Completely lost some1 please explain....

[fishstick4sale]

ok sofar no1 can help me in understanding this question about lighting...
in my biocube i have 1 solid actinic 36watt PC and 1 solid 10,000daylight 36watt PC.. now someone told me that both those lights working together put out a total of 72watts in my tank.. another person told me that both these lights together put out only 36watts of coral needed light. so does that mean the total watts in your tank for coral is not added but devided by 2 from the watts put out by an actinic and a daylight? or is it added like the 72watts example up top...
my second question is they have those 50/50 PC lights.... say i buy a 36watt 50/50 PC isnt that considered 18watts of daylight and 18 watts of actinic?? or is it just a total of 36watt coral needed light? and if thats tru how can this 50/50 PC 36watt put out just af much needed light as 2 PC lights one solid daylight 36watt and 1 actinic 36watt..
or they designed the 50/50 PC to be just as good as 2 PC 1 day 1 actinic

 

[fishstick4sale]

ok sofar no1 can help me in understanding this question about lighting...
in my biocube i have 1 solid actinic 36watt PC and 1 solid 10,000daylight 36watt PC.. now someone told me that both those lights working together put out a total of 72watts in my tank.. another person told me that both these lights together put out only 36watts of coral needed light. so does that mean the total watts in your tank for coral is not added but devided by 2 from the watts put out by an actinic and a daylight? or is it added like the 72watts example up top...
my second question is they have those 50/50 PC lights.... say i buy a 36watt 50/50 PC isnt that considered 18watts of daylight and 18 watts of actinic?? or is it just a total of 36watt coral needed light? and if thats tru how can this 50/50 PC 36watt put out just af much needed light as 2 PC lights one solid daylight 36watt and 1 actinic 36watt..
or they designed the 50/50 PC to be just as good as 2 PC 1 day 1 actinic

 

[scottallert]

Originally Posted by fishstick4sale
http:///forum/post/2959573
ok sofar no1 can help me in understanding this question about lighting...
in my biocube i have 1 solid actinic 36watt PC and 1 solid 10,000daylight 36watt PC.. now someone told me that both those lights working together put out a total of 72watts in my tank.. another person told me that both these lights together put out only 36watts of coral needed light. so does that mean the total watts in your tank for coral is not added but devided by 2 from the watts put out by an actinic and a daylight? or is it added like the 72watts example up top...
my second question is they have those 50/50 PC lights.... say i buy a 36watt 50/50 PC isnt that considered 18watts of daylight and 18 watts of actinic?? or is it just a total of 36watt coral needed light? and if thats tru how can this 50/50 PC 36watt put out just af much needed light as 2 PC lights one solid daylight 36watt and 1 actinic 36watt..
or they designed the 50/50 PC to be just as good as 2 PC 1 day 1 actinic
no you have 72 watts total, they dsigned the 50/50 to get a mix of blue and white, with one fixture.

 

[stdreb27]

That should be plenty for softies and LPS. And yes that is 72 watts.

 

[fishstick4sale]

so that mixture of 50/50 will only put out 36watts total?
also since im puttin out 72watts of light for my fishtank does that mean if my tank was smaller they can survive off just my 36watts actinic lighting? say if i had 6 gallon nano

 

[scottallert]

1 fixture, puts out 36 watts that would be one blue bulb and one white bulb connected to the same socket. a 50/50

 

[fishstick4sale]

ah ok, that 50/50 puts out 36watts total meaning the actinic is 18watts and the daylight is 18watts also put together on one socket = 36watts...
and 1daylight 36watt and a actinic 36watt puts out a total of 72..
so to be honest whats brighter in a tank 2 50/50 PC
or 1 actinic and 1 daylight seperate bulbs? or is it the same?

 

[scottallert]

the same kinda,
the 50/50 would put you at a more balenced color combo so you dont have the blue look in the back of the tank and the white look in the front or visa versa.

 

[fishstick4sale]

kk great thanks for the help

 

[fishstick4sale]

one more question...
since the 50/50 is a total of 36watts wouldnt a solid 36watt daylight and 1 solid actinic 36watt penetrate deeper than 2 50/50 36watt PC totalling 72watts. because that one 36watt daylight is a solid and so is the actinic 36watt. and those 2 50/50 r 2 18watts daylight sides and 2 18watt actinic adding up 36watt each.??? get what im saying? which one would penetrate deeper in water 1 solid 36watt daylight and 1 36watt actinic or 2 50/50?

 

[turningtim]

Unfortunately your question just isn't that simple to answer. As far as watts goes yes you have 72 watts of light on your tank. But you have to different color temperature lights (kelvin). The act off sets the whiteness of the 10k. The further you go up in Kelvin the bluer the light. I also believe that the act supplies spectrum that we can not see.
I'm no expert by any means lights are very intricate deals. Read read and read some more.

 

[nissan577]

i get what your saying. it will look the same. if you had 1 daylight and 1 actinic its the same of have 2 50/50. is that what you mean. the color of the tank will be the same.

 

[naclh2o nut]

Actually was just at a LCS (local coral store, he only special orders in fish). I was going over lighting options and the two separate bulbs(10k and act) will look different then the 2 50/50s. Hes explanation is the 50/50 is blended then goes into tank so you will have a more even color. Where the two seperate bulbs will blend in the tank. So if the 10 k is in front it will be whiter in front and bluer in back.
It all depends on what you like. Also a note have heard from several places that the actinics tend to go out sooner, so you will have to replace both bulbs more often if you go with 2 50/50s. Rather then replacing one actinic, then both, then actinic, then.... so on.
Hope this helps, see if your lfs has different lights in tanks to get a feel for what you like.