Light power vs color

[Smiley1]

Do corals care what color bulbs are used?

Say for instance I have 2oo watts of 6500k CF. I also have 200 watts of 10000k PC. Will the corals care? I know the 10000k are more of a bluer/whiter light and the 6500k are a yellower light, but do the corals care?

According to a plant biologist, photosynthesis occurs on a broad spectrum and 6500k works just as good as full spectrum. But they have no clue if it will work on corals since corals are not exactly "plants"

[BigJay]

THe corals probably won't care but the zooanthallae will. Now to understand what type of coral thrives in what spectrum of light and balancing it all in your tank is another story while still keeping it aesthetically pleasing to you.
Its a highly debatable topic and one not easily understood. Seems most people tend to lend to the 10k bulbs as being the most balanced for growth and color characteristics. But for everyone 1 of those you find you'll find 1 that says 20k is where its at , for every 20k fan you find you'll find one saying its overkill and too dark and 14k is where you need to be. I am simplifying this greatly but I'd do some reading and make your own choice.
ANyone who tells you they have it nailed though is lying. If there was one clear choice for all corals in all tanks then you probably wouldn't see so many bulb choices.
The only thing I will prewarn you about on lower then 10k bulbs is as you move more into the spectrum of red you run a greater risk of growing algae.

[BigJay]

Originally Posted by Smiley1

But they have no clue if it will work on corals since corals are not exactly "plants"

corals were once classified as animals then plants then back to animals. We do know now they are not plants at all. The coral itself cannot photosynthesis it relys on the algae for that.

[jenglish]

I have no PAR meter but as it has been explained to me as you go above 10k you will get less and less PAR. You can certainly keep corals under 20k bulbs but they are getting less usable light. Of course if you are dealing w/ deepwater speceis they are adapted to use more blue spectrum because that is what penetrates water deepest. under 10k you will get more useable light but algae responds to it better than anything. I use 6500k lights on planted FW tanks and a mix of 10k and 420 nm actinics on my salt. THe actinics is more to make corals flouresce than anything else.

[Dentoid]

Jen you hit the nail on the head. 20K is more of a deep water look and is best suited for deep water corals. 10K, as Bigjay suggested in middle of the road and more of a shallow water look and thus suited for shallow water corals. 6500K is sunlight and yellow, more for algae, cyano and the like.