Lighting question
 

I have a 37 bow with 1 96W 10k and 1 96W actinic, and 2 55W 50/50.
So have a total of 302W.

As I was thinking about this, I starting to think what is really required for lighting? This seems like a basic question, and I looked around and did some searches, but nothing came up.

Are the actinics really there just for my eyes? Supplementing the 10k so it makes it look more white/blue.

Would I be better off with more 10k tubes, or 6.5k or 20k. I've seen articles whereas nat sunlight is more in the 6.5k range, but these are probably more yellow and not as pleasing to the eye. But would the corals benefit?

I am pretty sure my 96W tubes are dead. Compared to the 55W, they are not as bright. I am off to J&Ls tomorrow, and am wondering what I should. Right now I am thinking about a 10k and a 50/50.

oh my current stocking for lighting requirements inc: mushrooms, zoos, brain, hammer, deresa and a bubble. Not really light intensive creatures. But my hammer has a molted apperarnce, bleaching? and my bubble has some brown splotches bleaching again?

4pts...

your right the actinic light is to help supplement your 10k or 6500k light to help it look more white. it also pops the color out on some corals but doesn’t actually give you any lighting boost. if i were you (and i have a similar lighting setup) i would go all 10k and 1 actinic. 50/50 bulbs are a crap assed waste of money. your meat is all in the 10k.

so in other news can i borrow your skimmer? you appear to be down the road from me :razz:

Thanks for the advice Willow.
As to the skimmer, or curing, I really can't help you out there.
I don't have a spare, and my prizm is in full 'production'. I'd hate to see what my tank would look like if did skim out the goop I do now.

sorry....

Actully i belive the actinic light is indeed used by the corals, it provies a spectrum that is not in the 10,000k lights. Its not just for looks. But you dont have to have the actinics buts it does benefit the corals.

10000k light will contain all the wave lengths that a coral needs. yes there will be some usable light in actinic but it is actualy low compared to other sources.

Steve

Can coral live off of 6500k only without any attinic or 10000k?

yes but the tank will have a yellow tinge to it and not be very apealing to people who like the slight blue look.

Steve

it also depends on the brand of 10k lights. one of my 10k's has a slight yellow tinge compaired to the other one.

yup because 10K is not realy white, it can have a slight yellow or green tinge depending on how the spectrum is split up to give you that 10K result. this is why we add a bit of actinic lighting to make the light look anywhere from icewhite to sorta blueish.

Steve

I was just thinking for a frag tank with just softies in it no lps or sps