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actinic lights
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#2
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actinic lights
Why do you want actinic lights? They are meant for reef tanks, and aren't
generally recommended for freshwater plants. Some people even think they cause algae. You'd probably be better off posting this question to to a marine or reef newsgroup. They're the ones who have experience with actinics. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
#3
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actinic lights
In article ink.net, Christopher wrote:
which is better? Better for what? The Coralife seems to be a "true" 03 Actinic. The Hagen is a high spectrum lamp, but it is not Actinic. '03 Actinic' is a specific brand by Phillips, that has come to mean a tube that produces a high spectrum light that is almost beyond the visible range. Actinic is used by reef keepers to compenstate for yellower lights and make a reef tank more pleaseing to the eye. Actinic is also used to make corals floresce. Also the Hagen uses T-10 size tubes which is fine if that is what you need, but T-12 is more common. Here is another source of Actinics http://hellolights.com/fluorbulac.html The "Super Actinic R" have an internal reflector. |
#4
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actinic lights
"Christopher" wrote in message rthlink.net... it gives the tank a more pleasing look, 40 of my 120W are actinic, even with all powerglo's the tank looks yellow, now its very pleasing, I also have the actinics and not the powerglo's turn on in the morning and evening for sunrise/sunset "LeighMo" wrote in message ... Why do you want actinic lights? They are meant for reef tanks, and aren't generally recommended for freshwater plants. Some people even think they cause algae. You'd probably be better off posting this question to to a marine or reef newsgroup. They're the ones who have experience with actinics. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ I have an actinic on my freshwater tank, and it offsets the warmth of the other two tubes. Introduces some nice blues into the mix. I don't have an algae problem now the tank has settled down - the plants have found a happier growth rate, I add co2 but not on a daily basis, and fertilize every few weeks with a slow-release liquid. Plants are in gravel, no fancy substrate. Heavily stocked with fish, and a decent external cannister filter. Initially I saw problems with BGA, some green hair algae, and a crop of black brush stuff. After a few months, I stopped getting the BGA (lights off for a couple of days every weekend used to keep it in check), the hair algae went of it's own accord, and the black brush stuff has all but vanished now too. I do very infrequent water changes (in fact, I think the last one was over 2 months ago, possibly longer) - all the fish are healthy, happy, no diseases in the time the tank's been set up (6 months to a yearish? can't remember exactly). So, I'm guessing the plants in there have enough light, but the algae doesn't get enough to grow - regardless of the actinic in there - and that the algae in there was either caused by excessive light initially (the tubes are well due for replacement by now, I'm sure) or by the tank settling down over several months, and/or the plant food I was using at the time. Running it more as a self-contained ecosystem, bar the filtration, definately seems to be working better at the moment - and I don't plan on another water change for at least another couple of months. The lights are all on at the same time, and off at the same time, so the actinic is never there on it's own. Velvet |
#5
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actinic lights
I like the actinic because even in a freshwater tank it makes my cichlids
look REALLY bright...almost as if their dorsal fins are florescing sometimes "Velvet" wrote in message ... "Christopher" wrote in message rthlink.net... it gives the tank a more pleasing look, 40 of my 120W are actinic, even with all powerglo's the tank looks yellow, now its very pleasing, I also have the actinics and not the powerglo's turn on in the morning and evening for sunrise/sunset "LeighMo" wrote in message ... Why do you want actinic lights? They are meant for reef tanks, and aren't generally recommended for freshwater plants. Some people even think they cause algae. You'd probably be better off posting this question to to a marine or reef newsgroup. They're the ones who have experience with actinics. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ I have an actinic on my freshwater tank, and it offsets the warmth of the other two tubes. Introduces some nice blues into the mix. I don't have an algae problem now the tank has settled down - the plants have found a happier growth rate, I add co2 but not on a daily basis, and fertilize every few weeks with a slow-release liquid. Plants are in gravel, no fancy substrate. Heavily stocked with fish, and a decent external cannister filter. Initially I saw problems with BGA, some green hair algae, and a crop of black brush stuff. After a few months, I stopped getting the BGA (lights off for a couple of days every weekend used to keep it in check), the hair algae went of it's own accord, and the black brush stuff has all but vanished now too. I do very infrequent water changes (in fact, I think the last one was over 2 months ago, possibly longer) - all the fish are healthy, happy, no diseases in the time the tank's been set up (6 months to a yearish? can't remember exactly). So, I'm guessing the plants in there have enough light, but the algae doesn't get enough to grow - regardless of the actinic in there - and that the algae in there was either caused by excessive light initially (the tubes are well due for replacement by now, I'm sure) or by the tank settling down over several months, and/or the plant food I was using at the time. Running it more as a self-contained ecosystem, bar the filtration, definately seems to be working better at the moment - and I don't plan on another water change for at least another couple of months. The lights are all on at the same time, and off at the same time, so the actinic is never there on it's own. Velvet |
#6
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actinic lights
it gives the tank a more pleasing look, 40 of my 120W are actinic, even with
all powerglo's the tank looks yellow, now its very pleasing, I also have the actinics and not the powerglo's turn on in the morning and evening for sunrise/sunset So you just like the blue color. In that case, get whatever's cheapest. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
#7
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actinic lights
Pay close attn to shipping prices on bulbs.
I've seen a few places charge up to $15 per bulb. I found the best price at the LFS. "Christopher" wrote in message rthlink.net... which is better? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...=6&pCatId=4511 or http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...=6&pCatId=3812 |
#8
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actinic lights
it gives the tank a more pleasing look, 40 of my 120W are actinic, even with
all powerglo's the tank looks yellow, now its very pleasing, I also have the actinics and not the powerglo's turn on in the morning and evening for sunrise/sunset "LeighMo" wrote in message ... Why do you want actinic lights? They are meant for reef tanks, and aren't generally recommended for freshwater plants. Some people even think they cause algae. You'd probably be better off posting this question to to a marine or reef newsgroup. They're the ones who have experience with actinics. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
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