lighting

[shobby]

I bought two sets of t5 lights, each has one blue and one white bulb. Some one suggested getting actnitic bulbs instead. What is the difference in them?
Shelley

 

[1guydude]

the difference between actinitcs and blue bulbs is the spectrum...more blue basically.
White is good for coral growth but the blue is more pleasing and colorful for our eyes! I believe blue bulbs are 460nm and actinitcs are around 420nm...

maybe someone else will chime in about this cuz i cant tell you much for certain without doing some research of my own lol!

 

[geoj]

I bought two sets of t5 lights, each has one blue and one white bulb. Some one suggested getting actnitic bulbs instead. What is the difference in them?
Shelley
The blue bulbs are Actinic.
Actinic is a very loose term:
The high energy end of the visible spectrum from green to UV. Such light was called actinic light. Yellow and red light was non-actinic.
It comes from photography.

 

[geoj]

I like to have the actinic and the non-actinic on separate switches so I can have the actinic or the non-actinic on for different times. Some corals look real good with just the actinic on...