question on lighting

Blue Hippo · 05/19/2014, 08:26 AM

Hello reef central, I have a question about lighting. My situation is that, I was told by my local fish store that I may need new lights, due to a recent cyano accumulation.
I currently have lights from Sea World however I cannot find sea world replacement lights any where.
I have 4- 48'' (2 white 2 blue) t5's. I want my corals to grow and pop with color as well as provide a awesome lighting in my tank.
What can some of you recommend and where can I get new "good" bulbs at a reasonable price? And should I get 4 different bulbs or stick with the 2 whites 2 blues configuration?

75g reef tank with frogspawn, birdnest, leather coral and some zoas. Tank is 8months old.

Please help.

Dmorty217 · 05/19/2014, 08:52 AM

Bulbs out of spectrum will help cause the cyano but there are other excess nutrients in the tank helping cause the issue too. Most who do T5 do a grow white, blue, purple, and another blue or royal. This will provide great color and pop as you were saying but the coral may grow slower with only 1 white. Warm whites grow coral the best, they just also look the worst and most yellow

Blue Hippo · 05/19/2014, 09:16 AM

So would a recommend a warm whit and another white with a blue and a purple? Also I would I know a warm white from a normal white or blue or purple before purchasing and installing?

Blue Hippo · 05/19/2014, 09:24 AM

So would you suggest I do a warm white with a normal white, a blue and a purple? Also, how would I know a the difference in warm white and normal white before purchasing.

Dmorty217 · 05/19/2014, 10:29 AM

The lights that are white will be rated in kelvin temps so 6500k is like a lot of lights in your home, yellow color a warm white is closer to 10k. 20k is blue as blue gets and 17-18k is the purple. If it were me I would do one white somewhere between 5-10k the yellower the light is the more growth you will get since the sun in the ocean is close to 6500k. Then get a purple, blue and royal blue or actinic.get on bulk reef supply under T5 bulbs and you can see the different combos you can put together

Blue Hippo · 05/19/2014, 11:56 AM

Thanks.. I always thought the blues were always consider actinics. Did I miss something in my studies or is there a difference between blue, purple, royal vs actinics?

Dmorty217 · 05/19/2014, 12:21 PM

Actinic is what I believe has evolved into blues or 450nm or so? It's really just verbiage. I've been reefing for almost 17 yrs now and a lot has changed. There is definitely a difference in the kelvin temp between blue, royal blue and purple. Kelvin is really only used in metal halides and other bulbs that can be found in your home. I think the change now is more toward the nm approach. 450nm is blue, 670nm is red and so on... Maybe that's just for LEDs I honestly don't know but it's all relative when describing color

05/19/2014, 08:26 AM	#1
Blue Hippo Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 14	question on lighting Hello reef central, I have a question about lighting. My situation is that, I was told by my local fish store that I may need new lights, due to a recent cyano accumulation. I currently have lights from Sea World however I cannot find sea world replacement lights any where. I have 4- 48'' (2 white 2 blue) t5's. I want my corals to grow and pop with color as well as provide a awesome lighting in my tank. What can some of you recommend and where can I get new "good" bulbs at a reasonable price? And should I get 4 different bulbs or stick with the 2 whites 2 blues configuration? 75g reef tank with frogspawn, birdnest, leather coral and some zoas. Tank is 8months old. Please help.

05/19/2014, 08:52 AM	#2
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	Bulbs out of spectrum will help cause the cyano but there are other excess nutrients in the tank helping cause the issue too. Most who do T5 do a grow white, blue, purple, and another blue or royal. This will provide great color and pop as you were saying but the coral may grow slower with only 1 white. Warm whites grow coral the best, they just also look the worst and most yellow __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

05/19/2014, 10:29 AM	#5
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	The lights that are white will be rated in kelvin temps so 6500k is like a lot of lights in your home, yellow color a warm white is closer to 10k. 20k is blue as blue gets and 17-18k is the purple. If it were me I would do one white somewhere between 5-10k the yellower the light is the more growth you will get since the sun in the ocean is close to 6500k. Then get a purple, blue and royal blue or actinic.get on bulk reef supply under T5 bulbs and you can see the different combos you can put together __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

05/19/2014, 12:21 PM	#7
Dmorty217 Saltwater Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Vandalia OHIO Posts: 11,624	Actinic is what I believe has evolved into blues or 450nm or so? It's really just verbiage. I've been reefing for almost 17 yrs now and a lot has changed. There is definitely a difference in the kelvin temp between blue, royal blue and purple. Kelvin is really only used in metal halides and other bulbs that can be found in your home. I think the change now is more toward the nm approach. 450nm is blue, 670nm is red and so on... Maybe that's just for LEDs I honestly don't know but it's all relative when describing color __________________ Fish are not disposable commodities, but a worthwhile investment that can be maintained and enjoyed for many years, providing one is willing to take the time to understand their requirements and needs Current Tank Info: 625g, 220g sump, RD3 230w, Vectra L1 on a closed loop, 3 MP60s, MP40. Several QTs

05/19/2014, 09:16 AM	#3
Blue Hippo Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 14	So would a recommend a warm whit and another white with a blue and a purple? Also I would I know a warm white from a normal white or blue or purple before purchasing and installing?

05/19/2014, 09:24 AM	#4
Blue Hippo Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 14	So would you suggest I do a warm white with a normal white, a blue and a purple? Also, how would I know a the difference in warm white and normal white before purchasing.

05/19/2014, 11:56 AM	#6
Blue Hippo Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 14	Thanks.. I always thought the blues were always consider actinics. Did I miss something in my studies or is there a difference between blue, purple, royal vs actinics?