VHO Actinics

panhandler · 12/11/2006, 10:14 AM

I have a 55 gal. with approx. 85 lbs. Fiji LR, HOB fuge, and Remora Pro. Right now the only fish I have are 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Maroon Clown, and 2 Yellow Tail Damsels. Inverts: 8-10 Turbos Snails, 6 Trochus Snails, 2 Peppermint shrimp, and a few red and blue legged hermits. The tank has been running for a little over a year with no major problems. I want to start adding some soft corals. I am running 2 - 48" VHO 50/50 fluorescents on a timer right now. I want to put 2 more VHO bulbs in before I start adding the corals. My question is this: do the corals really get any benefit from actinic bulbs or are they really more for appearance. Would it be better to just add 2 more 50/50 bulbs or 1 50/50 and 1 actinic or 2 actinics? I agree that the actinics do look good and can be used to create a nice dusk-dawn lighting scheme but if they are more for show than function, I was thinking that it would be better to add the 50/50's and maybe be able to add a few more light hungry corals. Thanks for any advice I can get.

12/11/2006, 10:14 AM	#1
panhandler Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 5	VHO Actinics I have a 55 gal. with approx. 85 lbs. Fiji LR, HOB fuge, and Remora Pro. Right now the only fish I have are 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Maroon Clown, and 2 Yellow Tail Damsels. Inverts: 8-10 Turbos Snails, 6 Trochus Snails, 2 Peppermint shrimp, and a few red and blue legged hermits. The tank has been running for a little over a year with no major problems. I want to start adding some soft corals. I am running 2 - 48" VHO 50/50 fluorescents on a timer right now. I want to put 2 more VHO bulbs in before I start adding the corals. My question is this: do the corals really get any benefit from actinic bulbs or are they really more for appearance. Would it be better to just add 2 more 50/50 bulbs or 1 50/50 and 1 actinic or 2 actinics? I agree that the actinics do look good and can be used to create a nice dusk-dawn lighting scheme but if they are more for show than function, I was thinking that it would be better to add the 50/50's and maybe be able to add a few more light hungry corals. Thanks for any advice I can get.