Maybe I'm asking the wrong question

I am in the construction trade so all of the fandangled electronic type internests isn't exactly second nature(or even 3rd for that matter)... and my wife says I should use more words when I speak in general... so I am trying..

I've got to get new bulbs. I understand the Kelvin rating, wattage, CF, MH and all the different TYPES of bulbs. I've been reading Sinjays page about photosynthesis and photoadaption which I am trying to digest. I am trying to understand what it takes to provide the inhabitants of my tank with the healthiest and also most beautiful environment that is within my ability.

They're are basically 2 actinic bulbs, 420 & 460, right? I want to know why! Is it just because one bulb is more purple and the othe more blue? Is one better for SPS and not LPS and do nothing for fish, WHAT or better WHY?

 

My understanding was it is the spectrum that the corals benifit from underwater the range is from 420nm to 460nm. and a higher k bulb like 10k, 14k , 20k simulate the different depths in the ocean. with 20k simulating a deeper depth then 10 k.

as far as which is better 420 or 460 if a very debatable subject.
I think of it as more as a personal preference I like the look of the 460 better then the 420 so I use them instead.

 

Facts of Light – Part 4: Color Temperature by Sanjay Joshi - Reefkeeping.com

I understood it differently: the blue or actinic color is the ONLY color the penetrates the water past a couple of feet. The K is basically how much sun light ie: dawn, noon, cloudy day etc...

Should get the exact same bulbs I have right now?

 

right the higher k bulb the more blue it is. the deeper you go in the water the more the other colors fade out.

Here is something inwall posted a while back:

it came from this thread:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-lighting/kelvin-spectrums-42662-2.html

this can be a very confusing subject. lol

 

so I was asking the right question!

 

The Kelvin scale measures the color temperature of the light the higher the more blue the lower more red. The blue spectrum penetrates deepest the red the least. The bluer spectrum is best for corals red is better for algae. The actinics ar mainly used if you prefer a more yellow light for vewing and yet want to keep corals. The 420 and 460 are a matter of preferance. baisc depth penetration is ROY G BIV. Red disipates about 1-5". Orange at about 5-15". Yellow about 15-30. Green about 30-50". Blue about 50-100". Indigo about 100-150+". Violet about150+-200+". this is just a general idea. It all depends on water purity/clarity. IE the cloudier the water the less penetration. Hope this kinda helps.

 

RHorton, you have a 4 bulb fixture, what are they?

 

I have a 10k , uvl 12k, 460nm, 460nm,

I just changed out the 420 for a 460nm don't like the 420 color that much

 

carpenter, u got a pretty nice tank going there. I think to many people overthink things in this hobby, u should get bulbs that color your tank the way u want. No one bulb is gonna make or break your corals health. Get the coloration u want and move the corals around til they are happy is usually what most reefers do. I have a 4 bulb overdriven t5 system on my 90 and i have a UV super actinic, KZ fiji purple, giesemann aqua blue plus, and a giesemann actinic plus. I grow anything i want, sps, lps, softies, Rose bubble tip anenome and im happy with my coloration. Play around with bulbs and see what u like, i also had a mh/t5 fixture and ran 2 20k ushio mh's and 2 UV super actinics and kept the same corals but had much different color.

 

Yup, just pic good quality bulbs and the rest will follow. Personally, I am going to run my 8x54 T5 with 4x Superactinics, 2x Actinic Whites (12000K) and 2x 75/25 to start. All UVL. However, I may play with it and substitute an 18000K bulb (Giesemann I think.....maybe ATI) for one of the 12000K and an ATI bulb that concentrates in the 720nm range (red) with one of the 14000K. I feel that if you run at least half of your lighting with 420nm, the rest is going to skew towards personal preference ITO what you like to see. I am probably going to get blasted over this one, as I know just enough to be dangerous!!!! I have an incomplete understanding myself. Lighting is a wonderful subject that I want to master here soon.