Best Power Compact Actinic

[dave00gt]

I have the Coralife 260watts PC with youre regular actinics and daylight bulbs,

Coralife
260 watts
4 x65 w straight pin Pc's
2 actinics
2 daylight

I wanted to know if there was any other compatible actinic bulb that is more bluish, then what i have. I just want to achieve more bluer, so the color of the corals can show more.

[Reefland]

I don't think any of them are more "blue" than the other. In this case you might want to try a third blue bulb, but this will cut back on your usable light.

[dragonladylea]

I use the 96W quad 2blue 2 white and since my tank came with the standard strip light I got an additional corallife atinic and put it in the striplight. That way I didnt lose anything and it was cheaper than buying another light at this point. If I buy another light its gonna be T-5.

[The Grim Reefer]

Do the actinics you have now pop the colors at all? If you just want to add a little blue to the tank you could use one of these http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113350

It is a fully submerssible blue fluorescent lamp. I mounted one at the front of my tank at the top so it was hidden by the top frame of the tank. Mine was just breaking the surface of the water so there were killer blue shimmer through the tank when it was the only light on at night.

[dave00gt]

I don't think any of them are more "blue" than the other. In this case you might want to try a third blue bulb, but this will cut back on your usable light.

really? i didnt know that at all, so that means the more blue would affect my corrals

[dave00gt]

I use the 96W quad 2blue 2 white and since my tank came with the standard strip light I got an additional corallife atinic and put it in the striplight. That way I didnt lose anything and it was cheaper than buying another light at this point. If I buy another light its gonna be T-5.

i think my next step would be metal halide like a 20k .. i was thinking t5's too.. but when i am ready its going to be either t5's or metal halide's

[dave00gt]

Do the actinics you have now pop the colors at all? If you just want to add a little blue to the tank you could use one of these http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113350

It is a fully submerssible blue fluorescent lamp. I mounted one at the front of my tank at the top so it was hidden by the top frame of the tank. Mine was just breaking the surface of the water so there were killer blue shimmer through the tank when it was the only light on at night.

they do bring out the colors but i feel or would like a little more blue just to bring it our a little more

[The Grim Reefer]

You could change your 10K's to the smart lamp which is 50/50 actinic daylight combination.

[dough]

I like the 03's from Hellolights.com. I have runs those for some years now.

[dave00gt]

I like the 03's from Hellolights.com. I have runs those for some years now.

can i see some pics

[Reefland]

Hi dough,

I have used these in the past and liked them much more than the standard blue actinic bulbs. I don't think however that these will add more overall blue coloration to the tank unless an additional blue (or partially blue in Grim's suggestion) bulb is used.

[dave00gt]

Hi dough,


I have used these in the past and liked them much more than the standard blue actinic bulbs. I don't think however that these will add more overall blue coloration to the tank unless an additional blue (or partially blue in Grim's suggestion) bulb is used.

no no.. i just want my colors to pop out more, i just want to fluoress more like my greens , oranges, and blues, so i figured maybe a bluer actinic would work, but from reading it looks like the 03's from hellolights are going to work more in popping out the colors more right?

[Reefland]

Oh I misunderstood your original post, I thought you were just looking for a more blue overall appearance. If your looking to pop the colors a bit more, the 03's will do it for sure.

[dave00gt]

Oh I misunderstood your original post, I thought you were just looking for a more blue overall appearance. If your looking to pop the colors a bit more, the 03's will do it for sure.

yeeeessss!.. i love this site, actinic 03's it is then

[dave00gt]

wait! i am confused.. i read up on my coralife box and it says that i already have actinics 03's

http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?I...lationship=283

and my friend told me that i need some 20k bulbs then, is that correct

[The Grim Reefer]

If you really want to pop the colors you need to add VHO actinics. PC's aren't all that great as far as actinics go. 20K's is typically used to refer to the blue metal halide lamps that really pop colors.