Corals and Lighting

[ryan029]

So being new to the saltwater side of the hobby and looking into coral growth, lightning is obviously extremely important. My question that i can not seem to get a clear answer from is, if corals lighting needs are in the higher spectrum of Kelvins in our displays, then how do corals grow naturally if daylight Kelvins is anywhere from 6000-7500. In the hobby are we bumping up the spectrum purposely as its better then what nature can provide?

 

[twentyleagues]

So being new to the saltwater side of the hobby and looking into coral growth, lightning is obviously extremely important. My question that i can not seem to get a clear answer from is, if corals lighting needs are in the higher spectrum of Kelvins in our displays, then how do corals grow naturally if daylight Kelvins is anywhere from 6000-7500. In the hobby are we bumping up the spectrum purposely as its better then what nature can provide?

The depth of the water filters out some of the light spectrum in nature. You can grow corals in 65k I have they just dont get the super vibrant colors that something in the bluer range would.

 

[ryan029]

So if nature has a daylight temperature of 6000-7500 and some of that spectrum if filtered out from water depth, in theory that would make the kelvins even lower that the corals recieve. So where in the hobby are we getting these extremely high tempertures to use from, is it all just a matter of looks for us as hobbyist as you said the vibrant colors? and the corals just happen to be able to utilize/grow in those high temperature as well?

 

[twentyleagues]

So if nature has a daylight temperature of 6000-7500 and some of that spectrum if filtered out from water depth, in theory that would make the kelvins even lower that the corals recieve. So where in the hobby are we getting these extremely high tempertures to use from, is it all just a matter of looks for us as hobbyist as you said the vibrant colors? and the corals just happen to be able to utilize/grow in those high temperature as well?

Kelvin relates to the color of the light spectrum. Things like red, yellow, orange, green make the kelvin a lower number. Those get filtered out by the water at different depths allowing blue to go deeper creating a higher kelvin. This is not a scientifically accurate explanation but it does explain in mostly laymen's terms .

 

[ryan029]

That does make more since to me know, the filtering out of the other colors was where i was not understanding. Thank you for taking the time to reply to this it has been very helpful!

 

[bobnicaragua]

That does make more since to me know, the filtering out of the other colors was where i was not understanding. Thank you for taking the time to reply to this it has been very helpful!

Not much white is filtered out in shallower depths where most corals are collected. Corals will do great under daylight spectrum, but they’ll look tird brown.

 

[twentyleagues]

Not much white is filtered out in shallower depths where most corals are collected. Corals will do great under daylight spectrum, but they’ll look tird brown.

The spectrum analysis is a "murky" subject. I have seen analysis in tide pools showing a lot of the different spectrums being cut down in some by almost 90% in just a foot or two of water. Yet in the same area it barely dropped 10% at 15+ feet on the reef. I am guessing turbidity of the water or refraction/reflection has a direct influence.