What power compact bulb to get ?

[2003mikem]

What power compact bulb to get ?


Well it is time to buy new bulbs.

I have a 155 bow front with 400-550 LBS. Of live rock mostly softies but a few sps and lps frags.
I currently have 3 150W HQI metal halides 10,000 K and like them. But I need to replace my PC lites.
Currently they are 96W dual actinic.420/460NM.

My whole lighting fixture is an outer orbit 72” 24 hour fixture.

What bulbs are better to have for my usages?

460 nm
420 nm
420 nm/ 460 nm mix

420 nm 10,000 K mix

6,700 k / 10,000 k mix

6,000 k

10,000 k


is their a better light or is it preference ?

[2003mikem]

bump

[Geoff]

it is all personal preference. generally speaking the lower the K you go the better the growth but the less colour pop you will get. the lower K bulbs bring out the natural colour of the corals not the artificial colour of the bacterias phosphorescence.

i say stick with what you have if you like it. it looks pretty ballanced to me.

G~

[2003mikem]

so with the # HQI 150W halides

and whit the 4 96W dual actinic.420/460NM.

i will have better grow and normal color ?

[Geoff]

to get NORMAL colour you would need to go with less actinics and better growth.

run your tank with just the 10K MH's for a day. do you like this colour? if so than i would just get some more 10K's and call it good, or if you can get the bulbs locally start by adding one 10K PC a week and stop when you like the look. than get new actinics so that you have them all on the same schedule.

G~