metal halide with actinics

[bpro32]

Hey I currently have 20k metal halides and I really like the color it produces. I'm thinking of going 10k with actinics for growth, will I get a similar color?

 

[natclanwy]

No, the atinics aren't nearly bright enough to keep up with the halides. I just switched from 14k to 20k MH and I only run atinics for my PC's and the color is nowhere near the same. What are you using for a 20K bulb, I have the Radium 20K's and the coloration of my corals is much better and I still have outstanding growth.

 

[wangotango]

Generally lower K will give you better growth, but high K will give you better coloration.
-Justin

 

[natclanwy]

Really depends on the bulb more so than the kelvin rating, although growth under a 10k pheonix and a 20k radium aren't going to compare but most of the brighter colored corals will be brown under 10k.

 

[stanlalee]

I'm not convinced 20k dont grow corals well. every tank I've seen with 20k have corals growing thru the roof and I've heard mention of PAR testing being inherently bias against blue light output. that and the advanced aquarist article that had a 20k out grow a 6500k, 10k and 14k even though it had significantly less measured PAR. I dont think 10k and actinics will match a 20k but a 14k and actinics probably could. all the big boys (US) who use halides run actinics with 20ks.

 

[natclanwy]

I have to somewhat agree, I have great growth under my 20k's but I have seen some grow out tanks using 6500k and 10k pheonix bulbs and my growth pales in comparison. But corals looked horrible under the 65k and 10k bulbs so they had another tank with 20k to color them back up before he put them up for sale. I personally wouldn't run 10k on DT but I would on frag tank.

 

[bpro32]

Ok I'm convinced. Right now I have 175w hamilton 20k and I'm going to stick with them. I'll probably go actinic also for the sunrise/set effect but leave the bulbs the same. Thanks guys

 

[salt210]

I just got my 12k reeflux bulbs in and love the color, but I dont have any corals in there yet

 

[bpro32]

Just thought of another question...
Do I need reflectors if I'm just using them for supplemental color?
Also do I need new bulbs?

 

[culp]

if you use VHO bulbs you won't need any reflectors. and VHO bulbs are the best Actinic by far.

 

[jackri]

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=347418
The beginning of this thread is what 10k's with actinics look like. I later switched to 14k phoenix bulbs -- later in the thread with actinics.
I'll probably go half actinics and half 12k's or something with my t-5's when the bulbs need to be replaced.

 

[bpro32]

Originally Posted by Culp
http:///forum/post/3024035
if you use VHO bulbs you won't need any reflectors. and VHO bulbs are the best Actinic by far.
ok I may go vho then, but looking for something cheap and somebody is selling a t5 ballast for 20 buck near me...
If I go t5 with no reflector is it bad?

 

[culp]

without reflectors you might as well not even turning the bulbs on.

 

[bpro32]

Originally Posted by Culp
http:///forum/post/3024618
without reflectors you might as well not even turning the bulbs on.
ok fair enough... that starts getting up too expensive for me. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[natclanwy]

With 20k MH's atinics aren't really needed, but you can still use them without reflectors for sunrise/sunset just fine.