Benefits of Actinic Lighting

BMorgan

BMorgan

AC Members
Jul 17, 2007
268
0
0
Northern California
Hello all,

I was wondering what the benefits of actinic lighting was. The reason being is I am trying to decide what type of light to buy. Right now I have a 28 gal bowfront tank that I want to have SPS and LPS corals in. I was thinking of buying a 250W MH fixture without any other type of light (T-5 or PC) or to buy a combo of like, 150W MH fixture with a combo of either T-5 or PC 50/50 lamps.

I'm sure the best solution would be a 250W MH, T-5 combo but since I don't have $400-$500 to spring for that I need a diff option. Besides, I will probably get a bigger tank sooner or later and then I need to invest in a larger fixture for THAT tank too so you can see my dilemma. The single MH fixture has lunar lights too so that would help w/ color but I just wanted to see what other's opinions were.

Thanks!
 
Whats better is really down to preference in my opinion...Personaly, i prefer 14k as you get a nice balance of white with a slight blue tinge. If i feel the need for more blue, then i would add some actinics for suppliment..I am sure some people will claim their corals grow faster with a specific colour of bulb, but, am yet to see this produced in the form of documented evidence over a good period of time...

Just my thoughts

Niko
 
atnixon said:
Whats better is really down to preference in my opinion...Personaly, i prefer 14k as you get a nice balance of white with a slight blue tinge. If i feel the need for more blue, then i would add some actinics for suppliment..I am sure some people will claim their corals grow faster with a specific colour of bulb, but, am yet to see this produced in the form of documented evidence over a good period of time...

Just my thoughts

Niko
Click to expand...

Trust this man. He is god. lol
 
I have had 10000Ks on mine until this past week when I changed them to 14000Ks. I will be moving the bulbs down however to compensate for the par difference and hopefully offset any slower difference in growth. Some of the locals I know have noticed a difference and I'd like to avoid it. Oh, and I LOVE the difference in colors.
 
Grins said:
I have had 10000Ks on mine until this past week when I changed them to 14000Ks. I will be moving the bulbs down however to compensate for the par difference and hopefully offset any slower difference in growth. Some of the locals I know have noticed a difference and I'd like to avoid it. Oh, and I LOVE the difference in colors.
Click to expand...

When you say move the bulbs down I assume you mean closer to the surface of the water? I'm new to all this lighting stuff :). PAR = Photosynthetically Active Radiation? How it relates to reef keeping I still really don't know (sorry :()

Thanks for all of your responses. After much deliberation I believe I have decided on the SunPod 250W MH w/ a 14K lamp:

http://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-S...1ZIOKDYA2KMI2&s=generic&qid=1198714710&sr=1-7

Not a bad price seems to me (especially with a $200 Amazon gift card) and like Grins pointed out in an ealier post of mine, seems to be a better (and safer) bet then this unknown brand of 150W MH/ T5 combo for a little cheaper:

http://www.amazon.com/Metal-Halide-...e=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1198716993&sr=8-12

Please feel free to point me in a better direction, if you feel this is not a good decision.

Thanks
 
BMorgan said:
PAR = Photosynthetically Active Radiation? How it relates to reef keeping I still really don't know (sorry :()
Click to expand...

It's photosynthetically available radiation... Radiation meaning light, Photosynthetically available meaning it's available for photosynthesis.
 
Same here. 14k provides a great mix of white and blue, so no actnics are really necessary to get that "ocean" look.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom