help please lighting a 2 ft cube

[Antipofish]

Flora grows are fine, but Im not sure why anyone would want an 18000K bulb for a planted aquarium... its very blue and IMO will make a lot of the colours washed out. Mixed with something else it could look ok though I guess. And the best rule to remember is "If it works for YOU, it WORKS"

 

[kirk]

its looks better than.my 10000k. the box the tube came in says. ehances fish colours and for planted aquariums.its bringing out more reds pinks the malvern stone looks brighter the plants look different shades of green. so i supose its a case of watch wait and see. i will dig the thread up again in a mth or so and let you all know if thinh have got better or ive just thrown more money down the drain. thanks all. forgot to say im still running the led strip which may be stopping the washedout look.​

 

[Antipofish]

Im sure the LED strip will be adjusting the rendition. But like I said, if it works for you, it works

 

[rolexbene]

Photosynthesis (Plant growth) is very directly related to nm (nanometers) of light. The overall colour (Kelvins) is somewhat related to specific nm peaks.

There IS a relationship between a colour temperature and the peak wavelength in its spectrum . It's called Wien's law.

Wavelength (nanometers) = 3,000,000 / Col temp (Kelvin).

So at 4,500K, the peak wavelength is 666nm (red) at 6,000K the peak wavelength is 500nm (bluish green) and at 7,500K the peak wavelength is 400nm (deep blue)

Following Wien's law is however, not the greatest guide as you cannot see the full nm spectrum, obviously you cannot just grow plants under any lights, try a hydroponics setup with 1000w of incandescent bulbs and see what happens(Not a lot). To find out if a bulb is good for growing plants under, just follow the very simple rules of specific nm wavelengths of light and look at a data sheet for the bulb in question. Such as:
http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXML.pdf

 

[Ian Holdich]

plants will use any types of light, kelvins really don't matter...they really don't. Par is more important, not the kelvin.

 

[Antipofish]

plants will use any types of light, kelvins really don't matter...they really don't. Par is more important, not the kelvin.

LOL its like hitting your head against a brick wall trying to get people to believe and understand this isnt't it Ian. They read some physics and think its absolute.

 

[Danny]

If you guys read what I said properly you would of seen I said 6500k IS BEST for growing plants, not that it is the only light they will grow under. 6500k has been proven over years to have the best results as it is the closest thing to the full spectrum of natural sunlight for both plants and coral.

Someone better tell all the farmers they are wrong relying on the sun to grow there crops at there best then..........

 

[ceg4048]

Photosynthesis (Plant growth) is very directly related to nm (nanometers) of light. The overall colour (Kelvins) is somewhat related to specific nm peaks.


There IS a relationship between a colour temperature and the peak wavelength in its spectrum . It's called Wien's law.

Wavelength (nanometers) = 3,000,000 / Col temp (Kelvin).

So at 4,500K, the peak wavelength is 666nm (red) at 6,000K the peak wavelength is 500nm (bluish green) and at 7,500K the peak wavelength is 400nm (deep blue)

Following Wien's law is however, not the greatest guide as you cannot see the full nm spectrum, obviously you cannot just grow plants under any lights, try a hydroponics setup with 1000w of incandescent bulbs and see what happens(Not a lot). To find out if a bulb is good for growing plants under, just follow the very simple rules of specific nm wavelengths of light and look at a data sheet for the bulb in question. Such as:
http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXML.pdf

I guarantee you that I can, not only grow plants under any light, but I can grow them so that they are in superior health.The peak wavelengths are meaningless. Peak wavelengths do not achieve anything. It is the total area under the curve that determines the energy levels input to the plant. Having a sharp peak at a given frequency is meaningless if that frequency is not available. Have you ever thought about that? There are plenty of places in rain forests where those peak frequencies are not being shone on the plant, especially if the plant is buried under brown tea stained water. It would not be very efficient to be dependent on a few peak wavelengths.

The graph you show above illustrates the response of only three types of pigment proteins. For these particular proteins, Chlorophyll-A, Chlorophyll-B and Carotenoids. The plant has available to them hundreds of other pigment proteins along the entire visible spectrum, especially in the region of 550 to 650nm. These pigments not only absorb those frequency, but they have the ability to fluoresce and to actually CHANGE the color of the incident light to a color that another pigment can absorb.

The reds and blues of the Kelvin lovers are important to plants in much different way than the tunnel vision of the propagandists. The appearance of different colors changes the behavior of the plant. Certain proteins are produced under certain colors. The method of food production changes under some colors. Metabolic processes change as a function of color. None of these are related to plant health because the plant can manipulate the light to trick it's own receptors. That is the genius of plant design. That is why plants are so amazing. They are not amazing because they have some kind of drug addiction to 6500K.


Cheers,