Fluorescent lights

[Anubis1]

My fixture holds 6 48" bulbs. The bulbs I currently have were in the fixture (used) when I bought it. I'm going to go get new bulbs this weekend and I was wondering what everyone recommends. The current bulbs are not marked. There are two "pink" (color enhancing?) one purple, one blue and two white. There isn't enough blue in the lights for my tastes.. any recommendations? And any idea what kind of bulb the purple one could be? (UV maybe?)

I am thinking about a mix of actinics and 10,000K bulbs but I'm not sure how many of each I should get. or if I should consider other bulbs instead.

This would be for fish, softies and a few LPS...

Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

I would get 2 actinics and go to lowes and get the 6500K's for the rest. That may not be blue enough for you, though.

 

[SnowManSnow]

Is this a VHO fixture .. T5.. or just NO?

At any rate I like about a 1/2 mix of 10k and actinics Just my opinion.

B

 

[Anubis1]

Just a regular NO fixture... at least that's what it was sold to me as being... 6 48" bulbs and two 120 volt ballasts (which works out right for the NO).

 

[Anubis1]

I would get 2 actinics and go to lowes and get the 6500K's for the rest. That may not be blue enough for you, though.

I was told a while ago that the 6500K's looked yellow... I've never had any so I don't know if that was right or not..

 

[Anonymous]

It depends on what you want. IIRC, the lamps at lowes were about $5. I went for the cheaper lamp and was satisfied with the way my tank looked. I didn't start using anyhing but 6500 until I went to 20KK radiums. I soon went to 10KK because it was too blue for me.

 

[Anubis1]

well.. if I just go with actinics and 10,000K bulbs how many of each should I go with for the welfare of the critters? Three of each and alternate them?

 

[Brian5000]

I think I would try 2 actinics and 4 10k lights or try half and half. It kinda depends on how much light your stuff needs. Actinics are just color enhancing. Your 10k lights are what feeds the corals.
_________________
Orange County Bushwackers

 

[Anubis1]

Thanks Brian! I think I'll try the 2 & 4 as you suggested!

 

[rayjay]

Sorry I didn't see this post earlier but since I started in jan 94 I've used only NO lighting over my tanks until a week ago when ONE tank I took out 6 40W NO's (leaving 2 of the eight still there) and added four 54W T5HO's with SLR's.
I have used exclusively a GE Daylight 6500K paired with a Philips actinic 03 and found that gave me a decent "white" light.
The advantage of the GE light is that it had the same spectral chart as the aquarium lamps sold at the LFS but they were locally purchased for $4 each as opposed to the aquarium lamps that sold for $30 plus around here.
Cost was important because with all my tanks and using so many lamps over each reef tank, I used over 30 lamps at a time.
The lamp pairing obviously worked as I was able to keep softies, LPS corals, a piece of hydnaphora, clams, and anemones.