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I've never hear of anyonee ever complain about algae blooms from an old actinic. Because they are generally used as supplimental lighting people don't replace them as often, and don't really pay as much attention to them.
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but when a bulb gets older it looses its intensity in the designated spectrum for that bulb. In a sense the higher wavelengths take over and the bulb "yellows". Its the higher wavelength (green, yellow and red) spectrums that hair algae and other diatoms enjoy so they begin to thrive as the bulbs age.
How much a bulb will yellow? I don't know, but an actinic (420-480Nm) would have a long way to go to emit any kind of yellow spectrum
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THE BARQUARIUM:
55 gallon cube - 50 lbs LR - ASM G3 skimmer - 30 Gallon sump - 22 Gallon refugium / frag tank - 4x 24 watt HO T5's - Mag 9.5 return - Pin Point PH monitor - 400 watt XM 20K MH in Lumenarc reflector - Dual stage GFO/NO3 media reactor - 6 stage RODI auto top up -Wavemaster Pro running 3 Koralia 2's.
Fully stocked with fish, corals and usually some fine scotch
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