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View Full Version : How many full spectrum lights?

Erik2514
11/12/2013, 06:06 AM
I have a four bulb current t5ho fixture... I want to run 2 blue special, 1 coral plus, and 1 actinic. Only one of those is a full spectrum though. Do I need more than one? I want to grow LPS, zoas, and haven't really thought of any others yet. If that helps.
rtparty
11/12/2013, 08:59 AM
Do you mean 2 blue plus? You don't want 2 aqua blue special and a coral plus. The tank will be way too white and colors won't pop.
Erik2514
11/12/2013, 04:16 PM
Do you mean 2 blue plus? You don't want 2 aqua blue special and a coral plus. The tank will be way too white and colors won't pop.

Yea sorry plus... Actually the idea came from you on another thread... Just trying to see what everyone's thoughts were on only having one full spectrum.
rtparty
11/12/2013, 04:40 PM
Yea sorry plus... Actually the idea came from you on another thread... Just trying to see what everyone's thoughts were on only having one full spectrum.

Corals don't necessarily use "full spectrum". They use majority blue and little bits of the rest.

http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv157/rtparty/spectrum-corals.jpg (http://s679.photobucket.com/user/rtparty/media/spectrum-corals.jpg.html)

That is a good chart to reference everything.
Ron Reefman
11/13/2013, 09:59 AM
Ryan,
That's a very cool chart. I like that it has so many things listed on it. Although some may not relate to photosynthesis in corals, like Chlorophyll b. And the Chlorophyll a at 417nm seems a bit lower than I've seen before, but it's very close. All in all a very cool chart! Do you have a link to it? I'd love to have a nice clean version of it.
Thanks,
Ron
rtparty
11/13/2013, 11:08 AM
Ryan,
That's a very cool chart. I like that it has so many things listed on it. Although some may not relate to photosynthesis in corals, like Chlorophyll b. And the Chlorophyll a at 417nm seems a bit lower than I've seen before, but it's very close. All in all a very cool chart! Do you have a link to it? I'd love to have a nice clean version of it.
Thanks,
Ron

Ron,

I don't have an original. That is a copy from the web. I believe it is TropTrea (Dennis) that has that chart. IIRC it comes from a marine biologist that studied light and corals for their degree. I am sure you could PM him and ask him about it all.