Colors in a camera

["Greger Lindstrand" <greglind at algonet_se>]

I've noticed that theres a significant difference between pictures of the tank taken with the same digital camera and with all parameters set the same. The pics were taken with the flashligt turned off IE. the camera decides upon the opening time of the shutter.
After weeks of figuring what the cause of this could be, it just hit me that the only difference was that I had switched from 5000 K tubes (Grolux) to 10 000K tubes (Aquarelle).
Eureka! Thats got to be it (right?)! This makes me remember the younger days when I was an aspiring fotografer and used kilometres of BW film and learning the tricks of developing the shi.. eeh, fine art I've accomplished. From these days long ago I remember that it was important to select filters + colorfilm to match the given light.
Shooting indoor you should also take the colortemperature of the lightbulbs in consideration... Well there were many parametres that should fit together if the picture was to come out right and I stopped that path cause I could never afford the color equipment needed.

So, How is it these days when we have digital cameras (unfortenatly I don't)?
Are they set to work with the sun only? Or are there any way to adjust them to match the colortemperature of the various tubes we use on our tanks? How does one do that? Maybe its automagic?

Clear to me is that there is a difference depending on the tubes choosen. This also explains (I think) the various results of the pictures we see on the net.

By the way; The 5000K gave a more pleasing picture even though I think the 10 000K is more pleasing to look at "au naturelle".

/Greger - who after doing 200 Litres water changes each day during a fourthnight have arrived at 1.0 PO4 level :-)