What combination of bulbs should I get?

[miston]

I'm ordering a 12g Nano Cube DX modded from nanocustoms. It will be outfitted with 4 x 24watt power compacts.

My bulb options are:
-- 10,000K Daylight
-- 50/50: 10,000K / 7100K
-- Actinic Blue

thanks!

 

[Meloco14]

I would go with what you like. Any of the bulbs are fine for reefs. The 10,000K will have a little more PAR than the actinic for coral growth. Most people like a balanced look, with 2 10,000K and 2 actinic bulbs. But really it is personal preference. If you like a bluer look use more actinic. If you like more white use more 10,000K. I don't know what that 50/50 bulb would be like. Most 50/50's are half 10,000K and half actinic. The 7100K must be for enhanced growth or something. You might try 2 of the 50/50's and two actinics if you are going for coral growth. That should give you a good balance of PAR and color. Anyway, any combination you choose you can't really go wrong. HTH

 

[miston]

I was thinking of going with:

2 10,000K Daylights
1 Actinic
1 50/50

because I don't like too much of a blue look, to me brighter white the better, but I assume some actinic is good for color and coral growth

 

[Meloco14]

That looks good. It will be nice and bright with a lot of output for coral growth. The actinic will help balance the color and make sure it doesnt look too yellow.

 

[Anonymous]

I was thinking of going with:

2 10,000K Daylights
1 Actinic
1 50/50

because I don't like too much of a blue look, to me brighter white the better, but I assume some actinic is good for color and coral growth

That looks good. Stay away from the 7100K, they shouldn't sell that bulb anymore. It's worse than useless.

 

[Anonymous]

I was thinking of going with:

2 10,000K Daylights
1 Actinic
1 50/50

because I don't like too much of a blue look, to me brighter white the better, but I assume some actinic is good for color and coral growth

Sounds like a good place to start. You can always adjust it later if you do not like the look.

 

[wereef]

Stay away from the 7100K, they shouldn't sell that bulb anymore. It's worse than useless

Amen Brother!

 

[Anonymous]

10,000 k bulbs have a lot of blue in them. they have a very chrisp white color which i think is very pleasing. if i could vote i would use 4 10k's because they have enough light in the blue spectrum for coral growth a nice look and this will maximise the par or amount of light provided with the animals. the other benifit of this is you only have to deal with one type and the replacement cycle is easy as can be. just my opinion.