AQUATIC LIGHTING GUIDE MAKE EVERYTHING GLO AGAIN AQUATIC LIGHTING GUIDE Introduction p3 - 6 • What is Light? • Visible Light • Light Intensity • Photosynthesis • Aquatic Light Understanding Bulb Specifications p7 - 8 • Spectrum Graphs • CRI GLOT8 • Colour Temperature Lighting Program p16 - 20 • Lux • Lumens • GLO T8 Linear Fluorescent Bulbs • GLO T8/T10/T12 Ballast Lighting Systems Aquarium Lighting p9 - 15 • GLO T8/T10/T12 Single Bulb Reflectors • Introduction • Aquarium Dimensions • Fish, Coral and Plant Life GLOT5 HO • Filter Media, Blackwater Supplements and Decorative Components Lighting Program p21 - 29 • How Much and What Kind of Lighting • T5 HO Lighting Technology is Required • GLO T5 HO Linear Fluorescent Bulbs • How to Maximize Lighting Efficiency • GLO T5 HO Linear Fluorescent • CO 2 & Aquarium Lighting Lighting Systems • GLO T5 HO Ballast Kits and Reflectors 2 Introduction • What is Light? • Visible Light • Light Intensity What is Light? • Photosynthesis Light to the human eye can be • Aquatic Light defined as the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum; all electromagnetic wavelengths can be referred to as light. Light is in fact electromagnetic radiation and is based on photons, the carrier of all wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. The length of these wavelengths are expressed in nanometers (nm), 1 nanometer equaling 1 billionth of a meter. Every wavelength is represented by a different colour. The sun is yellow because its light is most powerful at the visible wavelength of yellow. There are many wavelengths beyond visible light, some of them shorter and some of them longer, all together they compose the electromagnetic spectrum. The shortest wavelengths of the spectrum are in fact the most powerful, starting with gamma rays, followed by X-rays, then ultraviolet light, and then visible light which represents a very small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Light is a very complex subject and in regards to aquarium keeping it is the visible portion that is of importance. Ultraviolet light can be said to be of importance in regards to UVC, short wave ultraviolet light, in that it is used as a sterilizer in aquarium UV sterilizers but for the purposes of this guide it will not be discussed. Ultraviolet Infrared Radio X-rays Light Visible Light Light waves 0.001 100 400 500 600 700 120,000 100 billion WAVELENGTH (nm) Electromagnetic spectrum MAKE EVERYTHING GLO AGAIN 3 AQUATIC LIGHTING GUIDE Visible Light Light Intensity Visible light serves two main functions: The earth’s climate is determined by the it allows us and our fish to see properly amount of solar radiation that strikes the and for plants and photosynthetic corals, surface. Factors that affect light intensity it directly governs photosynthesis; are the sun’s position, the earth’s without light there is no photosynthesis. rotation, geographic location, the ozone Light provides the energy for this layer, clouds, air humidity, elevation, process, which in fact is a fundamental environment and others. In the aquatic for life itself. environment, the time of day is in fact a major factor. Reflection from the The visible light spectrum ranges from water’s surface is far greater in the early 390 to 700 nm.The light seen by the eye morning and late afternoon, resulting in and the colour of it depends on the lesser light intensities under water during strength of each wavelength. The those times. sensitivity of the eye to certain wavelengths of visible light varies between living things, human eyes for r e w example are most sensitive to the green o P r a l o spectrum as it stimulates all three types S of cones within the eye. Plants, corals Time Month and other photosynthetic invertebrates, Time of Day are capable of using many wavelengths Variation in solar power at theTropic of Cancer for photosynthesis; there are however Maximum light intensity occurs at some wavelengths that are more midday with minimal wind during clear efficiently used. skies in environments with no overhead obstructions, the light above the surface can exceed 100,000 lux. N N N Mar . 21 / Sept. 21 Tropic of Cancer Dec. 21 June 21 Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Cancer Equator Equator Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Capricorn Tropic of Capricorn S S S Time ofYear 4 with CO 2 without CO 2 Photosynthesis This essential process requires three key components: light, water and DAY 1 CO 2. These three elements can be adjusted to stimulate and optimize the growth, health and condition of plants, by affecting their rate of photosynthesis. DAY Photosynthesis is a process whereby 15 chlorophyll (primary pigments that absorb light and the reason that most plants are green in colour) in plants transform light energy into an alternate form to be able to process DAY water and carbon dioxide into 40 sugars such as glucose and then into starches. Chlorophyll is in fact supported by accessory pigments, such Full spectrum bulbs, such as Life-Glo, as carotenes and xanthophylls. This is a tri-phosphor linear fluorescent (T8 & followed by other actions within the T5 HO availability) rich in green plant, all of which are important for spectrum, are in fact excellent plant vigorous healthy growth and condition. growth bulbs. It has been shown that aquatic plants Photosynthesis only takes place when can photosynthesize very efficiently the aquarium is illuminated. As they when exposed to lighting that is rich in photosynthesize, plants primarily take in the green and yellow spectrums. carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Then, when the lights are off and photosynthesis is halted, plants release some CO 2 back into the water. MAKE EVERYTHING GLO AGAIN 5 AQUATIC LIGHTING GUIDE Aquatic Light Within the aquatic environment there are additional factors versus terrestrial light that seriously impact light levels, molecules that absorb light (water, organics), particles that impact light transmission and others. more. The two main factors are that In the ocean for example, at a depth of water molecules absorb red light while approximately 10 meters on a perfect dissolved organic content absorbs blue day light, intensity may measure between light. The resulting predominance of 7,000 to 8,000 lux, this of course is green/yellow spectrum makes aquatic lower at the beginning and end of the light in these environments quite differ - day. In freshwater tropical environments ent from terrestrial light. Aquatic plants with dense overhead jungle growth, in these waters have had to adapt to a limited direct daylight, mostly filtered by different available light spectrum. a rich green canopy, actually makes it to the water’s surface. From there, aquatic factors serve to reduce levels even SURFACE FT M 0 0 33 10 66 20 98 30 131 40 164 50 197 60 230 70 262 80 CLEAR 295 90 OFFSHORE WATERS 328 100 VIOLET BLUE GREEN YELLOW ORANGE RED WAVELENGTH (nm) 6 Understanding Bulb • Spectrum Graphs Specifications • CRI • Colour Temperature • Lux Lighting is a complicated subject • Lumens and in fact often misunderstood. Gaining a basic understanding of the various specifications present on bulb packaging can help you gain some perspective on lighting Marine reef aquariums have a strong characteristics that may meet requirement for light emitted between your aquarium’s lighting needs. the wavelengths of 420 and 460 nm. Photosynthetic coral and other Spectrum Graphs invertebrates require a number of wavelengths within this range for On most aquarium bulb packaging a efficient stimulation of photosynthesis. spectrum graph will be present. The The Marine-Glo spectrum, as clearly spectrum graph provides an indication shown by its spectrum graph, depicts of the relative power of the various significant light output in this wavelengths of light produced by the critical range. bulb. This enables a basic reference to spectral bulb output and the potential fulfillment of requirements based on CRI what spectrums are most necessary for This abbreviation stands for colour the application. rendering index and is defined as the For a planted aquarium and the fact that ability of a light source to illuminate an photosynthesis in aquatic plants may object as compared to natural sunlight implicate a green component, the having a CRI of 100. This specification is Life-Glo spectrum ideally meets this based on human vision and as such requirement (along with a balanced it is useful in regards to accurate representation of blue and red presentation of an aquatic display that spectrums) while offering accurate does not overly accentuate specific viewing of colours by the human eye, colours, providing a balanced overall thanks to the high CRI value of this look to an aquarium. excellent bulb. MAKE EVERYTHING GLO AGAIN 7 AQUATIC LIGHTING GUIDE 0.4 3000K 2000K 1000K 4000K 0 UV 5000K 0.35 6000K 0 UV ColourTemperature 7000K 8000K V 9000K 10000K Colour temperature of a light 0.3 source is usually expressed in 0.25 degrees Kelvin, as denoted by the 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 U 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 Planckian locus Planckian Locus “K” that follows a number. This The Planckian locus on the MacAdam (u,v) chromaticity diagram. temperature relates to the colour The normals are lines of equal correlated colour temperature. of a black body object heated to that temperature. Fluorescent lighting does Lumens not radiate light and because of this, the A unit of measurement that delivers the colour temperature as defined, needs to amount of brightness originating from a be correlated for fluorescent lighting. It light source. The lumen is the standard is assigned a value based on a human unit for luminous flux, an indicator of the colour perception that matches the energy within the wavelengths of the colour of the particular lamp. electromagnetic spectrum humans In describing colour temperatures, a low perceive as light.