Bulbs for planted tank?

[briansbelle]

I am going to need to get 3 new bulbs for my planted tank. It has some zoas and shrooms in there.

One of my fixtures is just a reg t5 not high output-coralife t5.

The other is a nova 2x24watt t5ho.

 

What are some good bulb choices to go with to get good growth and stil have the awesome bright colors of my zoas?

 

Right now i am running 3x10000k and one actinic- all stock bulbs and im not impressed since i added the zoas in, their colors arent popping. I will be keepin 1x10000k bulb it was brand new when i set the tank up.

 

Thanks!

[Weetabix7]

On the regular T5 I can't really advise since I'm not too familiar with those bulbs.

For the other 2, you could try one ATI Blue+ and one UVL Indigo Sun, they look good together, have good PAR and will give you much better colors out of your Zoas.

I'll be honest, I haven't yet hit the point where I can confidently say which bulbs Macros respond to better, but I've used both of those bulbs over my tank and Macros seemed to do fine under them.

[briansbelle]

thanks!!

 

i am not sure either...i ran a mixture on my 40..lol..blue+,6500k,aquablue special,pure actinic and they grew well in there...

 

i will look into the 2 types you suggested and maybe pick up a different type for my regular t5 light...

 

thanks again!

[bitts]

one big thing is to think about the depth the algae is used too. deeper algae is used to bluer water.

[briansbelle]

Thanks bitts, def will research and figure it out.

[bitts]

there have to be ways o figure out the temp corresponding to the depth. right.

 

once we know that we ask weets about the combo to get there.

 

mmm... wonder were to find the calculator for that. any one got an idea.

[bitts]

so the first thing ive found

http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/11/1/89.pdf

 

next

http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/La-Mi/Lig...-the-Ocean.html

 

from the above link

Water selectively scatters and absorbs certain wavelengths of visible light. The long wavelengths of the light spectrum—red, yellow, and orange—can penetrate to approximately 15, 30, and 50 meters (49, 98, and 164 feet), respectively, while the short wavelengths of the light spectrum—violet, blue and green—can penetrate further, to the lower limits of the euphotic zone. Blue penetrates the deepest, which is why deep, clear ocean water and some tropical water appear to be blue most of the time.

 

still not quite what where lookin for though.

[bitts]

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/a...oceanblue.shtml

 

this is better

[briansbelle]

ok so i am going to be ordering new bulbs for my light fixtures...seems the 3x10000k and one actinic are bleaching out my flame algae..its turning pink...

 

soooo i am going to only run 2x24" T5ho bulbs and do away with the reg t5 fixture... may put it on my 40 breeders sump

 

i am looking for 2 bulbs to get the best color, and good par without bleaching my macros...

any ideas?

 

i do have a month old 10k bulb right now so i wont need to order one of that spectrum.

 

thanks!!

belle

[bitts]

two bulb setups seem to be the most difficult to get right if the setup your trying to do is pretty shallow then you could even go a little closer to the yellow & reds. but from what ive been able to find the plants will absorb more from the blue, purple, red spectrum anyway so maybe a high par blue like a blue special & a ge or the other daylight bulb that weets likes. but still a two bulb setup is tuff.

[briansbelle]

Thanks bitts,

 

i talked with maria(got2envy) and decided to go with blue plus and an aquablue special. I like a little bluer tanks and the blue plus has good par.

 

I will keep you updated on how my macros respond.

[SbCaes]

ive heard algae eats up incandescent lighting like crazy. and have seen this first hand.

[bitts]

nice bulbs run both of those in my 29.