Actinic Lighting

[AndrewNS]

How much difference is there between using 2 40W NO Actinics instead of using 2 110W VHO Actinincs?

Would softies and LPS need the higher wattage?

Thanks

Andrew

[reeferboy]

Big difference in light intensity.
Also a VHO acitinic is a true actinic where as a NO actinic isn't.
A VHO also has some photosynthetic available light whereas an NO doesn't.

I used to run 2 24" NO actinics on my tank and switch to VHO and noticed a big difference in the coloration of my SPS's. Mostly the tips were much more viberant.

As far as Softies and LPS needing it. They would benifit from the added light but may not "need" it.
Be carful as well because your tank may become too blue compared to what it is now and you may not like it. You could put one 50/50 bulb in but you will loose the dawn/dusk effect.

[AndrewNS]

Thanks. Great info.

Maybe I'll tell you what I am doing. Looking into buliding a light.

It could have...

workhorse 7 and 2 110 w 12000k Actininc White
2 40W NO Actininc

or

[AndrewNS]

sorry..


or


2 workhorse 7, 2 110 w 12000k Actininc White
2 110 w Actininc

Would this be too blue???


Thanks
Andrew

[reeferboy]

It may be. I have 2 X 175 Watt MH 10,000K Ushio's and when I went to VHO actinics instead of NO actinics the color took some getting used to.
I would try it and see if you like it.
I have seen the setup that you are talking about on a 3 foot tank, 2 50/50's and 2 actinics all VHO and I found it quite blue/purple.

The corals looked amazing under the lights, nice phosporesence but too blue for my tastes.

[mouse6196]

That would definately be blue light. Depends on what you are looking for.

Reeferboy hit the nail on the head in the above thread....go VHO or HO on the atinics...NO atinics just don't add benefit to teh livestock...only looks. You'll like the look of the VHO atinics also.

Just my 2 cents worth

[Soup]

I'm going to have to disagree with the NO's.....I run 2 NO O3 actinics over my 65g 14" deep tank and the softies have just taken off.
I think it the depth might have something more to do with it. I noticed a big difference. I also run a 50/50 and a full tricomatic.
Sorry if I stepped on any toes. IMO

[Toutouche]

Heh, heh... Soup. I'm gonna step on YOUR toes!!!
Mouse and Reeferboy are correct. A NO flourescant is not true actinic lighting, while VHO's are. The softies will gow as most are a lower light demanding coral anyways and probablt do get some energy from the NO you're using along with the other 2 types, but not as much as if you were using VHO's. Try using VHO's when you have to change your bulbs the next time they're due and you'll see a big diff.

[Soup]

Just to satisfy my curiousity Toutouche....I was under the impression that actinic light was a certain wavelengh of light and part of the light spectrum that corals required. What I don't understand is your justification of saying that VHO's are true actinic and NO's aren't...even though they are in the same part of the light spectrum....one just happens to be much stronger than the other. I do agree with you that VHO's probably would make a difference but I also do know that my softies and colt show dramatic dislike when I only run the other 2 daylight bulbs. When the actinics are turned back on everyone is happy.
Is there any documention on a website that you can direct me to that explains why NO O3 actinic bulbs are really not TRUE actinic, even though they are sold as actinic? Is the light spectrum different with NO's over VHO's?
Just wondering

[Toutouche]

Soupy,
I'll try and find it later, but basically the difference is that in the VHO's the gas or whatnot gives off the true actinic spectrum while in the NO's, you can sort of say it's just coloring on the inside glass of the bulb. Your corals are probably showing more happiness either because there is:
a) more light then when they are turned off, ..or
b) even thought it is just the glass that is colored, there probably is some useful wavelength in the bulb.
I'm not saying they aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing, just more like they are not doing it as weel as a true actinic bulb would. I USED to use the Philips NO bulbs at first because someone sold me a bunch for real cheap, but once I started to use the URI VHO's, there was a big difference in the corals over time.