Aquaponics Digest - Sat 03/04/00

Message   1: Experimental lighting questions
             from Fred Chambers 

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Subject: Experimental lighting questions
From:    Fred Chambers 
Date:    Sat, 04 Mar 2000 12:37:31 -0800

        
Hi Aquaponicpioneers,

I'm planning an experiment that compares different colors of light on
larval fish growth, behavior, and heartiness.  We raise gamefish (drum and
flounder) for Calif DFG, and we suspect that some colors may be calming to
the young fish.  Because they are natural born killers, we need something
that will keep them from eating each other.  We know that poultry
operations use colored lights to control antagonism, and want to see if it
works on marine fish.

Most of you use artificial illumination.  What's been your experience?  Can
you tell if your livestock favors one color of light over another?

The poultry industry seems to avoid day or white light.  Here's a thumbnail:
+ Warm White (reddish) is used in egg production (Cool White (blue-white)
being less effective, and Day Light the least)
+ Blue or green is better for broilers because it keeps the birds calmer;
+ Green and blue lights stimulate growth at different ages:
Green light enhances growth at an early age,and blue light enhances growth
at a later age.

Any thoughts, hunches, pearls of wisdom?
Fred
760-505-8500      Agricultural-Sciences
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On location in Carlsbad, Calif. USA.  Serving an internship at Hubbs-Sea
World's Hubbard Marine Fish Hatchery, and collecting data for my MS in
Sustainable Aquaculture from Cal Poly Pomona.
http://www.buschgardens.org/endangered_species/esV.html