Lighting question

[dartman]

OK guys another question for you all. I have 3 10000k PC lights and one atinic PS light all in one fixture thats 240 watts and 1 MH bulb 10000k. IS this the right lighting for a reef tank? I have a 90 galllon aquarium and I bought some corals and they are just boring there is no irridesence to them at all. Please help me.

 

[washowi]

Really it is based on the type of corals and depth of the tank. With a 90G you will need at least 250w MH to get the PAR rating to keep corals alive. Unless you just have them on the very top.
That would be boring. I have a 90, I had (2) 150W MH's, it wasn't cutting it. It kept softies alive grant it. But I am growing Acros now and it would not do the job.
Everything you have will do the job, it's just want you want in it?
Todd

 

[slgcmg]

part of the reason it may be boring is you have 10K bulbs. Your tank must look really white with no color. I prefer the blue look that shows the deep colors of coral. You should go to 12K metal halide bulb and convert you pc bulbs to an all actinic light set.
You have way too many 10Ks and not enough blue.
I run 1 400W 12K metal halide by itself and my corals look awesome and my tank looks really blue.
I will be adding 2 36 Inch actinic blue VHO's as well so it will be even brighter and bluer.
I have a 100G corner tank.

 

[teen]

i would leave the 10k mh bulb because it will help your corals grow, and change all the pc's to actinc bulbs.

 

[dartman]

Would changing the 10000k MH bulb to 14000k or 2000k and then changing 2 PC to 14k and then the other 2 pc to actinic be effective? Also are there differences in kinds of Actinic lighting? I see there are 03 and 05 and true actinic I'm not sure the difference.

 

[saltfan]

Originally Posted by dartman
Would changing the 10000k MH bulb to 14000k or 2000k and then changing 2 PC to 14k and then the other 2 pc to actinic be effective? Also are there differences in kinds of Actinic lighting? I see there are 03 and 05 and true actinic I'm not sure the difference.
It may help some. The 10k is a good lamp. But I would put 2 MH 250w in there and the rest change over to Actinic. Yes there are 2 different Actinics, one is 420n the other 460n, most use the 420n.