Reef Aquarium Lighting: Introducing the Lighting Lab

Introducing our latest feature: the Lighting Lab! Lighting is one of the most discussed, yet the least understood aspects of the reef aquarium hobby. Misplaced "which lighting is best?" questions abound on aquarium forums everywhere, so I've started a column (as well as question and answer, so ask away in the comments section!) to lay out some science and help dispel some of the untruths, misconceptions, and plain unknowns that reef aquarists may have about lighting. The introductory topic will be a quick and basic coverage of visible light.

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There is an incredible amount to know about visible light, and I will just be scratching the service of the subject. Every hobbyist who wishes to house photosynthetic invertebrates should have some very basic information about light and the measurement of light. After all, most of your corals and anemones need it to survive!

Visible light is simply a small frequency range (frequency means how often a full wave ‘propagates’ ie. a full crest and trough of a wave) in a very large range of occurring energy frequencies (frequencies that include microwaves, radio waves, x-rays, and all other energy). Energy can be associated with wavelength, or the distance between the crest and trough of the wave. Most of the visible light spectrum, which is energy with a wavelength between 400 and 700 nanometers (one billionth of a meter, abbreviated nm) will affect, or stimulate chloroplasts, meaning that the energy delivered by the light will be converted into chemical energy in the cell, resulting in photosynthesis. Wavelengths shorter than 400nm carry too much energy and can damage or destroy living tissues, while wavelengths longer than 700nm do not carry enough energy for photosynthesis to occur.

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There are many ways to produce visible light, but all visible light, no matter what method used to produce it, is just that: visible light. Nothing complicated about that! Because of this, the typical lighting sources used by an aquarist (VHO, T-5 HO, Metal Halide, LED, natural sunlight) are all sufficient options for lighting a reef aquarium because they all produce visible light.

Next in the Lab: Photosynthetically Active Radiation, or PAR! Have a topic or a question you'd like to see answered? Ask away in the comment section below!

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