Question About Switching Bulbs

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Kelso

Aquarium Advice Freak
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I just got my new lights a few days ago. For those who dont know I got two T5 HO 2x 39w fixtures. Both are on my tank, and the diffrence in light from my old lighting is amazing. My question is, yesterday I switched the bulbs, making one fixture all atlantic blue and the other all 10000k. I hooked them up to diffrent timers to give the sunrise and sunset simulation. The only thing is the lighting looks much diffrent in my tank(not as well mixed)as it did before. Am I doing anything bad by doing this? Should I switch bulbs back and just have one light come on before the other?
 
I'm not sure what an "Atlantic blue" is, bit it's probably not an 03 Actinic (good for corals), but just a blue colored bulb.

If you have a FO or a FOWLR tank just choose bulbs that make the color pleasing to you. If you are going to try a reef tank you need more light and a mix of 10k and true actinic (03) bulbs.
 
I assume this is for the 55g reef in your "My Tanks" info? If so, how did you orient 2 36" fixtures over a 48" tank?
 
Ya its for the same tank from the pictures. I have to change that, the tank is only 46 gal. I thought it was a 55, but measurements proved me wrong. The top is 36" wide, so the lights fit perfectly. Yes they are Actinic, Im an idiot and misread the light thinking Actinic was Atlantic. I switched the bulbs in the two fixtures so the blue would turn on earlyer and go off later then the white. Each fixture has one cord, obviously. I just wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong with that. Most fixtures that offer this have two cords, usually one hooked to white and one to blue. The diffrence is they are one unit, with the lights mixed one after the other, so when they are all on it mixes well. Also if I switched it back to one of each bulb in each fixture to even out the light, would turning one on before the other do anything?
 

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It's personal taste. But you won't get the dawn/dust lighting and it may be hard to tell the difference. Just play with different settings until you get one that both you and your corals can enjoy.
 
Not sure, they are coralife. Don't really know what model name is. Thincat, are you saying I won't get the sun rise/set with the bulbs mixed on each fixture? Or that I can't do it with the lighting I have? Sorry I'm a bit confused.
 
"Thincat, are you saying I won't get the sun rise/set with the bulbs mixed on each fixture? Or that I can't do it with the lighting I have? Sorry I'm a bit confused."
Yes, you will not get a dimmer blue deepwater look of just the actincs. I don't believe you will even notice a dimmer look with only one set of lights on. Your animals will notice the difference, but human eyes only get to a stage of "Wow, this is to bright" lol
 
Those aren't the Odysea units are they?
If they are I hope you don't have any issues with them.
cmor, I believe that Odysea has corrected their main issue of "Over heating" I remember that fixture was the cause of a few home fires so we all must keep that in mind and not overload our circuits. Safety first...
 
Do I have this Odysea unit? Is it a diffrent company then Coralife? So far everything seems to love the way I got the lights (one fixture actinic and one 10000k) the coral open almost all the way, but not fully untill the other light comes on. It's almost as if there slowly waking up. Thanks thincat, it's been a while but you always seem to know the right thing to say, as always.
 
You have a Coralife brand and have no need to worry. Just be aware not to overload your circuits. So as I stated the animals know when they have full light. So I guess you have a dawn/dust setup.
Good luck,
 
Thank you. I didnt think they were those other lights but I just wanted to make sure. The only thing I dont like about this setup is the diffrence in the look of the tank. Even though its the same watage and bulbs everything is much more shadowed, and dosent seem as bright. But my coral seem to be growing bigger and plumper then ever before, so I know they must like it. There opinion is better then mine, lol.
 
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