Do actinics T5s do anything for coral growth? What do they do?

snaza · 01/29/2008, 07:13 AM

what do actinic bulbs actually do? just make a tank look blue? i:ve got 6 x 54w t5s. would 1 actinic be enough or should i have 2?

thanks

Capt_Cully · 01/29/2008, 07:38 AM

It's my understanding that they are for aesthetics. The beauty of T5's is that you can vary the colors of the bulbs to enhance the appearance of your corals. In combo they should allow for growth of softies and some LPS. You'd really need alot of bulbs to encourage SPS growth (in theory). A local guy I know switched from MH to 8xT5's and sustained SPS corals for a while, but eventually lost them.

I was at a seminar this weekend with a demo using a PAR meter to demonstrate just how much light penetrates the different water depths. The speaker stated that it would in fact be possible to keep clams under PC's.

snaza · 01/29/2008, 03:26 PM

thanks capt,

anyone else have thoughts on actinics

dileggi · 01/29/2008, 03:34 PM

I just posted this question yesterday. It seemed to be everyone's general consensus that actinic's helped with the "full spectrum" portion of lighting and did in fact help somewhat with growth, but more for eye candy.

I never actually posted the question in the lighting forum on here though. I'm interested in the responses as well.

dileggi · 01/29/2008, 03:39 PM

Here is a link to my thread in case in shines any further light (no pun intended) on the topic. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1305762

01/29/2008, 07:13 AM	#1
snaza Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 1,393	Do actinics T5s do anything for coral growth? What do they do? what do actinic bulbs actually do? just make a tank look blue? i:ve got 6 x 54w t5s. would 1 actinic be enough or should i have 2? thanks

01/29/2008, 07:38 AM	#2
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	It's my understanding that they are for aesthetics. The beauty of T5's is that you can vary the colors of the bulbs to enhance the appearance of your corals. In combo they should allow for growth of softies and some LPS. You'd really need alot of bulbs to encourage SPS growth (in theory). A local guy I know switched from MH to 8xT5's and sustained SPS corals for a while, but eventually lost them. I was at a seminar this weekend with a demo using a PAR meter to demonstrate just how much light penetrates the different water depths. The speaker stated that it would in fact be possible to keep clams under PC's. __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

01/29/2008, 03:26 PM	#3
snaza Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 1,393	thanks capt, anyone else have thoughts on actinics __________________ T5 SPS 60x33x20 Display Tank + 50x16x8 Frag Tank - 10x54W ATI Powermodule \| 2 x Tunze 6205 \| Tunze 6105 \| 2 x modded Tunze 6025 \| Polario 15ML (Frag Tank) \| ATB white cone Skimmer with Airstar 1500 \| WM Ecobak in TLF 550 Current Tank Info: 60x33x20 SPS T5 DT + 52x16x8 FT, 4x2x2, 30x10x8

01/29/2008, 03:34 PM	#4
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	I just posted this question yesterday. It seemed to be everyone's general consensus that actinic's helped with the "full spectrum" portion of lighting and did in fact help somewhat with growth, but more for eye candy. I never actually posted the question in the lighting forum on here though. I'm interested in the responses as well. __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper

01/29/2008, 03:39 PM	#5
dileggi Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: S. Philly PA Posts: 1,171	Here is a link to my thread in case in shines any further light (no pun intended) on the topic. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1305762 __________________ Eric "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist." - Usual Suspects Current Tank Info: 90g w/30g sump; skimmer; 2x175w MH & 2x super white actinic...3g w/.5g fuge 1x150w MH Viper