400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

Dana Riddle just posted this on Fishnet...

Interesting..

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hee hee.. So my 250W is better than your 400W.. nyah [img]tongue.gif[/img] nyah [img]tongue.gif[/img] nyah.. ;)

Seriously tho.. This is an interesting thing to hear.

Brad you reading this?

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

I read that many corals actually spend a great deal of energy protecting itself from the high intensity of the sun. maybe this is why the 400W lighting is not as good as the 250W, depending of course on the depth of your tank.

Patrick

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No, I'm not!! Never saw it.

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

Interesting to see hard evidence of a potential point of diminishing returns.

The one possible caveat I can potentially forsee is this. I thought that, at least in some cases, we see more vivid coloration in corals under higher intensities as compared to under lower intensities, because the corals are using pigmentation is a means to reflect AWAY unneeded/unwanted wavelengths. Without this "extra unnecessary light" growth may be OK or even optimal, but the colour of the coral is a sort of dull tan or brown. More interesting to see the pinks and the purples and the greens and so on.

But, considering I just switched to 2x250W's from 2x175's, I'm happy to learn that I might not need to go to 2x400's down the road (unless I go with a deeper tank, of course...) :D Whew, dodged a bullet there! :D ;)

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hmmmm.. the debate continues..

Boy am I glad I have a 250 W Iwasaki :D

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

Well one can always raise his or her 400 watt halides higher above the tank. In this way they can actually control the amount of light reaching the coral to a much greater degree than someone using 250's! :D

of course that only works for PFO canopy users, (like myself) and pendant users.

Cheers!

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Is Dana sugesting that this "Saturation level" can be reached with 4-96 watt PC's. if so this would also sugest that they put out MORE usable light than a 250 watt MH. Also that this amount of PC lighting is usable for high light Corals. If this is true you can get rid of MH lighting and lower the heat transmision to your tank.

just a though

Steve

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

Jeff, good point. My lights are about 9" from the water. SO that reduces the lighting somewhat. And after I get my 180g, they'll just get moved lower. Glad I don't have those wimpy 250w bulbs! :D

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

I guess I am luckier than all after I get my compacts with a lowly 175W MH.

:D

400W MH's inhibiting Photosynthesis......
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">How's Gary's tank coming anyways?