5 Popular Color Spectrums for Saltwater Aquariums
One of the best things about a saltwater aquarium is the possibility for an incredible array of colors, from the brightest Royal Blue Tang to the most vibrant Mushroom Coral. Knowing which color spectrum enhances which colors is an easy way to make the most out of what’s inside your tank - and keep it looking as colorful as possible! There are certain color spectrum's that are better than others at enhancing color, and we’ve picked our top five:
"Reef" or "FIJI" Purple
BLUE: 75%-100%WHITE: 0%-10%
RED: 75%-100%
GREEN: 0%
If your keeping any type of Zoanthids, button polyps, or soft polyp corals like Xenia and leather corals - this is the perfect color spectrum. Purple enhances Green, Yellow and even Orange/Brown colors, making it great to add color to corals that are sometimes less colorful under normal spectrums.
Purple combines the energy of blue with hues of red, creating a visually relaxing and calming. It's an ideal transition color spectrum for sunrise and sunset (evening).
Full Spectrum 10,000K White
BLUE: 85%-100%
WHITE: 80%-100%
RED: 20%-65%
GREEN: 20%-65%
This crisp, intense white color spectrum mimics the light found on shallow coral reefs. Combining full spectrum white with a high ratio of blue produces a very natural looking spectrum that's great for coral growth. It's also ideal for marine fish tanks, FOWLR (fish only with live rock) and will cast a stunning shimmer effect.
A perfect main Daylight color spectrum - you'll want to be sure to keep the overall intensity a bit lower in fish only aquariums as the full spectrum white can promote a bit more algae growth.
"AquaBlue+"
BLUE: 85%-100%
WHITE: 15%-30%
RED: 10%-20%
GREEN: 5%-15%
AquaBlue Plus (AB+) is the go to spectrum for reef aquariums. Emitting the optimal wavelengths and intensity for strong coral growth and color, it's a proven color spectrum for successfully keeping live corals. Utilizing a high ratio of Blue wavelengths and Ultraviolet UV, it mimics light found at deeper reef depths and provides the perfect balance of rapid coral growth with vibrant colors.
"Actinic Blue" 14,000K
BLUE: 85%-100%
WHITE: 10%-20%
RED: 25%-60%
GREEN: 5%-20%
Lots of blue with a bit of brilliant white, 14K actinic is one of the most popular color temperatures used in marine tanks. It's a visually stunning color temperature and enhances vibrant colors in both marine fish and corals, making it a favorite for mixed reefs. Delivering a natural deepwater "ocean", its the primary color spectrum used for marine fish and FOWLR tanks. Using a subtle amount of white light, it delivers just enough shimmer, yet will not promote algae growth.
"Super Actinic" Royal Blue
BLUE: 75%-100%WHITE: 0%
RED: 0%
GREEN: 0%
Popular for late evening viewing or color supplementation, this pure blue spectrum will increase fluorescence in corals and makes them "pop" in color. It emits exclusively blue actinic wavelength light peaking at ~420-460nm which closely resembles the blue chlorophyll absorption peak utilized in photosynthesis. It's sometimes mixed with a bit of Cyan blue to produce an extra pop in fluorescence without visually making the tank look too bright.
