Actinic Lighting.....for us or the corals?

[Jackson6745]

I have been running 2x250w DE HQI's (ushio, AB 10k) over my 3ft reef for the past 2 months. I am getting decent colors now but I feel that I could improve on my purples and some greens.

I plan on adding 2 VHO actinics to my canopy and I was curious if this would add to the colorations of my SPS, or will it just make the corals fluoresce and appear to have better color?

Form your experience and opinions do you feel actinic lighting is necessary for good coral coloration? (especially with 10k MH's)

thanks,

Rich

[Morgan]

No experience with actinic but the 400++nm wavelength sure make the corals look much better.

I have a SE BLV10k and Radium over my tank and the colours of the corals look horrible under the 10k compared to Radium.

[Jackson6745]

if you were to move a coral from the 10k to the 20k would the color look better immediately? Or is there actual color change?

[arcanehacker]

it really depends.. if you are having corals with greenish glow in them, blue light maybe necessary.. I find one of my green mushrooms bleached in white light.. some of the polyps now turn brown (like normal mushrooms). Now I have to alternate between my MH & PL(one white & one blue).

[Achilles Tang]

Actinics provide a good spike in the 420nm peak of the light spectrum, which is proven to be utilised for coral photosynthesis.

If not just for the above fact, their flourescence (hope I spelt it right) effect and ability to make the corals look more visually appealing and their help in balancing out yellowish light should speak up for their usage.

[aStRoBo|]

sorry, i noe nuts abt lighting, is there actinic blue bulb for PL? thnks. if yes, how much it usually cos for a 2ft?

[Jun Hong]

This topic has been discussed before. I believe true actinic blue PL is not available in S'pore. Most of them are blue indeed.

[arcanehacker]

sorry, i noe nuts abt lighting, is there actinic blue bulb for PL? thnks. if yes, how much it usually cos for a 2ft?

dunno nothin about actinic blue PL.. I just know they got blue....

[aStRoBo|]

den actinic blue is house in which kind of housing? FL, MH? T5?

[arcanehacker]

den actinic blue is house in which kind of housing? FL, MH? T5?

think its T5 and FL

[Jun Hong]

FL actinic always provide best flourescence effect.

I don't have T5. Any reefer like to comment the T5 actinic blue?

[aStRoBo|]

think its T5 and FL

hMm.. any idea how much the actinic blub bulb cost for 2ft FL? and how i noe it's actinic i bought? cos look alike to blue light sia..

[alanseah]

it will give out a puple effect..

[james72]

No experience with actinic but the 400++nm wavelength sure make the corals look much better.

I have a SE BLV10k and Radium over my tank and the colours of the corals look horrible under the 10k compared to Radium.

But if put both 20K, it would be very bluish/purplish right? If given a choice of 2 x 250W SE MH for a 3ft tank, what would be your preferred kelvin rating?

[Achilles Tang]

Can you guys not go off topic? Go discuss where you can get your bulb costs and availability in a new thread.

Oh and I suggest you do a search on actinic lighting on PLs... it was covered in details many many moons ago.

[Jackson6745]

If not just for the above fact, their flourescence (hope I spelt it right) effect and ability to make the corals look more visually appealing and their help in balancing out yellowish light should speak up for their usage.

Well said. I guess that should be more than enough reason alone.

Thanks for the replies guys

[Morgan]

if you were to move a coral from the 10k to the 20k would the color look better immediately? Or is there actual color change?

In my case, it is a immediate difference.

I only turn on the lights in the evening. and I can change the position my lights easily.