Actinic Bulb for Freshwater Plants?

[MidnightPyro]

Well, I finally ordered all of the aquarium parts and they came yesterday. I ordered a 1x65 watt Sattelite light fixture.
It came with blue acitinic bulb which I wasn't aware of. It's half 10,000 Kelvin, and the other have 460nn blue acitinic bulb. Will this work for a freshwater planted aquarium, or do I have to return it? I hate to buy a new bulb for it, for another $30 considering I'm almost out of money. Is there anyway this will work, or will it just create problems in a freshwater planted aquarium?
(I just looked around and technically it's a 50/50 bulb.)

 

[Slappy*McFish]

No...freshwater plants will not benefit from the use of actinic blue lights. Algae, on the otherhand, will. You will do much better with a full spectrum daylight bulb.

 

[MidnightPyro]

All right, I'll go out and buy a new bulb. If anyone wants to buy a 50/50 bulb...I have a thread in the trade center.

 

[Aries]

Just to tag my $0.02, many believe Acitinics to cause algae. I have not seen any proof of this myself (I did have acitinics on my for a long time - did not seem to hurt) BUT is not benificial to plants in any way (which algae is a plant, therefore is hard for me to believe acitinics cause algae???).

I would buy 6500K to 6700K bulbs. Plants I belive can utilize anything from 3000K to up and above 10000K. Really it is terms of looks for anything between - I like 6500-6700K.

Good Luck

Aries