Best colour temperature / spectrum for algae

[revolutionhope]

Hello forum dwellers, hope all the aussies are keeping their shrimps nice and cool as we swelter through what will probably be another record breaking season for weather extremes. ..

m looking at increasing my lighting intensity for my shrimp tanks at the moment. Currently some are still using old school t8 fluorescent tubes

I want to avoid buying new expensive aquarium-specific lighting so I'm looking at purchasing LED retrofit tubes to replace them. Specifically I like the look of the Philips core pro tubes as an affordable option.

These are available in 4000 and 6000 kelvin. Does anyone have any input as to which would be a better option? I'm sure 6000K will be better for vegetative plant growth however I am not looking to grow many plants.

I am considering that if I go with the 4000K option then the beneficial algae might be able to utilise it more effectively (compared to the plants) compete better with the plants for the available nitrates. I've had difficulties previously with plants using all nutrients and not leaving enough spare for algae and consequently biofilm to proliferate.

All ideas and suggestions are welcome. :-)

[emoji173] [emoji111]

Will

[jayc]

That's a first.

You WANT to grow algae?!!

 

I think you have come to the right place. There are lots of expert algae growers here  ?

3000K or 4000K and leave it on for 16 hours is my secret recipe.

 

[revolutionhope]

You the man. That's what I wanted to hear! It makes sense to me give that the discussions I found suggest algae is better adapted to using the lower frequency wavelengths than plants are. Cheers buddy.

[jayc]

@revolutionhope

Well, to be more specific, the green from leaves and algae is unwanted light reflected. So that means they absorb red and blue. That is, 430-460nm blue, and 660-700nm red to be specific.

So if you have an RGB led that you can select colour ranges on, try using only the red and blue lights for maximum algae growth.

If not, try the red lights.

Also when I said 3000K, I don't know if there are any lights that produce 3000K  to be precise, so 2700K might be a better choice, since that is readily available.

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by jayc

[revolutionhope]

Philips core pro led t8 tubes come in 4000k neutral or 6500k cool white. I went with the neutral.

Think they will be a good little investment.