquaria · #5 09/16/2007, 11:33 PM

As light passes through water the light is filtered out. Light gets bluer as it penetrates deeper into the water. Due to this certain corals that grow in deeper waters would have evolved to better use blue light during photosynthesis. Actinic blue lighting is in the middle of the blue spectrum, with large spikes at 420 and 460 nm. Strictly speaking blue light will penetrate water better than other types of light.

Corals growing in deeper water will benefit from this light, as they have evolved to better utilize it and as reefkeepers our foremost duty is to provide the best possible environment for the organisms we keep. Actinic blue light has also been proven to bring out the colours in certain fish and invertebrates and make them appear healthier (with no known real benefit to them).

So the short answer to your question is, it all depends on what you have in your tank. If you have deep water corals, then certainly the actinics will be beneficial to them. Otherwise it will just be pleasing to the eye.

Keep in mind that a tank lit solely with actinics isn't pleasing to look at for most people. You will do well supplementing MH or PC lights with actinics.

jimbo045 · #6 09/17/2007, 12:46 AM

I recomend that Actinic White. Brings out the neons of the tankmates, and to us, it looks like a 50/50.