so i just went to the lfs they got in some new plants i got some crypts java fern, and anubia for my uruguay tank. i also upgraded my lighting to a current nova extreme t5ho 36" fixture with 2 39 watt bulbs but my guy at the store told me acitanic bulbs make fish and plant color pop, and that the plants will grow fine with them they are a 10,000k white bulb and a 460nm acitanic bulb. what do you guys think.
acitanic bulbs for plants
- Thread starter joedodge
- Start date
Plants can use any light between 400 and 700 nm, so your actinic bulb should be just fine. The 10,000K will provide useable light too, though perhaps not as much as a 6700K lamp of the same wattage. I don't have a PAR chart handy so I'm not sure on that last point.
ive heard they dont grow well with actinics.
also i wouldnt say plants can use any light between 400-700 nm, i believe they have most plants have a specific area in the spectrum where they absorb more. based on the pigments in there chloroplasts, those pigments only react to specific wavelengths. if you could find out what pigments are predominantly in your plants you could tell if you can or not.
edit: also notice that actinics vary on the wavelength they put out, i think 450nm is common. notice how at the 450 mark both a and b drop significantly
also i wouldnt say plants can use any light between 400-700 nm, i believe they have most plants have a specific area in the spectrum where they absorb more. based on the pigments in there chloroplasts, those pigments only react to specific wavelengths. if you could find out what pigments are predominantly in your plants you could tell if you can or not.
edit: also notice that actinics vary on the wavelength they put out, i think 450nm is common. notice how at the 450 mark both a and b drop significantly