Need Actinic with 20000K MH?

[splitred]

I'm in the process of upgrading from power compacts to metal halides on my 75g. I have two 250w retro-fit kits, but I don't have any VHO or T5 actinic bulbs. Do I need the VHO or T5s if I use 20000k metal halide bulbs? Please feel free to give any useful advice.

Edited January 15, 2010 by splitred

[Ryan S]

I'm in the process of upgrading from power compacts to metal halides on my 75g. I have two 250w retro-fit kits, but I don't have any VHO or T5 actinic bulbs. Do I need the VHO or T5 if I use 20000k metal halide bulbs? Please feel free to give an useful advice.

 

Many people supplement with PC, VHO, or T5 to create a dawn and dusk effect. It also gives the corals some light to "warm up" before the bright halides come on. It also allows you to have a longer photoperiod each day for less cost than running the halides for the same length of time. For example, many people will run their supplements anywhere from 8-14 hours a day, and then run their halides for 6-10 hours a day. If you straight up ran the halides for 8-14 hours a day, your electric bill would be a bit higher. Technically though, you don't need any supplements for halides. If you're going to run 20k halides and don't care about the dawn/dusk period, then I'd say you could skip them. Personally, I don't like 20k halides because the tank is too blue. I like running 14k halides with actinic supplements, that gives the best looking tank for my eyes. The growth of the 14k bulbs is better than the 20k growth; and the supplements make the colors pop just as good as the 20k bulbs would.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Ryan S

[Coral Hind]

I think Ryan explained it very nice. I would only add them for dawn to dusk unless you like an extremely blue tank.

[reefhunter]

I used to run just radiums on my other tank with no supplements. I now run radiums with t5s. I have tried different T5's with Radiums. If I were you, I would skip the T5 and run just radiums. The only compromises are growth and the sunrise/sunset effect and it may be initially too blue but you will grow to love it..

 

Thats my opinion.

Edited January 15, 2010 by reefhunter

[lhcorals]

Many people supplement with PC, VHO, or T5 to create a dawn and dusk effect. It also gives the corals some light to "warm up" before the bright halides come on. It also allows you to have a longer photoperiod each day for less cost than running the halides for the same length of time. For example, many people will run their supplements anywhere from 8-14 hours a day, and then run their halides for 6-10 hours a day. If you straight up ran the halides for 8-14 hours a day, your electric bill would be a bit higher. Technically though, you don't need any supplements for halides. If you're going to run 20k halides and don't care about the dawn/dusk period, then I'd say you could skip them. Personally, I don't like 20k halides because the tank is too blue. I like running 14k halides with actinic supplements, that gives the best looking tank for my eyes. The growth of the 14k bulbs is better than the 20k growth; and the supplements make the colors pop just as good as the 20k bulbs would.

 

 

+1

[scott711]

I run 20k radiums and actinic VHO's. I like the combination and it allows me to have a longer lighting schedule.

[Brian Ward]

the longer lighting schedule is probably the biggest benefit. I have 20k XM bulbs that I run from 4-10 every evening. But my T5s I run from 1-11. running the halides for 10 hrs every day would use a ton more electricity, both from the bulbs and from cooling, it would put a lot more heat out, and the bulbs would require replacement much quicker. If you only want light on your tank for 6-8 hrs/day then you can go with just halides - or if you have deep pockets and don't mind the extra expense. I like having the actinics only and having light on in the tank for 10 hrs/day with only 6 hrs of intense halide light.

[lhcorals]

I dont know why but i guess i am one of the lucky ones. I dont have a chiller on my tank and my temp does not get above 80. I have my lights around 8" above the water line in the display. I am running the MH for 10 hours and the T-5's for 11 to 11 1/2 hours a day. My electric bill runs $320 a month.

Edited January 15, 2010 by lhcorals

[chucelli]

I used to run 20kand 10k MH only and IME, others who supplement with heavy blues (VHO, T5) have better coral colors. Not just appearance under lighting, but actual pigments.

-R