10,000 Kelvin or 6700 Kelvin Actinics?

[kidafius]

I have 2 10k Kelvin blue actinic PC bulbs, but I don't get the glowing effect that other people get. Should I down grade to 6700 Kelvin actinics? My other 2 are 10000 Kelvin White Daylights.

Although I don't get the blue glow-like effect, I do have alot of blue, or blue-green coraline algae growing, which I haven't seen too much of in alot of other tanks. Any thoughts? I've got a little red coraline as well as purple and green.

I have 2 10k Kelvin blue actinic PC bulbs, but I don't get the glowing effect that other people get. Should I down grade to 6700 Kelvin actinics? My other 2 are 10000 Kelvin White Daylights.

10000K and 6700K are references to the kelvin in the white light range...there is no such thing as Actinics in that range... The only thing is 50/50's which one side is blue and the other white light...

Actinic is a Purple light that is rated as 03 Actinic... There are 7100K and they are blue, but they are not true Actinic...

I believe that the Actinic is somewhere in the 430 nanometer rage on the color index, and the higher you go, you get to the reds and then yellows then greens and then blues.... You may want to re-inventory and make sure you have actinic bulbs...That is getting a little technical for your questions...

Anyway,

When the Actinics are on, your tank should look like complete blue or purple with no white light at all...kind of like a black light would do to a white wall...

Is this what they look like???

[kidafius]

ok.....after checking with the websit, www.jbjlighting.com, i've discovered that they are indeed 7100 Kelvin. the bulbs have Actinic printed on them, however. So, I need to get some Actinincs, eh?

[kidafius]

These are the bulbs I use, but they are very bright, not subtle blue like a black light. And there is only a very slight increase in florescence on the white, or other colors.

http://www.petmeister.com/item1023.htm

[kidafius]

What would you recommend as a replacement?

You cannot replace PC bulbs with true 03 actinic at this point without changing the light electrical sytem. PC bulbs do not come in true actinics, only VHO is considered such.

The 7100k's are most likely labeled as actinic "blue". A proper actinic bulb actually has no K rating at all.

If you can find them, I would recommend CSL actinic blue bulbs in the 7100k. I use them one my tank and they are very good for a PC substitute.

Cheers
Steve

[reefrunner69]

Sorry, I have to disagree here, just a bit. PC true actinics have been out for a little over a year, they come in either a straight pin or square pin config. They are available from most online vendors, I get mine from www.hellolights.com. They are not quite what I'm used to with VHO, but they blow the 7100Ks in the dirt Acording to the literature I've seen, they do peek at 420-480nm.

Hah! Sent my vendor an e-mail. Thank reefrunner. I had not yet seen those available in my neck of the woods.

Cheers
Steve

[Gauge]

Okay, now I'm intrigued. Here is my light setup:

2 X 55 PC
1) full 10,000K - unknown age (bought used)
2) 50/50 - about 4 months old

I'm thinking about replacing at least the full 10,000K, but if my 50/50 isn't true actenic then I might replace that, too. Gotz a couple questions, though...

1) How do you know that an actenic is true actenic? It has the "03" instead of a Kelvin rating?
2) Is there any benefit to having 10,000K and some other Kelvin rated lighting or is one good enough? I was (before reading this post) considering getting something other than 10,000K to replace my old one since the 50/50 had 10,000K already. What do you guys recommend? I'm planning on replacing both at this point.

NOTE - I don't really have corals to any extent, but I do plan on adding an anemone in the future.

Originally Posted by Gauge

but if my 50/50 isn't true actenic then I might replace that, too. Gotz a couple questions, though...

1) How do you know that an actenic is true actenic? It has the "03" instead of a Kelvin rating?

50/50's are a combination bulb ½ white, ½ half actinic 03 so they are in part the real macoy. Personally I like the look of the blue affect from the real 03 at night without the whites. The coraals are more interested in the PAR of the light rather than the "visual" color it emits. In essence, what you have is fine.

2) Is there any benefit to having 10,000K and some other Kelvin rated lighting or is one good enough? I was (before reading this post) considering getting something other than 10,000K to replace my old one since the 50/50 had 10,000K already. What do you guys recommend? I'm planning on replacing both at this point.

The type of bulb really depends on the corals you will be keeping as well a the depth of the tank. For the most part you will find the 10K to be the best "general" use k rating to get.

NOTE - I don't really have corals to any extent, but I do plan on adding an anemone in the future.

Hopefully that will not transpire for about another year. If at all. Anemone do not fair well in young tanks. You should also consider unpgrading the light wattage as well. For some types of soft coral, 110w on a 45 gal tank is fine but you would really need double that to properly house an anemone.

Cheers
Steve

Coralife make a 03 actinic and it is very good...

[kidafius]

ok, guys, I am having difficulty locating the proper bulbs. I need 2 96 W actinic 03, i think the 34.5" or something like that. I've found some of the square pins, but i have the good ole European style straight pin bulbs. Several places carry the square pins, but straights are hard to find.

Here are two sources.

AquaCon
Aquarium Supply

Use a google search>> straight+pin+actinic

Cheers
Steve

[reefrunner69]

Just an FYI, AquaCon has a terrible reputation with most reefer for Livestock. As I have heeded others warninngs, I have never ordered anything from them, so I can't speak about their drygoods, but never trust a business that has con in thier name...