20,000k MH and Actinics question

Currently i have the lights in the following order from back to front


10,000k T5 HO
Actinic T5 HO
2 x 14000K MH (250W)
15,000k T5 HO
Actinic T5 HO

I want to change this to

Actinic T5 HO
10,000k T5 HO
2 x 20,000K MH
10,000k T5 HO
Actinic T5 HO

or


Actinic T5 HO
10,000k T5 HO
2 x 20,000K MH
15,000k T5 HO
Actinic T5 HO


which would be better for a light blue color. Currently it looks very white.

I guess the real question i have is, can you substitute 20,000K MH for Actinics?

 

I would try this set up....with the 10k's close to the MH. The MH may bleach out the 10k's like i am thinking your hopeing....

Another set up would be and i know someone who has it set up this way is....
2 each T5 atinc's and 2 each 250MH 20k's
But runn his light cycle as this... T5's come on 1/2 befor the MH... Once MH are on the T5's go off 30 min after the MH are on.... Then t5's back on 1/2 hour Before the MH off.. THen the t5's go off 1/2 our after the MH.. This way its a easy transtion from dark to light... then light to dark...

Keep in mind just ideas to play with...


Good Luck..!!

 

Wonder who that guy is.... Oh yeah me.

I have found with the 2x250 w 20k's I require no other light and use the t-5s as said for an adjustment period.

 

I would personally go with all the T5's being 420nm actinics and the MH's at 14000K

 

That's what I am running. I just picked up my T5 54W to supplement my 70W HQI and it looks nice. 20000K generally has lower PAR values than the other spectrum lighting. Just to keep that in mind in case you have sensitive corals.

 

If i decided to keep the 14000K Metal Halides what T5 HO bulbs would you recommend for the remaining 4 bulbs.

Im a little confused about the blue plus, super actinic, true actinic, actinic 03

Which would be the best combination for my tank. I have lot of zoanthids, greenstar polyp, torch coral, flowerpot coral, and glaxia coral. Just got some small frags of monti, green digi and blue digi

 

If I understand correctly, corals can use the 460nm (blue in color) lighting better for their growth than compared to 420nm (which look more purple, aka actinic 03/true actinic). Everyone has their personal preference on this topic though. General feeling is that the 420nm make the corals "look" better. I use both in my tank to supplement my 14000K HQI.