lighting question

[undertcontrolj]

so i am buying this from Titansfan and just had some questions to the guys here .
#6 Icecap VHO retro kit
This is for an Icecap 430 Electronic Ballast, Icecap VHO endcaps with standoffs, Icecap wireharness, 24 inch URI Actinic Bulbs (4 months old), and heady duty power plug.
1.) Currently i am running a 175 w MH on a 29 gl tank. Can i also use these as a supplement.
2.) If the answer to the first is yes, then how do what type of cycle should i have them on?
Any help would be great here guys.

Thanks,
justin

 

[waynesworld]

Yes you can use it to supplement some blue and you can run them a couple of hours before and after your MH go on this will give you two looks at your corals I have some zoo's that change completely when the bright lights go off.

 

[NeveSSL]

You can do whatever cycle you want, bro. Personally, I have my actinics come on an hour before my daylights and they go off an hour after the daylights. I don't think its terribly scientific, though.

Brandon

 

[shanealanbeaty]

That will be a kicken system for a 29 gallon after you get it set up. You will be able to grow anything you want to. As far as the cycle, I have seen everything from lights being on 4 hours to 12 hours, and everything in between.

 

[undertcontrolj]

cool i am glad this is going to workout. I was a little worried but i thought i could work it

 

[undertcontrolj]

Couple more questions here. Mounting these things is my next concern. i have the 175 mounted and it has a reflector. Do i just mount those new lights in there on both side of the MH . Not really sure about it. Probably make it a little easier when i pick them up next week to visualize it anyway.
Question about timing again. Right now i run my lights about 8 hours. So when i add these to they just kick on the hour before and the hour after or do they run the whole time too.

 

[TitansFan]

yeah mount them next to the mh. They will add more color to your corals.. tend to make the color "pop" more. I have my actinics run a hour before my mh come on and 2 hours after (and during). I like the actinic look and late at night i love viewing my tank without the bright mh lighting the whole room. imagine lighting your tank with a blacklight... you will love the look of the actinics. plus i feel it gives my fish the chance to relax at night and get to there sleeping spots instead of once there was light and then there was pitchblack darkness.

I used spider reflectors with these and mounted them fine on the outside of it.

and to all you t5 lovers out there..... i tried t5 for my supplement lighting first. I just didnt think it compared to the good ole actinic vho look. so i went back to vho.

 

[undertcontrolj]

i may need to find another reflector cause thr one that is on there right now has about 5 inches from covering the whole canopy .