50/50 lighting ?

[markandkristen]

is anybody using a 50/50 bulb in thier lighting
just curious im currently running daylight bulbs and getting a yellow tint. my mhs 20k doesnt even penetrate through it.
thinking about changing to 50/50s

 

[egdevilboy]

I either run 50/50 or dual actinic/daylights

But what size tank? with the MH id recommend going actinic to supplement the MH. Plus its nice to turn off the metal halides and hour or two earlier to get the "blacklight" effect. 50/50 will work tho

my 15 gallon has 70w 14k MH with 2x18w actinics

 

[markandkristen]

a 90
the 20 k ive heard that you dont need the actinics. but not for sure. i found 50/50s for 11 bucks a bulbs do kinda steering that way

 

[egdevilboy]

yea 20k has a blue tint.

You ever seen a reef under just actinics? like i said it looks like a blacklight... also, i think the actinics help with the lighting cycle from day to evening to light, like i said. 50/50 will do the trick.

 

[markandkristen]

what about 4 vho bulbs actini and the 20k mhs. will that be ok for acros and clams

 

[egdevilboy]

yea, for clams try to get 8+ watts/gallon

most of that MH. If you're gona run MH then do mostly MH but a little VHO is good so you dont have to run the MH 10-12 hr a day.

 

[Pandora]

I have VHO T5's as well, and I run a weird combo of URI's with those. I have a transition of 4 bulbs, back to front: with one pure actinic -- 2 X 50/50s in the middle -- white in the front. It makes for a bluer area in the back of the tank, I think it gives it some depth, though I'm not entirely sure about the logic when you break it down (bluer light = higher frequency = deeper water penetration, yet I have the shallowest rock back there; I guess I just do it for aesthetics).