Lighting Configuration

[bigocubed]

Hello all,
I have 4 96w PCs (2 white and 2 actinic) in a 65 g, is there an optimal configuration for these meaning...
Should it be ordered like one of the below layouts
B=actinic, W=white
BWBW
WWBB
BBWW
WBWB
WBBW
BWWB
I'm seeing a bleaching of my corals, and I'm just trying to figure out if it's possibly how my lights are layed out also.
My tank is set up so the rocks are high in the back and slop down towards the front.
Hope this makes sense,
Thanks.

 

[the claw]

I don't have any experience with PC so don't have a clue if that is what your problem is. Its sounds very suspicious though. How old are your bulbs? BWBW or WBWB would make the most sense to me. That's what I do with my VHO. At about 18 months I noticed my coral'c color changing. Not bleaching per say, but they start becoming more drab (towards brown). I replaced my bulbs, two at a time so that I wouldn't "burn them" and they brightened back up. Since that, I have been on a maintenance schedule of changing my bulbs out at about 12-16 mos, depending on the cash flow.

 

[dima96]

just checking. what coral are bleaching? and what are your water parms? everything you can test for. numbers please not just they are good. and again how old are your bulbs? these might help to find the promblem and i personally would go

front to back.

 

[broomer5]

If you have two separate switches ( circuits/timers ) then I would have the actinics come on first and last - with the daylight lamps on in between.
Other than that - I don't think the actual bulb placement in the hood matters all that much. More of a personal preference for me.

 

[bang guy]

Who makes the blue bulbs and what version are they? You may not be gettingnearly as much light as you think if they are just blue bulbs.
I Agree with Broomer that the configutation really doesn't matter. My opinion is that the coral look better with a blue bulb in front followed by a white bulb but your preference might be difference.