LED colour spectrum

[AlgaeBoy]

Hi there,

I am considering getting this system for the cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms, including both cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae. I would like to ask two questions:

1. To this end, is it possible at all to get this system with a 4500K warm white colour spectrum?

2. What kind of photosynthetic organisms have been tested and successfully cultivated using this system?

Many thanks!

[harrison]

Hello Algaeboy, fitting name…

1) Not really. The LED is a single device with 7 emitters on one dye. We are limited to the wavelengths that the manufacturer supplies on a single device. HOWEVER, since there are 7 LEDs in there you can potentially approximate a 4500k spectrum by adding together some combination of them at different intensities. I am not sure how close exactly you could make it, but if you have some reasonable spectrometer you can probably do some fiddling and get it fairly close.

2) In our lab we grow Cyanobacteria and Algae, but this is not a major focus of ours so I couldn’t tell you the limits of applicability (e.g. what conditions/systems WONT work). I have also heard of others working with both these. Are there particular species you are looking at with some uncertainty?

[AlgaeBoy]

Hi Harrison,

Thank you for your swift and useful reply. Your suggestion to try approximate a 4500K spectrum with the 7 emitter LEDs makes a lot of sense and sounds exciting and feasible.

To answer your question: I have had some trouble in the past with a Nannochloropsis species that seemed to be a little bit fussy when it came to light spectrum. Good to hear though that the system has been reported by others for a variety of photosynthetic organisms.

I am excited about this system. Definitely considering getting it. Many thanks!

[Author]

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