# red plant lighting?



## nicks75 (Nov 13, 2005)

does the light intensity (wpg) determine how "red" plants will become or does color temp play a role also? Is there a prefered color temp for red plants?


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Lighting can alter your preception of the redness, but it does not influence the true color of the plants, they grow well at 400-700nm. Using a braod spect, say 5000-10000K works well, chose based on your own sense of preference, they plants will be fine eitherway.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

Tom;

Don't you think light intensity would increase the red expression in plants as a function of the increased photosynthesis and increased complex carbohydrate development?

I know from terrestrial plants that red pigmented plants are generally redder in sunnier places with adequate access to moisture and nutrients since they can photosynthesize more and produce more anthocyanins than those in more shaded locations.

Cheers.
Jim


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## Sully (Nov 11, 2005)

For what I gathered, the color temperature provides a lighting spectrum that makes things appear to be a certain color. I don't think that the color temperature makes the plant produce more red pigmentation. 

-Sully


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Here is a good thread on different lighting temps on a couple of planted tanks.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=723&highlight=9325K

The 9325K lamps definately make the red plants "pop" more and I prefer the 8800 - 9325K lamps in my tanks. I have found that I don't like lower K (5000-6500K) lamps in my tanks with black substrates as it seems to appear too greenish or yellowish but I don't mind them in my tank with a Flourite/ SAPS substrate.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Contrary to what others have said... I've found that some plants are more likely to display more red in higher light. B. japonica is a perfect example. In lower light tanks it's green. In a higher light tank, it takes on a bronze-green color. Ludwigia and Rotala species (ie: R. rotundiflora) will display more red/pink tones in higher light. I've seen R. rotundiflora in shops that is 100% green but when it goes into my tank the tips turn red after a week or so. 

I recently picked a species of bacopa locally that has red leaf nodes under higher light. In low light it is 100% green.


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## Sully (Nov 11, 2005)

Gumby said:


> Contrary to what others have said... I've found that some plants are more likely to display more red in higher light.


I agree 100% with this. Some plants do display more red coloration in higher intensities of light.

-Sully


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

He asked about the kelvin scale and not intensity. Yes higher intensity will turn plants more red, but not necessarily higher in the kelvin scale. These are 2 different things. 


someone with better knowledge of the lighting issue could explain it better than me, but from what I understand.
Kelvin=color rating of the light
intensity=strength of the light-which is measured in multiple ways(watts, lumens, etc...)

someone please tell me if I have this correct????????


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

nicks75 said:


> does the light intensity (wpg) determine how "red" plants will become or does color temp play a role also? Is there a prefered color temp for red plants?


I thought the question was also about light intensity. But yes, intensity also determines how red plants get.

Cheers.
Jim


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## Sully (Nov 11, 2005)

chiahead said:


> He asked about the kelvin scale and not intensity. Yes higher intensity will turn plants more red, but not necessarily higher in the kelvin scale. These are 2 different things.
> 
> someone with better knowledge of the lighting issue could explain it better than me, but from what I understand.
> Kelvin=color rating of the light
> ...


You are correct in both accounts. The original question was about color temp, but intensity was brought up.

Kelvin = color rating of the light, and reflects colors off of plants that show brighter or darker greens and reds depending on the rating.

Intensity = the strength of the light measured in watts, etc. The intensity of the light makes some plants develop more red pigmentation.

-SULLY


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

I'm no expert any I may be corrected on this but I'd imagine that red plants will display better color when the spectrum peaks in blue. 

Carotenoids are what give plants their red pigment and the operate on the blue parts of the spectrum. Chlorophyll works best with red light and violet. I'd imagine that if you had a plant that was capable to photosynthesis via carotenoids and you put a blue light on the plant it would produce more carotenoids. The red plant would best be able to complete photosynthesis via carotenoids in a spectrum that has a lot of blue.

I seeme to remember reading that plants will produce more of the pigment the need in a given spectum. 

I put my red plants under 10K bulbs and they show some pretty awesome colors.


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## nicks75 (Nov 13, 2005)

chiahead said:


> He asked about the kelvin scale and not intensity. Yes higher intensity will turn plants more red, but not necessarily higher in the kelvin scale. These are 2 different things.
> 
> someone with better knowledge of the lighting issue could explain it better than me, but from what I understand.
> Kelvin=color rating of the light
> ...


He read it correctly, I do know that intensity makes most red plants more red, I was wondering if the "kelvin" rating has any influence on it?


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## nicks75 (Nov 13, 2005)

Gumby said:


> I'm no expert any I may be corrected on this but I'd imagine that red plants will display better color when the spectrum peaks in blue.
> 
> Carotenoids are what give plants their red pigment and the operate on the blue parts of the spectrum. Chlorophyll works best with red light and violet. I'd imagine that if you had a plant that was capable to photosynthesis via carotenoids and you put a blue light on the plant it would produce more carotenoids. The red plant would best be able to complete photosynthesis via carotenoids in a spectrum that has a lot of blue.
> 
> ...


Ill test that and see if I can get more red in my plants. I am using 3.2 wpg of 6000k. My red plants are rotalas, that is getting alittle red on the tips, also Rotala wallichii that was bought with a good red and purple color, and some other I forget.


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