Creating natural, functional cichlid display tanks

Stanzzzz7

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I ask because I just built these lights and have some expert color (high cri) Philips PAR38's in here but it's looking pretty yellowish...they are 4k. I'm considering either going to 5000k (standard cri) or leaving these, they look more natural to me for some reason.

View attachment 1395844
First of all, I apologise for the slow reply. I've not been around much lately.
As for the lighting, it will ultimately depend on what you are trying to achieve.
The higher kelvin lights are great if your aims are a planted tank.
Personally in fish only tanks or tanks with easy low light plants, I prefer a more subdued light.
I think lighting with a yellow hue can look very natural. It would look great on a shallow sandy biotope for Cory catfish for example.
I would try to introduce lighting of more a pink or red hue if keeping cichlids and wanting to see good colour from the fish.
Yellow lighting is not great for making fish colours pop. More suited to silvery metallic species like angels or chalceus for example.
Ultimately if you like the effect then you have the right light.
 

Stanzzzz7

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There is a difference between self indulgence and for its sake and pride in what you can create. This is educational and beautiful. If people with talent did not share we would not have art.
Thank you, really appreciate the nice comment.
 
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fishhead0103666

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It is quite nice to see you around Stanzzzz7 Stanzzzz7 , I was afraid we lost ya for good.

I’m not sure if I’ve seen this thread or read it all the way through but it looks like I have something new to read as this is an interesting subject for me and I would like to create a biotype tank in the future.
 
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Stanzzzz7

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It is quite nice to see you around Stanzzzz7 Stanzzzz7 , I was afraid we lost ya for good.

I’m not sure if I’ve seen this thread or read it all the way through but it looks like I have something new to read as this is an interesting subject for me and I would like to create a biotype tank in the future.
Thanks man. Your right I have not been around much lately, probably ran out of things to write about.
I'm hoping to start some new projects in the not to distant future so I will be back with lots of pictures and write ups shortly
Thanks for the nice comments. .
 

jjohnwm

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Terrific thread! I'm so thankful that it was brought back up to the top, as I've never run across it before. It's always wonderful to get some great new ideas; it's also nice to receive justification for some things I've done for a long time, but always had to hear my wife complaining that I was cheap (true, but irrelevant...).

MFK tends to be a little overrun with the type of spotless, sterile, hospital-ward-looking tanks that just leave me cold. The designs in this thread are a breath of fresh air. :)
 
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