Coloured lights and plants

[gadazobe]

Can plants be grown under coloured lights - blue and green in this case. At the moment I'm using silk plants but I much prefer the natural look and was wondering if anything would grow in that environment :what:

 

[adeyc]

I think it would depend on the frequency of the blue in both lights. I'm not the person to even attempt to answer this maybe one of the others has a better idea of what to advise.
Rose would know but she's been banned from using the pc for a few days.

 

[gadazobe]

How do I find out what frequency they are ? :what: As I've said, I'm a technical retard

 

[mrV]

I don't know about coloured lights - never tried one. Don't they change colours? But i think there is not enough to give light for plants.

The most important area of spectrum is red one: 600-700nm, the highest peak of photosynthesis is about 650nm. And important area is blue area too: 400-500nm (peak, 450nm).

In one of my tank there is 1 'Sylvania standard coolwhite 3000K' tube and 1 'Hagen Aqua-Glo 10000K'. Plants are growing too much, if i knew how to put pictures in this place, i could show you (not using www-sites, like linking them) pics of my tanks..

In the biggest tank i have (450l, 150x60x50 (cm)), there are 5* 36w tube: 2*Sylvania Aqua-Star and 2*Philips 865, one is missing right now. Plants are growing fine.

First you need to calculate that there is minimum lights: it's recommended that there should be in minimum 0,25w/liter (what is about 1W/gallone (US volume) in minimum) for aquarium which are under 60cm high. Thus then you can keep plants which don't need much light. If you want to grow demanding plants, you need more light - 0,5W/liter (2W/gal) or even more like 1W/liter. Many hobbyists who are qrowing plants using HQL or HQI lamps, especially if they have big/high aquariums.

Like in filtration and this case: There is no too much filtration or lights in aquarium (freshwater aquarium)

Good combination is: Philips 840 ad 865. I think 840 is too yellow and i use only 865. And you must remember that yellow lamps gives algae energy to grow (if there is too much nitrate, phosphate, iron...), thus you should avoid buy any lamps in which it is high spectrum in are 500-600nm.

When you buy lamps, you should check spectrum: http/www.aquaristikshop.com/pictures_g/158000.gif

 

[Rose]

Duhhh. Look and you shall see. Sorry I didn't see this post sooner Gad.

I would use regular lighting for a live plant tank they will live longer than they would under green and blue bulbs. That is not to say you can't have them in a sence. I have lazer lights in one of my tanks that I turn on just about every night just for something different. They come in red, blue, green, purple. The the red and green show up the best. Purple doesn't show up at all and the blue is kinda dull but nice just the same. I really like the look they give off. Hope that helps a bit. The lazers are made for the aquarium. Rose

 

[Tatya]

Apart from the fact the Lazers are actually LEDs (one of my pet hates is companies selling LED's under the name lazer and thinking by using a z instead of an s they can get away with it :grumpy: )

Green wouldn't be good - its mostly reflected by the chorophyll hence the green colour. I'll see if I can track down the chorophyll absorption spectrum for you later.

 

[aquatic-store.com]

I think laser (If I recall from 8th grade many moons ago) Stands for light amplification by stimulated emissions of radiation. Doesnt sound nice to me!!!

 

[Tatya]

Absolutely Of course its actually light oscillation - but they thought that wouldn't sell

(alright its amplification through oscillation of the light through the gain media!! Don't get me on the subject I won't stop )

Quick note: The radiation in question is just the light itself. Every day you go outside and subject yourself to radiation. We're not talking about anything radioactive here. If you give me a paragraph I'll try and explain how it all works (go on just ask :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: )

 

[Rose]

Just the same it's a neat effect for watching the fish when going to bed. I don't keep them on for more than a few minutes any way.

 

[Tatya]

The LEDs'll be fine. They'll not be high enough power or coherent enough to cause any damage.

The only real damage a laser can do is when they are intense enough to cause things to burn or "evaporate". Or if you are dumb enough to look into them. Even "low power" lasers are way more intense than the sun so you are talking about the equivalent of looking into a star several tens, hundreds or thousands of times brighter than the sun. Hence doing it = ouch!

The exception is so called "Eye-safe" lasers, which at most wavelengths are lasers which are as bright or less bright than the sun. (Or rather cause an spot on the retina which the same or lower power/surface area (Physics always has to be precise Alledgedly :laugh: :laugh: )

Physicists - can't take them anywhere can you

 

[gadazobe]

I know these "lazer" beams - I've also got a couple in my tanks. Blue, green and red. Blue, as you say is not so nice as the others. The lights I mean are coloured flourescents in the top cover of the tank. Blue one side and green the other.
BTW - the blue makes the betta look absolutely gorgeous He's blue/purple and the blue light really suits him

 

[Rose]

Those I wouldn't use and I can't remember why....total brain fart....Once I remember why I'll tell you.