why add Actenic lighting to MH lighting set ups?

zues2006 · 01/19/2011, 01:00 PM

I've noticed some people have metal halide lighting set ups (175W, 250W, etc) and they add actinics (VHO's) to their lighting set up.
Why do people do this? Is it strictly visual preference? Or is there actual scienticfic evidence to gain benefits from actenic lighting even though Metal Halides are already in use?
I never did fully understand what the actenics do for salt water tanks...

jeff@zina.com · 01/19/2011, 01:17 PM

First, all lighting is for visual appearance and, for many systems, that's the only change. But actinics may aid some corals in development (others will say yes, some may say no, for me the jury is out). Many also run the actinics for a period before and after the metal halide, providing a sunrise/sunset effect.

Jeff

thump9 · 01/19/2011, 02:17 PM

Actinics do wonders for color enhancement for the corals and fish (makes them pop).....but i actually feel they do wonders for the coralline algae that colonizes the rock and all other surfaces

sevendigitcake · 01/19/2011, 06:13 PM

i always thought it was so you could run a lower kelvin mh bulb to get better growth while not having your tank look like crap.you could have 10k or 12k mh halides and two actincs and you may get close to a 20k look.

sslak · 01/20/2011, 10:08 AM

Because it's pretty

Plus I run mine for an hour before and after the halides are on for that black-light poster LSD trip color effect...

The corals really change how they act when the halides turn off, so having the T5s lets you observe that in a very colorful way...

Drix · 01/21/2011, 08:14 AM

Acintic lighting brings out color, as previously stated jury is out on the effectiveness likely because of the variances in wavelength differences between "acintic" colorations. Another color that seems to help is reds- While research is relatively new reefkeeping magazine ran a series of articles that seemed to indecate it promotes evolution of coloration to more mature colors (as opposed to greens) I picked up a dual t5 to augment my led's- to try to see a difference I'll post up to see how it works. So far i've noticed that leaving my fixture on after the led's go out adds a twilight effect to which my trumpet corals seem to appreciate as they extend their feeding tenticles almost immediatly. I wonder if like with moon lights there is a more wholistic approach going on here to enviornmental reproduction.

mc-cro · 01/21/2011, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sevendigitcake

i always thought it was so you could run a lower kelvin mh bulb to get better growth while not having your tank look like crap.you could have 10k or 12k mh halides and two actincs and you may get close to a 20k look.

This, plus you can use the actinic for sundown hours before a complete lights out.

I run 10K 250w, for growth, and full actinic supplementation for my eyes

Reef N Discus · 01/21/2011, 12:29 PM

I just run with 20K MH's and thats it, I guess my growth may not be as it could be but my colors sure "pop" as they say. If I decide to change my mind at my next bulb swap I could get the 10K's and add a T5HO or two and do the actinic MH combo many do for now I am just going to run with my 20k''s and see lol how it goes.. just my 1cent

01/19/2011, 01:00 PM	#1
zues2006 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 277	why add Actenic lighting to MH lighting set ups? I've noticed some people have metal halide lighting set ups (175W, 250W, etc) and they add actinics (VHO's) to their lighting set up. Why do people do this? Is it strictly visual preference? Or is there actual scienticfic evidence to gain benefits from actenic lighting even though Metal Halides are already in use? I never did fully understand what the actenics do for salt water tanks...

01/20/2011, 10:08 AM	#5
sslak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,705	Because it's pretty Plus I run mine for an hour before and after the halides are on for that black-light poster LSD trip color effect... The corals really change how they act when the halides turn off, so having the T5s lets you observe that in a very colorful way... __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer

01/21/2011, 12:29 PM	#8
Reef N Discus Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: York PA Posts: 203	I just run with 20K MH's and thats it, I guess my growth may not be as it could be but my colors sure "pop" as they say. If I decide to change my mind at my next bulb swap I could get the 10K's and add a T5HO or two and do the actinic MH combo many do for now I am just going to run with my 20k''s and see lol how it goes.. just my 1cent __________________ Thank you all in advanced for helping me thank you so much your info and experince are very much apreciated. Love this hobby my Discus tank has been getting neglected lately opps! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon want mainly LPS, Clam, some SPS when exp, internal corner over flow, 29 aga sump/fuge 80lbs Marcorocks, 20lbs LR, DSB (Livesand) in fuge 2x1050'2evohydor Korlia 80lbs agronite, DNWB 110 Reefocto recuirc 175x2 MH 20K Reeflux Started 1-6-11

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01/19/2011, 01:17 PM	#2
jeff@zina.com Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 3,345	First, all lighting is for visual appearance and, for many systems, that's the only change. But actinics may aid some corals in development (others will say yes, some may say no, for me the jury is out). Many also run the actinics for a period before and after the metal halide, providing a sunrise/sunset effect. Jeff

01/19/2011, 02:17 PM	#3
thump9 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 55	Actinics do wonders for color enhancement for the corals and fish (makes them pop).....but i actually feel they do wonders for the coralline algae that colonizes the rock and all other surfaces

01/19/2011, 06:13 PM	#4
sevendigitcake Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 452	i always thought it was so you could run a lower kelvin mh bulb to get better growth while not having your tank look like crap.you could have 10k or 12k mh halides and two actincs and you may get close to a 20k look.

01/21/2011, 08:14 AM	#6
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	Acintic lighting brings out color, as previously stated jury is out on the effectiveness likely because of the variances in wavelength differences between "acintic" colorations. Another color that seems to help is reds- While research is relatively new reefkeeping magazine ran a series of articles that seemed to indecate it promotes evolution of coloration to more mature colors (as opposed to greens) I picked up a dual t5 to augment my led's- to try to see a difference I'll post up to see how it works. So far i've noticed that leaving my fixture on after the led's go out adds a twilight effect to which my trumpet corals seem to appreciate as they extend their feeding tenticles almost immediatly. I wonder if like with moon lights there is a more wholistic approach going on here to enviornmental reproduction.