Lighting question

[Saltar]

I want to start with some easy corals and I want alot of coraline algae growth.

I have the Ice Cap Electroninc Ballasts (430):

Current setup:

2 - 48 inch Super Actinic (110W)
1 - 36 inch Super Actinic (95W)

Also have 1 PC retro:

Current setup:

1 - 36 inch 10k (96W)

What would you suggest for lighting changes? Change the PC to super actinic or change one of the VHOs to 10k or 7k. Thanks for any help.

Or will I need to but more lighting period?

 

[ccCapt]

What size tank and what coral do you have in mind?
Looking at your lighting now, you have virtually no PAR (brightness). Actinics pretty much only add color and no PAR. Basically, you are lighting your tanks inhabitants with 1 96w pc bulb which isn't much.

 

[Saltar]

55 gallon tank. Would like shrooms and polyps mostly for now.

So what should I do on the lighting change some of the actinics?

 

[ccCapt]

You can just swap out the 36" actinic for a 10K Aquasun of something similiar. If you like that blue look, the 50/50 Actinic Whilte would work too.

 

[Saltar]

If I changed all the VHOs to 50/59 what corals could I get?

 

[ccCapt]

I would think you can keep just about anything except some of the higher light demanding SPS.

 

[melosu58]

I keep 2 50/50 and two super actinics and can keep most corals except as CCCapt said the higher SPS corals. You can view my tank and see the color.

 

[Ziggy953]

I think if it were me I would go with 1 URI VHO Aquasun and one super actinic and the PC a 96w 50/50. That is just me. As cccapt said you are not getting much usable light in the tank. I'm sure it looks pretty wild with all that blue.

 

[Saltar]

Thanks for the help. For the meantime I have replaced the 36" with a 10k. I also have a 48" white actinic I could put in place of one of the super actinics. Think that woudl be better? At least until I can find some 50/50. Every where I check they are sold out any suggestions? Also the PC is the European 2 pin version. I am unable to find any bulbs whatsoever for it any suggestions there as well?