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Lighting discussion

Mark_C

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
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This forum is for discussion involving light choices.
Why did you choose this light?
Where did you get it?
Cost?
What type of settings?
Suggested timings.

Reply to this thread with all lighting related questions, discussions, and links.
 
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Mark Shelly

Mark Shelly

Does anyone have any experience with the API Tuna Blue PAR 38 lights. I know they are not dimmable.


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Mark Shelly

Mark Shelly

That is the real question. The tuna blue to me would be better geared towards growing, but not viewing corals. Plus they probably would bring out the fluorescents, without growing algae. You could use additional lighting for viewing. They also make one that is more half blue, but without lots of the near ultraviolet frequencies. No dimming means getting the distance away might be tricky. Some of the these small bulbs have a 90 degree angle. Most of the light might not end up on the corals. Some are 60 or even 30 degrees. Most of the lights do not give any power information. None that I have reviewed give any par ratings. Many don't give frequencies. With a low budget, there is lots of guess work. My lights will be driven by my heater choice and weather I want 2 spigots in the container.
 
Ruth C Lewis

Ruth C Lewis

Mark Shelly said:
That is the real question. The tuna blue to me would be better geared towards growing, but not viewing corals. Plus they probably would bring out the fluorescents, without growing algae. You could use additional lighting for viewing. They also make one that is more half blue, but without lots of the near ultraviolet frequencies. No dimming means getting the distance away might be tricky. Some of the these small bulbs have a 90 degree angle. Most of the light might not end up on the corals. Some are 60 or even 30 degrees. Most of the lights do not give any power information. None that I have reviewed give any par ratings. Many don't give frequencies. With a low budget, there is lots of guess work. My lights will be driven by my heater choice and weather I want 2 spigots in the container.
Click to expand...
And the red lights? What do they do
 
Mark Shelly

Mark Shelly

I am not an expert, but will try to answer the question. Zooxanthelae (sp?) are thought to use 2 frequency ranges, violets to blue as well as red. These are around 400-550 nm for blue and 620-700 nm for reds. Since blue light is absorbed the slowest or bends the least (because of containing more energy? I don't know the reason), blue is much more likely to get deeper into the ocean. Algae tends to like orange, yellow, red, and green, although I suspect green is used the least, or plants would not look green. So if a light is mostly blue with a second small peak around red, Coral will grow in preference to algae. If it is more even across the frequencies, then algae can grow. Many aquarium lights mention coral and algae. If you want both, use this type of light. this applies to the refugium as well; you provide light frequencies in the refugium to grow algae so that it takes phosphates out of the water so algae doesn't grow in your tank. UV is a different frequency. Many plants prepare pigments that absorb UV light, like people use melanin. Many of these pigments color fruits or new growth. I can't recall the names right now. That is because UV will damage cells. Corals will often fluoresce in UV or near UV light. I don't know if it is for cell protection or for something else. So some low nm, high frequency (correction) lighting makes for a pretty colorful tank. Of course, if you have no yellow or other colors, natural colors won't show as well.
 
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Mark_C

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
Have to remember as well that the 'bluer' you get, the farther away from the growth spectrum you are.
A mixed reef full spectrum light at 10000-14oook with white light induces photosynthesis, which is the basis for the symbiotic cells in zoas and palys to produce sugars which, in turn, allow the zoa/paly to grow.
BUT, these levels don't bring out the colors, which are best visible in bluer lighting at the 20,000k spectrum, which doesnt induce photosynthesis.
I run my lights in my zoa tank at 12,000 - 14,000k for a bit during the day with a good amount of white and some UV present, then at 7pm I ramp the lights to a blue based 18,000k so I can enjoy the colors while I'm home. Best of both worlds.

Oh, and I bought this light for my build...
Amazon.com : Galaxyhydro 12W Aquarium LED Light Optimized Spectrum Coral Light for Coral, Algae & Fish : Pet Supplies
It seems to have some great reviews, has built in heat sinks, is full spectrum, is 12w (which is about 4w per gallon over a thick glass tank), and its under $20.

Will post a review once I get my build going.
 
Ruth C Lewis

Ruth C Lewis

Mark_C said:
Have to remember as well that the 'bluer' you get, the farther away from the growth spectrum you are.
A mixed reef full spectrum light at 10000-14oook with white light induces photosynthesis, which is the basis for the symbiotic cells in zoas and palys to produce sugars which, in turn, allow the zoa/paly to grow.
BUT, these levels don't bring out the colors, which are best visible in bluer lighting at the 20,000k spectrum, which doesnt induce photosynthesis.
I run my lights in my zoa tank at 12,000 - 14,000k for a bit during the day with a good amount of white and some UV present, then at 7pm I ramp the lights to a blue based 18,000k so I can enjoy the colors while I'm home. Best of both worlds.

Oh, and I bought this light for my build...
Amazon.com : Galaxyhydro 12W Aquarium LED Light Optimized Spectrum Coral Light for Coral, Algae & Fish : Pet Supplies
It seems to have some great reviews, has built in heat sinks, is full spectrum, is 12w (which is about 4w per gallon over a thick glass tank), and its under $20.

Will post a review once I get my build going.
Click to expand...
Whats the best fizture for that bulb if you dont mind....i might get that for my 13 gallon
 
Mark Shelly

Mark Shelly

Here is ABI's blue and white par 38, 12Watt bulb I am thinking for using on a 10 gallon quarantine tank. It is quite heavy. With a 30 degree lens angle, most of the light ends up in the 2.5 gallon tank when 10" above. I would start it out higher. It didn't seem as blue as the picture suggests, but that may be because your eyes adapt to the light. (If you come out of some green houses, everything looks green because they use more red light, you just don't notice the red while in there.) Because these bulbs have their own fan, and heat reduces the life of LEDs, you don't want to place these bulbs inside a reflector. I took the reflector off an old light fixture. Because the bulb is heave, many gooseneck fixture might not be able to support it. Whether I would think a 12 Watt bulb would be good for a 13 gallon tank, I don't know. But it probably depends on what you are growing. I plan to use the tuna blue 12Watt version on the challenge tank, raise it a little higher, and place my tank in an aluminum foil pan (in case of leaks, and to reflect some light back into the tank from below.
While trying to find par reading info on this bulb, I found this:

PAR38 ABI Tuna Blue LED Reef Bulb Review | Reef Jar


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