Scott
Ok, lets start from the top
Have there been any studies looking at growth rates under different Kelvin bulbs to back up what everyone says, that the Kelvin rating of a bulb does not matter?
No, none that I know of.
As Mike and Witt have stated, more or less.
On the color of the bulb yes it is very important to a point. low K bulbs will have no effect or use to a coral. A coral can only utilize light at certain wavelengths, the rest are useless regardless of intensity.
Of course, lets not try to exaggerate, when we say K has no effect on growth. I believe I said as long as it is a reasonable K. Corals won't do well, at say 200K. As I pointed out in the other thread blue light puts out almost twice as much energy red light. And lets not forget what PAR means Photosynthetically Available Radiation. That is the radiation that they can use and then there is PUR, Photosynthetically Usable Radiation and there is PS, Photosynthetically Stored Radiation
Calfo made an interesting point. He believes that light supplies only up to 15% of the nutritional.
This is nonsense. Calfo seems to have missed the bazillion studies that say otherwise, often reported as P-R or CZAR. Some corals can get as high as the high 90's % of their needs just on light. And if corals and anemones did not mucate they could get over 100 % of their needs from light.
So obviously, growth studies are a bit difficult as I would assume the P-max varies from coral to coral. I wonder if there are any P-max values out there for various corals? Also, isn't P-max measured by O2 respiration .
And for you ref. I have.Many studies done, but none on bulbs. Does it make a dif , PAR is PAR be it bulb or sun.
Coral Reef Ecology, Y.I. Sorokin.......gets very deep into the subject on ( P:R) Photosynthetic Respiration Rates
Ecosystems of the World; Vol. 25 Coral Reefs, Z. Dubinsky.........as does this
Life and Death of Coral Reefs, C.Birkland
Reef Evolution.R. Wood
The Ecology of the Indonesian Seas; Parts 1 & 2, T. Tomascir
Cycles of Essential Elements, L. Pomeroy.....early uncorrected studies on P:R
A Functional Biology of Anemones, J. Shick.............here studies on anemones and this guy is the expert on the subject of P:R for anemones.
Yes they are species dependent, reef dependent, even dependant on dif parts of the coral.
so PAR rating is that, intensity of the actual light spectrum being lumens.
NO ! Lumens is a human light measurement, it does not see blue or red light very well, so it is a false or misleading measurement. PAR is measured in Einstein's
I find that hard to believe and doubt if any of us is going to try it..
Yes, TG is is bascially nonsense.
Scott see Mike's other posts, and read all those links. Have to go to work be back for a look later.
Also, have you read Eric's book and read this;
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/eb/index.htm
