lighting color(spectrum) question

[TomDe]

I have a Coralife Lunar Aqualite over my 30 gal. that has 192 watts. So far I have mostly zoanthids, muschrooms, ricordia, assorted polyps, ,and a candy cane.

My question is that I really like the blue look from acintic lights. My light has 1 50/50 acintic and 1 that looks yellow when the acintic is off. (I don't know much about spectrum but learning) I want my tank to look more blue when both lights are on, but less blue then when just the acintic is on. Will this create any problems. Of course I need it less than the acintic because I need to see if anything is wrong/hitchikers.....

If I buy another bluish bulb to replace the white, will this affect the amount of light that my corals get or is it the same?


Thanks

 

[JR719]

In short, the lower K number, the more yellow. 6500K will be very yellow. 10K is about the norm for "white", higher than that is more blue. Make sense? a 20K will be blue, 14K a nice bluish color.
As far as light for corals, you are looking at PAR rating. Sorta like intensity, best way I can describe. If I'm wrong or someone can better explain, please chime in.

 

[TomDe]

So it is not bad to have 2 of my bulbs bluish, and no white? I realize it is personal prefrence so if my personal prefrence is more blue this is ok? Same amount of light they were getting with 1 acintic and 1 white?

 

[theatrus]

Blue bulbs are noticeably dimmer than daylight or 10k bulbs. Its not a bad preference though

 

[ek9vboi]

I have a 50/50 and a dual Actinic bulb. I like the look of blue as well, but purple is so much better. Till I get MH... blues will do.

 

[nazzy_19]

Re: lighting color(spectrum) question

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8265418#post8265418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tdalessa01
I want my tank to look more blue when both lights are on, but less blue then when just the acintic is on. Will this create any problems.

It's somewhat controdictive in a way. It does create a problem. The blueish color is supplemented by the actinic. New actinic bulbs would make your tank look bluer but they won't go less blue when the 10k goes out. PC bulbs don't give you a lot of choice for coloration. I could only think of one solution and it's to get another fixture to make it 4 bulbs altogether. That way you end up with 4 controllable power outlets. If you think of PC being double bulbs (i.e. 50/50= 1-actinic+1-10k, actinic=2-actinics), you can run it as follow:

3-50/50 & 1 actinic. That will give you 5-actinic & 3-10k. Run all 4 bulbs together during your daylight time. You get your bluer tank with the 5 actinics over the 3 10ks. During night time, only turn the actinic on and the 3 50/50 off, so you get less blue that way.

Sorry if I made everyone confuses.

 

[IndyMatt]

This is the way I think about it.

Whiter = More Growth, Less Coloration

Blue = Less Growth, Better Color

This highly generalizing but it keeps it simple for my feeble mind.