Lighting Upgrade

[malawidave]

Ok, so I've been thinking of upgrading my Prehistoric T8s... I know... I'm sorry... last thing I usually worried about until now.

I've tried different Kelvin Temps. And would really just like to know what Comp. FL. or T5 light brings out the best coloring in the fish? This is for an African Mixed Tank BTW.

Suggestions??? A 50/50, 10,000k, Full Spectrum??? I have 2 18,000k Aqua glos on my tank now and 1 Actinic in the back just for show as of now. My only whine is that the Aqua glos have a pinkish tint thats not really that appealing to me. But it does give some of my fish nice color especially my M. Estherae really is almost "Red" ha ha ha

Thanks

[afrabat]

I have a coralife compact flourescent 4 pin that is actinic and 10000k and I love it. Honestly though, the 10000k is a little bit blue for me, If I did it again I would do double actinic.

[Narwhal72]

The actinic is a blue/violet lamp. The 10,000K is a cool white light. I think you may have your references switched.

Andy

[chc]

The actinic is a blue/violet lamp. The 10,000K is a cool white light. I think you may have your references switched.

Andy

X2


I like the new LED units. You can get pretty reasonably priced models now (unlike a few years ago!). The glitter lines they create look like natural sunlight sparkling across your tank!

[afrabat]

The actinic is a blue/violet lamp. The 10,000K is a cool white light. I think you may have your references switched.

Andy

I was thinking this at first also. When I lift up the light fixture there is the "bluish" bulb towards the rear. I assume this is the actinic? So I placed it back down and then looked at the substrate. The bluest light is in the front of the tank coming down from the whitish bulb. I was also surprised by this.

[Narwhal72]

Yes the blue light in the back is the actinic. The bluish light in the front is caused by the reflector. The facets coming up the sides of the fixture reflect the blue light and direct it to the front. On the opposite side the white light is reflected towards the back. There is crossover in the middle (where most of your decor is).
Andy

[afrabat]

Thanks Andy and Chris. You could see why I was a little confused. I thought why is the blue light throwing whites and white light throwing blues. Made no sense. Thanks a lot again guys!

[pitdogg2]

Ok, so I've been thinking of upgrading my Prehistoric T8s... I know... I'm sorry... last thing I usually worried about until now.

I've tried different Kelvin Temps. And would really just like to know what Comp. FL. or T5 light brings out the best coloring in the fish? This is for an African Mixed Tank BTW.

Suggestions??? A 50/50, 10,000k, Full Spectrum??? I have 2 18,000k Aqua glos on my tank now and 1 Actinic in the back just for show as of now. My only whine is that the Aqua glos have a pinkish tint thats not really that appealing to me. But it does give some of my fish nice color especially my M. Estherae really is almost "Red" ha ha ha

Thanks

Don't get too hung up on Kelvin ratings, for the most part they aren't all that true. Try and find the CRI(color rendition index) of your bulbs your trying to use. Shoot for 88+ at a minimum. The sun is 100 and the old Viti-lite power twist were 95 the highest I've seen in a std flouresent bulb. If your not trying to grow coral or plants T8 + T12's work just fine and have many many options Right now I'm using a sylvania 8000K 88CRI
http://www.superiorlighting.com/General_Fluorescent_Light_Bulb_p/22594-syl.htm
and 6280K 94 CRI
http://www.purennatural.com/prod_desc.php?prod_id=1552
in my standard 48" twin tube all-glass fixture. These both show the TRUE colors of my fish

I you want to make reds and blues POP then a standard gro-lux will do that

[malawidave]

The primary reason for the upgrade is T-8s are getting harder and harder to find. Getting phased out for the more efficient T-5s from what I'm told by LFSs in my area. I still have home improvement stores for T-8s but I'm not really keen on the "soft white" color

[pitdogg2]

The primary reason for the upgrade is T-8s are getting harder and harder to find. Getting phased out for the more efficient T-5s from what I'm told by LFSs in my area. I still have home improvement stores for T-8s but I'm not really keen on the "soft white" color

They are most certainly NOT being phased out. I buy all mine at Menards or our local lighting center. Large business are going to better lighting and that is T8's in a better kelvin and cri rating. Yes the LFS are not carrying them because they have limited floor space that is all. Those two i showed you are what i bought at Menards. I will stop by our local lighting store(Springfield Electric) and inquire about left overs from our local business upgrades and try a few I have found some very nice T8's for less than 2.00 a bulb

[malawidave]

Yeah, I wasn't referring to the stop of production, they were telling me with all the LEDs and T-5s being sold, T-8s aren't in demand and they are no longer going to be stocking them "phasing out" but will order by request. Its so hard to get what I intend to say into type, sorry bout that.

BUT... I went and paid $15 today for a Coralife Dual T-5. Loving Craigslist hahaha. I wanted opinions on which lighting setup looked better. To me honestly... I may save up and fork out the bread for LEDs, I've shined a LED flashlight over my tank and just LOVE the coloring that it produces.

OK so... Which one looks better, Old or New????

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h376/MalawiDave/IMG00891-20110618-1859.jpg
OLD

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h376/MalawiDave/IMG01106-20110723-0036-1.jpg
NEW

[ceichrodt]

New...

[Narwhal72]

New definitely looks brighter. What lamps are you using in the fixture?

[pitdogg2]

New definitely looks brighter. What lamps are you using in the fixture?

brightness is because the new fixture didn't have the actinic bulb which was never needed. I can't understand why you would use one unless you had very deepwater African cichlids or saltwater corals. All that blue only distorts the true colors of your fish IMHO