PC color combos

tmc1313 · 02/24/2006, 09:48 AM

Hey, everyone. Looking for some opinions on PC lighting. I'm have two 96w coralife strips with 50/50 bulbs lighting my 30 gallon reef. Everything is doing great, but I want a "bluer" hue to my tank. Something equivalent to a 20k MH. Has anyone that has a similiar setup gone with 50/50 on one strip and just actinic on the other? If so how did it look? I feel very limited as to what I can do for color combinations using PC's. If no one thinks this idea would help please give some suggestions. Thanks

dodo99 · 02/24/2006, 09:57 AM

Try one of each at Hellolights. Should give you a nice blue look.

http://hellolights.com/96watts1.html

speedracer02 · 02/24/2006, 12:37 PM

^

smleee · 02/24/2006, 12:45 PM

I used to run 2x65 with one 50/50 (10k/460) and one full actinic (420). I liked it a lot it was not too blue. Though the lack of 10k was hindering coral growth. I would not reduce the amount of 10k you have now (those 50/50's are 10k/460's right?). You could try the dual actinic from current, it's a 420/460 and go with a full 10k for the other bulb. That would get you a little more "blue" because of the 420 (420 is actually purple). It would also allow you to do dawn/dusk as long as you have seperate power cords (then you can really get your "blue" when it's in dawn/dusk time!).

eee

tmc1313 · 02/24/2006, 01:09 PM

Yes, you're right. The 50/50's are 10k and 460. I was actually thinking about using that combo but just keeping one of the 10k's. I don't want to do that though, if my corals will suffer just so it will look nicer to me.

loyalty · 02/24/2006, 01:35 PM

sunpaq makes a nice dual actinic bulb; 420 nm and 460 nm (like someone posted above). that and a 10K and you'll be business.

I'm running two dual actinica and 2 10ks, and i'm really happy with the settup

tmc1313 · 02/24/2006, 01:49 PM

What size tank do you have? You state that you're using two 10k's whereas I'll be using one 50/50 and then maybe the dual actinic.

loyalty · 02/24/2006, 01:53 PM

oh sorry, i have a 65x4 PC settup on my 29. i meant that you could go with a dual actinic and a 10k (instead of the 50/50) and get the same results

smleee · 02/24/2006, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tmc1313
I'll be using one 50/50 and then maybe the dual actinic.

Again, I wouldn't. Your best bet is to go one full 10k and the other dual actinic. It will be a touch more blue than you have now.

loyalty · 02/24/2006, 02:09 PM

and those dual actinics make your corals fluorece like crazy during the dawn/dusk period

smleee · 02/24/2006, 02:11 PM

Nice.

tmc1313 · 02/24/2006, 02:20 PM

Is that picture with or without the 10k's on? Looks nice.

smleee · 02/24/2006, 02:23 PM

Pretty sure it's w/o. Looks nice, but if you had it that way all the time it would get old fast. Bright, crisp, light just has it's place (though the "groovy" blue at dawn/dusk does also.....).

eee

loyalty · 02/24/2006, 02:31 PM

thanks guys, yeah those are just with the actinics on. i'm running sunpaq dual actinics and coralife 10ks

02/24/2006, 09:48 AM	#1
tmc1313 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, Connecticut Posts: 1,530	PC color combos Hey, everyone. Looking for some opinions on PC lighting. I'm have two 96w coralife strips with 50/50 bulbs lighting my 30 gallon reef. Everything is doing great, but I want a "bluer" hue to my tank. Something equivalent to a 20k MH. Has anyone that has a similiar setup gone with 50/50 on one strip and just actinic on the other? If so how did it look? I feel very limited as to what I can do for color combinations using PC's. If no one thinks this idea would help please give some suggestions. Thanks

02/24/2006, 09:57 AM	#2
dodo99 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 316	Try one of each at Hellolights. Should give you a nice blue look. http://hellolights.com/96watts1.html __________________ DoDo99 Current Tank Info: 29gal reef Starting up 02/01/06, 400W MH XM 20K, CSS65, Seio 1100, Hang-on fuge

02/24/2006, 12:37 PM	#3
speedracer02 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Auburn Alabama Posts: 50	^ __________________ "If your expecting a kick in the balls and instead get slapped in the face, then its a victory." Current Tank Info: It's coming along nicely.

02/24/2006, 01:35 PM	#6
loyalty Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,742	sunpaq makes a nice dual actinic bulb; 420 nm and 460 nm (like someone posted above). that and a 10K and you'll be business. I'm running two dual actinica and 2 10ks, and i'm really happy with the settup __________________ your friendly neighborhood casual reefer Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic mostly zoo tank under some T5s

02/24/2006, 01:53 PM	#8
loyalty Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,742	oh sorry, i have a 65x4 PC settup on my 29. i meant that you could go with a dual actinic and a 10k (instead of the 50/50) and get the same results __________________ your friendly neighborhood casual reefer Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic mostly zoo tank under some T5s

02/24/2006, 12:45 PM	#4
smleee Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,344	I used to run 2x65 with one 50/50 (10k/460) and one full actinic (420). I liked it a lot it was not too blue. Though the lack of 10k was hindering coral growth. I would not reduce the amount of 10k you have now (those 50/50's are 10k/460's right?). You could try the dual actinic from current, it's a 420/460 and go with a full 10k for the other bulb. That would get you a little more "blue" because of the 420 (420 is actually purple). It would also allow you to do dawn/dusk as long as you have seperate power cords (then you can really get your "blue" when it's in dawn/dusk time!). eee

02/24/2006, 01:09 PM	#5
tmc1313 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, Connecticut Posts: 1,530	Yes, you're right. The 50/50's are 10k and 460. I was actually thinking about using that combo but just keeping one of the 10k's. I don't want to do that though, if my corals will suffer just so it will look nicer to me.

02/24/2006, 01:49 PM	#7
tmc1313 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, Connecticut Posts: 1,530	What size tank do you have? You state that you're using two 10k's whereas I'll be using one 50/50 and then maybe the dual actinic.

02/24/2006, 02:09 PM	#10
loyalty Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,742	and those dual actinics make your corals fluorece like crazy during the dawn/dusk period __________________ your friendly neighborhood casual reefer Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic mostly zoo tank under some T5s

02/24/2006, 02:11 PM	#11
smleee Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,344	Nice.

02/24/2006, 02:20 PM	#12
tmc1313 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, Connecticut Posts: 1,530	Is that picture with or without the 10k's on? Looks nice. __________________ --Todd

02/24/2006, 02:23 PM	#13
smleee Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,344	Pretty sure it's w/o. Looks nice, but if you had it that way all the time it would get old fast. Bright, crisp, light just has it's place (though the "groovy" blue at dawn/dusk does also.....). eee

02/24/2006, 02:31 PM	#14
loyalty Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,742	thanks guys, yeah those are just with the actinics on. i'm running sunpaq dual actinics and coralife 10ks __________________ your friendly neighborhood casual reefer Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic mostly zoo tank under some T5s