LEDDY SLIM ACTINIC

LEDDY SLIM ACTINIC has a flat, futuristic shape that fits perfectly with modern aquarium tanks and looks great in any interior. In addition, it is universal – sliding brackets allow it to be installed also on non-standard tanks. The thickness of the glass on which the lamp can be mounted is from 0,16 inch to 0,63 inch. LEDDY SLIM ACTINIC can also be suspended above the aquarium to the ceiling or a special frame using the accessory LEDDY SLIM HANGER set.

Open aquariums and their lighting

Andthe open quarium is a great option for people looking for modern and designer solutions in aquarists.  It is preferred especially by enthusiasts of styles such as Dutch, Japanese or biotope aquaristics.  Thanks to its natural appearance, an open aquarium can become an attractive element of interior designand attract the attention of guests.  It also ensures better air humidity in the room, which is especially beneficial for people suffering from respiratory diseases.

Open aquariums are tanks without a lighting cover. In their case, lighting mounted on beams or pendant lamps is used. Lamps for mounting on the side edges or on the back wall of the tank are also often used. The latter are dedicated to tanks with a smaller capacity, the “nano” type.

White and actinic light

A marine reef aquarium should be illuminated with two types of light, which differ in color, or – professionally speaking – color temperature. Color temperature is a concept invented by theoretical physicists. This is the temperature to which the hypothetical “black body” should be warmed up, so that it begins to emit light of a specific colour. It is expressed in Kelvin. The main type of light used in reef aquarism is white light. It provides the energy necessary for photosynthesis for zooxanthellae, and perfectly reproduces the beautiful colors of marine animals.

The second type of light necessary in a reef aquarium is the so-called actinic light, intense blue to slightly violet with a color temperature of 16000-24000 K. It helps to imitate the effect of sunrise and dusk and contributes to better coloring of fish, corals and other sedentary invertebrates. In the case of many of  them, it also enhances the effect of the so-called fluorescence (animals seem to glow in the twilight, which gives them an extremely attractive appearance). It also has a very important, although not yet fully scientifically explained importance for the proper functioning of many marine organisms. For example, the use of high-quality actinic light often stimulates some species of saltwater animals in a breeding aquarium.

How much light in the aquarium?

How much light does a reef aquarium require? Usually, the conversion of its power to the literage of the aquarium is used. In the case of using LED modules, the amount from 0.6 to 0.72 W for each liter of water is considered optimal, assuming that the tank is not higher than 21,6 – 23,6 inch (in the case of higher tanks, this amount increases rapidly). About half should be white light and the rest actinic light. Along with the acquired experience and preferences of the aquarium owner, the proportions of white and blue light can be modified to adapt them to the desired growth rate of corals and the stage of development of the tank.

How to combine white and actinic light? Well, the former should shine continuously for 8-10 hours during the day, and the latter for 10-14 hours. It looks like the actinic light should be switched on first, after about an hour or two white light should come to it. After the mentioned 8-10 hours, the white light should be turned off, and the actinic light should go out about an hour or two after it.

The “day” in the aquarium can fall on virtually any part of the day. If the tank stands far from the windows and is illuminated only by artificial light, the hours of switching on and off the lighting can be practically any. It is best to simply adapt them to our preferences and the hours when we are usually present in the apartment (e.g. “dawn” at 15:00 and “dusk” at 1:00). We can then enjoy the beauty of our own “piece of the ocean”