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08-22-2005, 01:40 PM
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#1
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Whuch' you need?
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: West Saint Paul
Posts: 3,810
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MH color-growth vs color
I have a few questions about MH lighting.
Do you need actinic supplimantation with 10K 250w MH bulbs?
How well do softies and LPS grow under 20K?
Derek
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08-22-2005, 02:39 PM
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#2
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ex- Montipora Farmer
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 944
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you will want actinic with 10k, otherwise the colors are pretty bland. I dont think you would have any problem with growth under the 20ks with softies and LPS. I like 20ks with actinics personally...
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08-22-2005, 03:40 PM
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#3
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Shark
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: crystal
Posts: 2,774
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can also look at 14-15k's , they seem to be popular
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08-22-2005, 03:46 PM
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#4
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Semi-retar...eh...retired
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 2,995
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Don't need actinic, but most folks find it adds a pleasant look. It will help make the corals show more fluorescence. Corals will definitely use the light as well, so it's not "just for looks". It's nice to use it alone for the dawn/dusk effect. Most folks who use it run the actinics for the entire photoperiod and the halides for only a fraction - around 3-8 hours depending on personal choice regarding what they think the corals need to look (and grow) their best. Lots of people are shortening their halide photoperiods down to less than 5 hours these days...
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08-22-2005, 03:49 PM
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#5
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,597
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Add some actinic 10k alone is ugly.
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08-22-2005, 03:50 PM
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#6
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Whuch' you need?
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: West Saint Paul
Posts: 3,810
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So you think 20k is not blue enough?
Would 20k really need actinics?
Derek
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08-22-2005, 03:52 PM
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#7
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,597
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Alot depends on the brand you use I run 20k xms and actinic I like a bluer look. 
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08-22-2005, 03:55 PM
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#8
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Land Shark
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 5,946
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What matters is what suits you. 10k alone may not be bad to you, others may think it's too yellow. Others think 20ks are too blue.
I run a combo of 10k and 20K MHs for 3-4 hours, and VHO actinics for 12hrs. And I like the look.
Graham's avatar, OTOH, I don't like the look. 
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08-22-2005, 03:57 PM
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#9
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ex- Montipora Farmer
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 944
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Casey
Alot depends on the brand you use I run 20k xms and actinic I like a bluer look. |
Agreed, you would miss out on the dawn dusk affect also. I enjoy that part of my lighting the most to be honest. The colors are radiant, and fish seem to get in a real feeding mode that time of night... something to be said for slowly introducing the corals to light as well. I would imagine that going from darkness to a blast of MH in about a minute is pretty harsh. JMHO
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08-22-2005, 03:59 PM
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#10
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Posts: 768
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I think that 10k alone is not a very appealing look. I personally run 400w 20k Radiums with VHO actinic on a 120g, and a 14k 250w HQI halide alone over a 20gH.
As for growth and color of softies/LPS, I think the best results will come from 20k.
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08-22-2005, 04:14 PM
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#11
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: 3rd rock
Posts: 839
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I just changed my 10K to a 20K because I wanted a little blue, well I got blue, way to much for me I'm going to try a 14K.
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08-22-2005, 04:26 PM
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#12
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Posts: 768
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Be wary of SE 250w 14-15k. Some have very poor chracteristics.
For example, the 250w Hamilton14k SE pales in comparison to its 400w counterpart, in relation to other bulbs in the same class. I have run them both for the full bulb-life. JMO
Joe
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08-22-2005, 10:50 PM
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#13
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Rochester, Mn
Posts: 500
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my lights are a 250W 10k MH & 2 24" NO atinics
and I don't like it, colors suck everything is brown
going to try a 15k or 20k someday
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08-22-2005, 11:11 PM
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#14
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RIP Steve Irwin
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Whereva
Posts: 5,500
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Derek, take my tank for example...400 watt 20 k with 440 watt of Super Actinic. Do you like the color of it?
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08-22-2005, 11:13 PM
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#15
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Semi-retar...eh...retired
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 2,995
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Scott, FWIW, there's more that goes into color than just lighting...lots of folks think water chemistry is just as much (if not more) of a factor. If your colors already "suck", I don't know if changing the bulb K alone is going to significantly improve things...
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