Silly Question

Why do Flourescent light hoods alternate actinic/daylight tubes, where in a halide system the daylight is in the center, and the actinics are on the outside. so why wouldn't you do the same with flourescent? Told you it was a silly question,... just wanderin..lol

 

B/C PC's and T-5's dont have the same intensity as MH's. If you where to place MH in the same fashion as pc & t5, you would be cooking your tank instead of lighting it. Luna

 

right that I understand.. but why are actinics and daybulbs alternated in a fixure, why not put daylights in the center and actinics on the ends.. I guess that's my dumb question of the month.

 

from what i was reading yesterday it can be used for simulating sunrise and sunset
(someone correct me if i'm wrong)

 

Mainly for aestetic reasons, plus it offers a balance in terms of light available to your animals between the various kelvin rated bulbs.

 

Yeah I figured that was the main reason, but really that's not necessary. I guess I'm thinking about putting the daylights in the center, because my LPS and SPS are in the center and top of the tank.

 

That makes sense too, I'm using a 12k and a 15k, and a 420nm and a 460 nm in my T5 steup. Seems like the 12 and 15k bulb has the blue spectrum also.

 

i do put daylights in the center and actinics on the ends.it works fine but i never tried it the other way.maybe next time i clean them i'll try it the other way and see if it matters

 

Exactly, nice tank BTW. I think they alternate them so you can simulate dawn/dusk, but from what I read, this has no positive or negative effect. I just think it makes more sense to run daylights down the center More light is cast in the center fixtures, than the end fixtures.. in my situation anyways, and all my light loving coral is higher up, and in the center of the tank. Although what coral reefer says makes sense, it disperses the kelvin evenly, but with 12k and 15k bulbs it shouldn't matter if the actinics are at the end. hmm..