SPS AB+? AquaBlue? Actinic? Tuning your LED light colors to be best for your reef tank SPS corals.

The LED lights over our reef tanks are completely customizable - but how should we set them up to keep our corals healthy and colorful? Is what looks good best for the coral? Let's break it down and look at the specific colors your coral can actually make use of, so that you can be sure to give your coral plenty of those wavelengths. Acropora and other SPS corals have Symbiodinium species growing in their tissue, and these dinoflagellates have chlorophyll just like a plant... and that chlorophyll can only use certain wavelengths of light - so why not give it to them?
LEDs give off very small ranges of wavelengths - that's why a red LED looks red and not white to us. Our trusty old metal halide bulbs were different - they contained a mix of phosphors inside them which gave off large ranges of light colors. To get the same effect companies like Ecotech Marine, ATI, Aqua Illumination, Kessil, Orphek... etc etc... mix a large number of different color LEDS into their panels. Then, we have to worry about how those LEDs will mix, after all you do need those red LEDs, but you don't actually want to see a red spot in your tank under the light. Different companies do this differently, but most do a pretty good job and it's not something we have to worry about as coral reef tank hobbyists. Our Acropora and other corals seem to do just fine!
Thomas A. Schlacher, Jane Stark, Andreas B.P. Fischer,
Evaluation of artificial light regimes and substrate types for aquaria propagation of the staghorn coral Acropora solitaryensis,
Aquaculture, Volume 269, Issues 1-4, 2007,Pages 278-289,ISSN 0044-8486,
doi.org/10.101....
Abstract: Stony corals are in high demand in the ornamental aquarium industry, underpinning a substantial global trade. Because coral propagation generally has limited success, the bulk of corals is sourced from wild populations, impacting natural coral reefs. Many stony corals contain symbiotic algae and light is therefore a critical factor. Inadequate light (e.g. intensity, spectral composition) may thus be a main reason for death of stony corals in aquaria. The effects of artificial light sources on corals remain, however, poorly documented. Thus, the chief objective of this study was to determine survival and growth of the staghorn coral Acropora solitaryensis under four metal halide lamps with different Kelvin ratings (5000 K, 10000 K, 14000 K, 20000 K). Additionally, the effects of two substrate types (marble or cement) were tested over 85 days. Corals survived better under lamps of higher Kelvin ratings (≥14000 K), but survival was not affected by substrate type. Similarly, coral growth was significantly faster in light treatments with lamps of high Kelvin ratings, and marginally better on cement blocks. Overall, of the treatments examined in this study, the combination of a 20000 Kelvin light source with fragments grafted onto cement blocks produced the best survival and growth of the staghorn coral A. solitaryensis in aquaria. This study demonstrates that culture regimes can be identified to improve coral propagation, but these are likely to be species-specific and dependent on the types of lamps used. Because of the high popularity of corals as ornamental aquarium species, the aquaculture industry has the potential to make a valuable contribution to the sustainable use of marine resources by developing appropriate culture techniques for stony corals that reduce wild harvests and their negative environmental impacts on coral reefs.
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[@rc2300s2r]

Kessil logic for me. I’d kill everything if I didn’t use it. I know there are “better” options but I really like the simplicity and built in confidence they bring to the hobby.

[@ReefMan]

I do like my kessil pendants! They do a great job of mixing the colors too since they're all on one big PCB.

[@vmesri]

Very informative video, thanks!

[@Roberto_Reef]

Amazing video ! Congrats !

[@ReefandDive]

Great another article to read too!

[@ReefMan]

It's a bit dated, but the concepts still hold!

[@mgultra5613]

Thanks for the upload!!

[@zaher.w]

Great job buddy thanks

[@ReefMan]

You're very welcome! Thanks for the feedback!

[@user-ju6dz4sx3l]

g5 XR 30 blue with a bit modified ab+ my resting place

[@MereReef]

Finally the video ive been waiting for

[@ReefMan]

Anything else you'd like covered?

[@MereReef]

@@ReefMan sps colouration... the secrets to amazing sps colour what type of light affects colours

[@ReefMan]

Got it! I'll watch for research on it. Color has a lot to do with nutrition as well as light, more like tends to make corals fluoresce more but it's not a sure thing.

[@MereReef]

@@ReefMan whatever you find man nutrition light whatever it may be thats what id love to know

[@NickM92]

I’m curious of the spectrum on a white LED. I’ve always seem to get better growth with my whites higher than the recommended ~25%

[@ReefMan]

LEDs are usually a very narrow spectrum. It would really depend on the specific white LED.

[@willinghamsreef9794]

Excellent video! So I’m running a Finnex Marine + 24/7 light. I know it’s only really good enough for soft corals, but do you think the LPS CoralAB setting would work? Especially since you say some red would be beneficial. Thanks

[@ReefMan]

I don’t know much about the Finnex light to be honest. I assume the Coral AB schedule(?) would work. You really just want a good variety of colors over the tank. Not only blue, since LEDs tend to be very focused in the wavelength they produce a blue led will very specifically ONLY produce that blue wavelength. That’s why fixtures often mix so many different colors of LEDs in.

[@tomg5405]

Interresting video but unfortunately you not answer the title and you should speak about the ab+ spectrum

[@hishamebrahim524]

Hi .nice video.. need your help . Few days ago I noticed some of my sps tips got burned .& also can se some darker then real color I test everything & was fine nothing that much up & downs Kh 8.1 as always between 7.9 to 8.1 Ca .435 Mg 1380 Po4 0.03 N03 5 to 7 not sure ... But I think this because of my 3rd hydra 32? I added last 4weeks ago Some guys said I have to lower my Uv because its was 100% same for blue,v.all 100% white 15%..red & green 25% something ML 25% So I lowered my UV to 88% & rest blue's 95%& up my white to 18 slowly going to take it more higher.. & lower my R/G too Any advice?? Tank size ...4Lx2Hx2W 70 or so pcs..All sps mostly frags & some colonies Few lps Thanks in advance

[@ReefMan]

I think you're on the right path with lessening the light. It seems like your chemistry is ok, which was my first thought - alk spikes can do that for sure. Maybe there's a reef club near you that would let you borrow a PAR sensor so you can check to see what the coral is getting - that would be the best way to tune your light intensity if you can find one.

[@hishamebrahim524]

@@ReefMan thanks for your time..yes I think lowering helps me but I can see some colors not with bright colors so don't know if need to highery white% or what to do bur yes i did up my white from 15 to 19% for now...kh not that much changes its around 7.7 to 8.1 ups & downs but mostly 7.8 unfortunately I m in gulf ,& none have here paar sensors:( I checked but I think going to buy new one better but I think not cheap :( any advice? Which one good & good price. Thanks

[@edmilsoncriacaodeperiquito9652]

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