Actinics

[DonW]

I installed my VHO super actinics tonight. Cool after an hour everthing was glowing. Do they actually do or change anything in or on the corals or their pigments or is it just our eyes??

Just wondering
Don

 

[MikeS]

I believe it is pigments already present in certain corals that cause them to flouresce under actinic light, much like certain minerals do under a blacklight...

Mike

 

[DonW]

Just wondered if they were actually changing. Some glowed right away and others not for over and hour. Ive got a big hairy mushroom that just has two tiny spots.

Don

 

[wrightme43]

I thought that they were recommended because the zooanthee have a strong absorbsion peak in the 420 nano meter range. Evolved in because most light is absorbed by the water but blue (high freq) punches through. It was my understanding that it lets the zooanthee make more food for your coral. I have been and will be wrong again. Just the state of my knowledge today. STEVE

 

[DonW]

Thanks, folks. I'm trying to get a better understanding of the whole lighting thing. I guess Steve Tyree will be giving a talk on this subject later this year.

Don

 

[Darrell]

i Just recently learned from Kevin that the distancce from the water makes a great diffrence i lowered my lighting and boy 3 days everything changed
Darrell

 

[mattseattle]

how far from the water are your actinitics now?

 

[Darrell]

i placed everything at 9 in above the water for 4 days ,im on 3 days now but im lowering to 71/2 in a few days i wont go any lower than that, i was at 12 to start and boy what a diffrence
now i was worried about heat but being my conpy is 16in it seams to be cooler must be the air flow over the bulbs
Darrell

 

[Darrell]

sorry Don didnt mean to steal your thread
Darrell

 

[Fly n Reef]

Hey Darrell. Glad to see you lowered your lighting and you are getting positive results. By the way my frag of the blue tip is doing well.
Karen

 

[mojoreef]

Some great points here. Vho's and simular do have some effect on corals, they are however challenged a bit as to the depth they can be effective because of intencity.
DOn here is a good thread we did on how it works in corals, take a peek i think it will answer alot of questions

here

 

[Darrell]

thats great Karen since i lowered my lighting it growing like made i still have sevral frags left
Darrell

 

[DonW]

Thanks all,
Mike that was a good read. Not much mention of red. I noticed the japan reefers use red. Anyone have an opinion on using the red lights.

Don

 

[mojoreef]

Corals dont really use Red...well thier is a small section of red that can be used but it is very minor when compared to the useable colors. I believe the red you are refering to with Japanese reefers is with halogens. Which contain alot of UV. they use it to bring out the UV pigments in the corals, it works but man you are rolling the dice when you play with UV like that.


Mike

 

[MikeS]

In addition to what mojo said, some microalgaes and cyano also seem to prefer the red end of the spectrum....

MikeS