Light Temperatures/Saltwater Tanks

Ok, I'm posting here because NOBODY looks at the other topics under Saltwater.

Anyway, let's say I have corals in my tank and I have a 6-bulb T5HO fixture. What would be the best mixture of lighting for that? Currently I have two 6500K and two Blue/White 60/40 15,000K bulbs, along with two regular old actinics.

I'm thinking that perhaps I shouldn't have gotten the 6500K bulbs and gotten another 60/40 and maybe a red light. Thoughts?

If anyone says "it depends on your corals" I will literally find out where you live. Let's just assume the most light requiring coral that T5HO can support.

 

From what I've seen, it's more personal preference. For instance, some people don't like the blue look of actinics so they don't run them. As longas your corals are doing good and the tank is to your liking, I'd say leave it. If your corals need help, play around with it and see what works better. Personally, I run 4 T5HOs 2-superactinic and 2-10,000K

 

I've got a 50 breeder (36"x18"x18") with a 6x 39W fixture over it. I use 3x 10000K bulbs and 3x 10000K actinics. I use Giesemann bulbs (would highly recommend) and am able to keep a couple SPS corals just over halfway up to the top. I've got a psammocora and an acropora millepora and both are doing quite well and have been for over a year. I wouldn't buy 6500K bulbs just because I don't like the yellow look of them, but if you wanted to mix them with the 10K and actinic you could probably get a really nice look that way.

 

I'm using Giessemanne, as well. I replaced one of the 6000K bulbs with a 60/40 Blue/White 15000K bulb and an actinic plus to replace one of my existing actinics. It's still pretty yellow; now I'm thinking of replacing the other 6000K bulb with the aquapink.

I've noticed that since moving from the 10,000K whites and the 460nm actinics to my current setup my corals seems to extend a bit more, and my sebae anemone, who couldn't seem to plant his foot, has not stabilized.

On another note, one of my clowns finally found a bubble tip. I got five juvenile perculas and this is the first that they took notice of the anemones. Most clowns are only around an inch and a quarter long. One is around an inch and 3/4 - he's the one hosting.

 

I think 6500k to 10,000k and 350-480 nm actinics will work fine for most.

 

Good morning,

I have moved your thread to the Saltwater Aquarium Lighting section of the forum.

Tip:
It always helps to have the subject of your question in the title of your thread. Make your title clear and to the point. Too, it wouldn't hurt to have Saltwater Tank listed in the title since we have fewer salt tank keepers. I just want you to be able to receive all of the responses possible yet keep the thread in the proper sub forum.

I'm adding Saltwater Tanks into your title.

Thanks!
Ken

 

Since this was posted in a subcategory under Saltwater I figured it would be understood that it was a saltwater tank.

Also, have you seen how often the posts on the subtopics get looked at? Other than my threads the last one was Nov. 21st. Nobody looks in the subcategories so we all post in the general categories so that someone will reply. Otherwise it just sits there until someone gets really, really bored. Believe me - I've tried to bump up the content of the sub-categories because I like this site, but if I really want an answer I need to leave it someplace where people don't have to dig for it.

 

Addendum: in my experience as a developer and as a content provider, I've found that simpler always works better. If the subcategories aren't being used then that doesn't help the overall health of the website; it adds confusions as new people who post correctly don't get their questions answered until a month later, by which time they've moved on to Reef Central or someplace like that. In other words, if a sub category is touched once a month then there isn't a quantified need for that sub category.

 

Ok, I'm posting here because NOBODY looks at the other topics under Saltwater.

Anyway, let's say I have corals in my tank and I have a 6-bulb T5HO fixture. What would be the best mixture of lighting for that? Currently I have two 6500K and two Blue/White 60/40 15,000K bulbs, along with two regular old actinics.

I'm thinking that perhaps I shouldn't have gotten the 6500K bulbs and gotten another 60/40 and maybe a red light. Thoughts?

If anyone says "it depends on your corals" I will literally find out where you live. Let's just assume the most light requiring coral that T5HO can support.

Hey Zeeter!! Change the 6500 to 10k's daylight and keep the 15's and do actinic bulbs for the other two do not use red bulbs they are designed for fresh water plants not corals corals need nothing but blue spectrums not reds and greens. If I had a 6 bulb system this would be what I would run in the fixture!!

 

Not sure about that Stang. I've really been doing a lot of research on this and it appears that corals have the best growth using 5500-6500K lamps, plus blue spectrum. The aquablues are 60/40 6500K/22,000K. I think I've got plenty of blues. As for the red - this isn't the fauna red. This is the marine red. Its more for display than growth since reds are the first color to disappear in the water. Not sure I'm so interested in that - just wanted people's opinions and I agree with you.

I understand, though, that the 10,000K's give you the best of both ends. Just that I want the best growth possible. In fact, I may just take out the remaining 6500K bulb and replace it with another aquablue+. More later - gotta head home.

 

The more kelvin spectrum is what gets the corals to grow at a resonable rate. Like I said about reds your wasting your money cause the light will be wasted and use up your wattage for nothing. 10-20 kelvins is the best spectrum for corals.

 

That's why I'm liking the aquablue plus. They're a mixture of 6000 and 22000. You get the daylight plus the blue. The red would be for appearance only. It brings out the reds and pinks that you wouldn't normally see in the tank. You don't notice the red light in the tank; just the red in the red corals stands out.

It also depends on the coral. Corals that grow closer to the surface need the daylight lamps and ones a little deeper need the higher temperature lights.

 

That's why I'm liking the aquablue plus. They're a mixture of 6000 and 22000. You get the daylight plus the blue. The red would be for appearance only. It brings out the reds and pinks that you wouldn't normally see in the tank. You don't notice the red light in the tank; just the red in the red corals stands out.

It also depends on the coral. Corals that grow closer to the surface need the daylight lamps and ones a little deeper need the higher temperature lights.

It doesn't have much of a difference from 15,000 k to 20,000k just has more depth that the light will reach if you have hard corals that need that type then go for the higher kelvin type bulbs.
What type corals do you have? And are you planning on more diffucult corals to keep?

 

I'm looking now at SPS. Birdsnest, Montipora, things like that. I'd been told all along that the only thing I can ever have is leather and other low-light corals. Then I read that with the right color combination I can get whatever I want. That is, as long as I'm not putting them too deep in the tank.

Edit: and anemones, too. Someone told me that if I really want an anemone to thrive I need metal halides. Turns out not to be correct if done right.

 

I'm looking now at SPS. Birdsnest, Montipora, things like that. I'd been told all along that the only thing I can ever have is leather and other low-light corals. Then I read that with the right color combination I can get whatever I want. That is, as long as I'm not putting them too deep in the tank.

Edit: and anemones, too. Someone told me that if I really want an anemone to thrive I need metal halides. Turns out not to be correct if done right.

You are right about that you need the higher spectrums and the right combos and you can have any type of coral with strong spectrums of the right colors such as I posted on this thread earlier. I used compact flouresants back in the day and am still using them and I can grow soft or hard corals with no problem!!! I wish I had a T-5 six bulb fixture I would grow nothing but acroporas and maybe a few others.

 

I bought some small frags that require more light. I'm hoping that my light temperature theory, along with proper placement in the tank, will let them grow.

 

I bought some small frags that require more light. I'm hoping that my light temperature theory, along with proper placement in the tank, will let them grow.

What frags did you get?

 

birds nest and a montipora. Got another birdsnest type thing yesterday from the $10 frag bin at the LFS. Not a true birdsnest but it is branch-like.

 

Then you should have no problems with the lights you currently have for this type corals.

 

Last night I got an Actinic+ and a Pure Actinic from the LFS. So now I'm running three Aquablue bulbs, two Actinic+, and one Pure Actinic.

Now, I have the three Aquablue's with one Actinic+ on one circuit and the other Actinic+ and the Pure Actinic on the other circuit. Wondering if maybe I should move the Pure Actinic to the daylight circuit and keep both Actinic+ bulbs on the dawn/dusk circuit.

 

Last night I got an Actinic+ and a Pure Actinic from the LFS. So now I'm running three Aquablue bulbs, two Actinic+, and one Pure Actinic.

Now, I have the three Aquablue's with one Actinic+ on one circuit and the other Actinic+ and the Pure Actinic on the other circuit. Wondering if maybe I should move the Pure Actinic to the daylight circuit and keep both Actinic+ bulbs on the dawn/dusk circuit.

What's a aqua blue? And actinic+? Not making much sense here!!!! Whats the kelvin degree's?

 

Actinic+ is 22,000K. Pure Actinic is 421nm. Aquablue+ is a 60/40 mix of 6000K and 22,000K respectively.

 

Makes me want to trade my giesemann compacts for T-5. What did you pay for your lights?

 

They all run around $30 - $35.

 

They all run around $30 - $35.

I meant the whole fixture.

 

I got the 48" one, plus they gave me a 20% off and a preferred customer discount.
The bulbs are 10,000K and either 420 or 460; I forget. They're not all that great.

Since you'd probably buy new bulbs anyway you might think of this one:


Tek lights are supposed to use some of the best reflectors in the world. Plus this is bulb-less, so since you'd replace the bulbs anyway with Giessemannes it would probably work out around the same. Only difference is no built in timer (which is both a plus and a minus) and no lunar lights.

I'm seriously thinking of upgrading to the 8-bulb Tek system, though my AquaticLife one is nothing to complain about.

 

We can thank the high prices of electricity in Europe for the higher quality T5 lighting coming out these days. Europeans can't afford the metal halides and even the CF lights. That's led to a ton of research into T5 lighting, both in bulbs and fixtures. I went into TFS to buy a $700 metal halide system and he actually talked me out of it, suggesting that I'll get the same growth with a solid mixture of T5's. I only wish I had listened to him when he tried to talk me out of the daylight-only bulbs. Made the tank way yellow!

Edit: by "cant afford" I meant the higher electric bills. And BTW: I can't wait for the LED's to become affordable! They're supposed to be comparable in PAR with all but the highest wattage MH out there. And since you have so many bulbs you can mix and match all different types of temperatures.

 

It will probably take a few years for the LED lights to become more affordable when that happens I will be buying LED for sure the price for the electricity to run is so low in cost compared to all flouresants. But for now I will wait till the time comes for price to fall. It's just like everything else that comes out new and price is so high that no one wants to pay for it and LED are still relatively new so it will come!!!!

 

I am using ATI

 

It will probably take a few years for the LED lights to become more affordable when that happens I will be buying LED for sure the price for the electricity to run is so low in cost compared to all flouresants. But for now I will wait till the time comes for price to fall. It's just like everything else that comes out new and price is so high that no one wants to pay for it and LED are still relatively new so it will come!!!!

There's a link out there where you can do DIY LED system for around $600 - lights included. They're very thorough instructions. Problem is that there's some company in Germany (I think) that has a patent on LED aquatic lighting. So nobody else can sell the fixtures. I think Marineland has a deal with them but a 24" system is $600. Really not worth the money considering I'd need two of them.
If you want the link let me know. It's not a patent violation if you build it yourself - it's only a violation if you sell it.

 

Yeah give me the link that would be great!!!!!!!