Aquarium Lighting

organ

Don't know how many fish keepers are out there but I have a question about lighting. I don't need special lighting because I don't have live plants, just trying to get a nice 'effect'.

I just got a new canopy for my 50 gal tank. The light fixture holds two florescent lights. I've replaced one of them with an actinic light today. The actinic is awesome because it adds a blue color to the tank and together with the other daylight bulb, simulates deep ocean water. I know this is the ideal set up for a reef tank but I like the way it looks in my freshwater tank.

Just wondering if anybody have played around with a mixture of actinic together with another type of bulb. Some bulbs have more of a yellowish tint and some have a red tint. The other one I'm using in conjunction with my actinic is a normal "daylight" type that came with the canopy. I'm thinking the one that leans toward the red spectrum should be interesting.

Maurice

organ

Hey Sean,
How's everything with you? Life? Audio?

Actually, I had to quit my job at Trutone last week on Wed. They told me that I'm welcome back anytime so I may work there again in the future. I have school starting next week and don't want to kill myself. So I'm just working at the restaurant now. I had a great time at the HT store. Great people and learned quite a bit about video. Man, until I upgrade to high def, I'll never look at my TV the same way again LOL .

I've been having bad luck with my audio gear. My GTA pre just went out for repair today . Don't know what happened to it. But my ASL pre should be ready from the techie by the end of the week or early next week. That should keep me busy until I get the GTA back. I have a few more days off and I look forward to pumping loud tunes through the horns :cool: .

Great to hear from you. I hope life is treating you well.

Maurice

caseymou

I keep a reef at home so I am somewhat familiar with lighting. Your daylight bulb will probably be about 6700kelvin which is somewhat yellowish. I would suggest a 10k bulb with an actinic, or two 50/50 bulbs which have both the 10k and actinic built into one bulb.

ublguy

I use one with a blue tint, and another just a regular bulb. When I used to blues, it was way to dark, and I perferred a light blue.

At the moment, both lights are out :-(

need to go shopping!

organ

Casey,
Thanks for the help. I'll get some 10k next time I go down to the pet shop. I really like the way actinic bring out the definition on my fish. A big **** 8 year old red belly piranha, pure muscles!

ublguys,
Actinic alone is too washed out looking. It does look cool with all the lights out but I don't think I'd ever use actinic by itself. What kind of fish do you have?

Maurice

ublguy

organ wrote:

Casey,
ublguys,
Actinic alone is too washed out looking. It does look cool with all the lights out but I don't think I'd ever use actinic by itself. What kind of fish do you have?

Maurice

I only have a 39 gallon tank, so I have some Yellow Labs.