Actinics

[fishlips]

Ok,Need a little help.My acros are growing nice.Color is poor.I feel its in my lighting. Tell me about actinics.Dose anyone use them .And witch ones do you like.

 

[snowmansnow]

what lights are you under right now?

 

[fishlips]

2 hydras, and supplementing with 2 36" t5 blue +and coral+ over 48"x24"

 

[crew]

low coral with a white appearance in SPS is usually an indicator of too much light in my experience. Can you turn them down a little for maybe a week, see if that helps?

 

[ringo®]

What settings are you running the hydras at?

 

[fishlips]

UV -40
V-70
DB-95
RB-95
G-40
R-44
W-60
Hydras hung at 9.5 OTW
10 hrs, 2 hr ramp up and down.

 

[ringo®]

Ever taken any par readings where the corals are at? May be worth it to see if a LFS has one for rent.

 

[dball711]

Hi James, i run a Hydra on my softy tank and i keep my Whites, Reds and Greens in single digits. The whites seem to wash out the colors in my experience. I don't think actinic T-5's will help much but some ATI Blue+ would make a difference and add some PAR.

 

[fishlips]

I don't have access to a par meter.
I'm supplementing with t5 blue +& coral+.

 

[fishlips]

And Thanks, to you both.I have talked to several people, including George at Pure Reef. If we cut back on white,will lose growth.

 

[ringo®]

I don't think it would be detrimental. I would experiment with what Dball said for a few weeks.....maybe not that low, but dial them back and see if you can tell a difference.

 

[fishlips]

I will give it some thought. I'm not familiar with actinic bulbs.But after research and what some have experienced, it helped greatly with acros. The actinic dose not have much par,BUT,alot of PUR that helps something, LOL.This is why we need to figure out if actinic bulb will help.I got room to add 2 more t5 bulbs. Front and back. Was considering also a purple+ and actinic. ?