I'll be ordering bulbs in December again and I'd value some advice on what I should select.
I'll tell what I've tried and what I want to try: It's for my 60g, corner tank. "Diamond" shaped. I use two 36 "(30W), and two 24"(20W) bulbs. A total of 100 W. 1.6 watts per gallon if I figured it out right. I'd like to go with PC lighting to increase that number but financial restraints...well, you know...
Two years ago I used a "mix" on each ballast. One bulb actinic, one 10,000K super daylight. My Coraline growth was awesome ! I then began obtaining some "beginner" corals. They did ok but not great. The following year I used 10,000K bulbs on the 30W ballast and actinics on the 20W ballast. My corals now flourished but my coraline algae soon bleached. I really liked the "neon glow" appearance of the corals when actinics and daylight bulbs were on separate ballasts/timers. So did the coral obviously but not the coraline. Water conditions, Ca etc. have not changed so I'm sure it's lighting that has been the "determining factor".
This year I'm thinkin' I'd experiment with 50/50 bulbs. I find lighting very complex and hard to understand.
ops: Should I go with the full 100 watts 50/50 bulbs ? I really like the actinic "night glow" for that first and last hour but I can live without if I get corals that flourish AND good coraline growth.
While we're here, my 90g will be gettin' new bulbs for Christmas too. I've only used 10,000K PC's,(2x55W) with a 36W actinic. I plan to build a canopy and incorporate two 40W actinic bulbs but those financial retraints I mentioned earlier...anyway. I've had contiuous algae problems since I bought this tank used, two years ago. :x Should I try 55W, 50/50 bulbs and scrap the single actinic thats gettin' old anyway ?
I'd sure appreciate any recomendations before I travel to the U.S. to sell my blood plasma so I can afford the annual bulb exchange. Thanks !