Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
About your new avatar...looks about right, but the hair needs to be more curly... :P ..
Maybe it will straighten out some when I get old!!!

Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
from what i've found over the last few days, is that the photoperiod is an important factor in growth, and there have been studies done with several species w/ different lighting times..
i've concluded that i'll investigate whatever species i'm growing, and figure out what works best for me..
i've been contemplating working with my yp and trying to induce a spawn this winter.. just picked up a free 55 gal tank, so i'm up to 5 tanks, and the pool.. but i gotta get my gb's on line before i do much more
Yea, it does depend on so many factors. Light intensity, spectrum of light (there are studies on just the colors, weird but interesting), and probably things not studied like UV. Fish species, stage of life cycle, even genetic factors.

Those new plasma lights mimic the spectrum of the sun pretty well, but nothing will match the sun's intensity.

Most spawning studies appear to be done with low intensity lighting. I think this all comes from the earlier studies in the 1950's when they associated spawning behaviors with the extra light from the moon during seasons.