Lightning Question for Corals

[Fish Etc]

what is the difference between 7100k Blue and Actinic Lightning Reef tank????

Can i mix both of them????

 

[sprayin70]

first a 7100k bulb isn't going to be very blue and a actinic is usually a UV spectrum to cause the corals to fluores. Yes you can mix them if you have enough total light for the corals to use. Remember a Actinic bulb only has like a 1/4 of total usable light where as a 10k 14k 20k has almost all usable light. Mostly a actinic bulb is for supplementary lighting anyway. Really just to make the corals look nice. they can grow just fine without it.

Good luck

 

[ewurm]

Most setups you can buy have Actinic and 10000K mix.

 

[sweeTang21]

coralife makes the dual strip systems. you can get dual tube actinic which are usualy 50/50 or customize to full actinic. also get i think 10,000K bulb. otherwise get a HQI system. a lot more money but cant go wrong lol. good luck and have fun

 

[BIGgourami]

first a 7100k bulb isn't going to be very blue and a actinic is usually a UV spectrum to cause the corals to fluores. Yes you can mix them if you have enough total light for the corals to use. Remember a Actinic bulb only has like a 1/4 of total usable light where as a 10k 14k 20k has almost all usable light. Mostly a actinic bulb is for supplementary lighting anyway. Really just to make the corals look nice. they can grow just fine without it.

Good luck

7100K is yellowish isn't it?

 

[chrisdef15]

Yeah fairly yellowish. The lower the K down to about 6 the better the growth of corals though as it replicates the midday sun. 7100 will be fine just add an acintic as well.
I have a 150w 6500 on my 3' and its yellow on its own but with my 2 acintic fluros go on it looks awesome.

 

[BIGgourami]

3' tank?
what size ballast do you have?

 

[sebae09]

7100K is fairly yellow, but as allready mentioned 460nm or 420nm bulbs will help it look good while still haveing good coral growth.

 

[sprayin70]

Corals will loose color but grow well in the 6500k range. Even with actinics they will not look there best. Just go with a 10K main and a couple of VHO actinics for supp light.