Corals, light, [pigments and junk like that

[Scooterman]

Lighting is so under estimated in a reef, from what I understand now Boomer also mention in a post the VHO(maybe all the florescent tubs) are only recommended to be used 6 months. This is contrary to the venders listing of products but then again the PAR on these lights are so much less the MH's, If I threw on a few Mh's in my tank, it would pop with growth as I've seen so many times.

[mps9506]

Originally posted by mojoreef

Mike thier are Pocilloporins pigements with in the coral that are only stimulated by the presence of UV-A and UV-B. In corals that are directly exposed to this (say on reef tops) the protien (pigment) is produced to be utilized as a protectorant (most are clear). In deeper waters it has been found that these pigments can fluoresce UV-A and violet light into more photosynthetically useable light.


Mike most of that is associated with the presence of UV's. at deeper levels. Here is the general concept. Thier about 3 major protien based pigments that are know. each absorbs light at a particluar range of wave length, in turn they fluoresce at a slightly higher wave length, were talking 10 to 30 MN, so not a sweeping change, but enough to add to the total of the light. Again how this all looks to the human eye is a completely different subject.


Mike

Thanks for the point in the right direction. Just did a little reading...
Looked at some layman information on flavines, urobilines and pterines. Hopefully not outdated, most info dated around 1999.
Also I think I need to read some more about mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs).
Anyways a green flourecening pigment can be activated by 380nm light and the energy that flouresces back is somewhere from 450-530nm. Aparently the reason many corals become flourescent green the the aquaria under strong lights according again to Borneman.

As a side note, anyone know of any lights that primarily peak at 650-700nm??? I think I have an at home experiment I want to setup...

I gotta go do some more reading...
Mike

[mojoreef]

Mike try the hungarian 4500K, lol.
On a side note, back in the old days we used to toy with UV lighting to perk up our SPS coloration, alot of the Japanese tanks still use UV lighting to do this.

WARNING!!!!!! do not try this as you ride the fine line of colorful and instantly dead.

MIke

[mps9506]

Yeah,
I've seen those red ushio bulbs they use to "highlight" certain sections of the tank or certain corals. I've personally been happy with my 10k's.
Maybe grab some street lights from the energy company
Mike

[wooddood]

thanks all great info.i know from my experience on pc bulbs that 65k coralife bulbs dont even come close to 65k custom sealife pc'c man what a differance in intensity.

[mojoreef]

Mike they usually use small red halogen lights, UV-A I beleive.


Mike

[Boomer]

Mike have to go to work but will dig up some ref and show people how they can get them, that is those in journals and for free. I also have some links on pigments.


One question

usually use small red halogen lights, UV-A I beleive

How does a Halogen Lamp that is producing mostly Red and IR light, end up producing UV-A1 "violet light", in the Ultra region and then turn it into red light. Must be via FM Or am I missing something here Only about .2 % of a Halogen lamp is UV. They can appear violet to purplish but that is due to a slight absorbtion in the green band by iodine vapor

Ok, Ok, I know this isn't far, due to the lighting tech manuals I have

[Scooterman]

Yea, you need lighting tech manuals to keep up with you guys lol! Holly FM!

[EdgeKrusher]

Man what a way to make a man feel dumb. LOL. I read this stuff thinking to myself the whole time "I wish I knew WTF they get this stuff". Then the realization that I'm dumb washes over me, and everything is fine again. well back to my happy world. LOL LOL LOL LOL

EK

[mojoreef]

How does a Halogen Lamp that is producing mostly Red and IR light, end up producing UV-A1 "violet light", in the Ultra region and then turn it into red light. Must be via FM Or am I missing something here Only about .2 % of a Halogen lamp is UV. They can appear violet to purplish but that is due to a slight absorbtion in the green band by iodine vapor

HEY its a japanese thing...leave me alone OK ok I will go dig it up.


Mike

[mojoreef]

Ok its a RED (orange was close, lol) 50 and 75 watt USIO standard hallogen lamps.
its the lillte bulb in the upper right hand corner



Mike

[Boomer]

I agree it is that bulb but they don't produce UV light.other than less than 1 %, as they can't, the chemistry and operation says so. Such lamps have a K of 2800- 3400. They make almost a straight line from 350 nm, to 700nm, where at 350 nm it is about <1 % RE ad at 700 nm it is near 85 % RE. So of course they can make red light,yellow, organge and even appear bluish or white but not UV. You can change the K by about 200 K or so by "over voltaging" them or dropping it about the same by under voltaging them. Such lamps have only about 10-12 % visible light. About 70 % of the energy is IR, 20 % conducted and convected heat and less that 1% UV. Their Efficacy is around 20 Lum. / W.

This is about what they look like;



Here is something for everyone to read about light and what it does to your eyes

http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/waac/.../wn21-308.html


Here is some on CRI and K

http://www.effectiveconcepts.net/def.html

While playing with Google's I found this cool article

Cyanobacteria , Tempeature and Light

[Boomer]

Light and Pigment stuff


Cool K program


Another Program to Play With

Get the Calculator Out Now !!


Environmental Factors Affecting Corals and Coral Reefs

Light on a Reef


The best website on lighting I posted this the other day, many must have missed it


Photosynthesis


Stony Coral Pigments, Algae Pigments and Captive Lighting

[mps9506]

This link didn't work, a break got imbedded in there somehow...
http://www.coralreefecosystems.com/l...nical_data.htm
That was for the "best website on lighting"
Mike

[Boomer]

I see that now Mike, after lookin' at yours. Yours works THANKS. I also fixed mine