acentic needed for softies?

[trm2]

Hello all

 

I have a Biocube 8 with stock lighting that has been running for 2 years with little difficulty. Algae has recently started to pop up and the corals are looking unhappy. I have upped my water change schedule but am wondering if it may be lighting related.

 

A couple months ago my blue acentic light stopped working. I assumed it was burned out as I was a couple months past due for a replacement. Due to time and money issues it took me a couple months to replace the lights. It turned out that the blue had not burned out but there was something wrong with the socket or ballast or something. Long story short, it does not work.

 

Anyway I am now only using the 10,000k power compact light with a brand new bulb. Corals were initially receded and unhappy about the new brighter light but they got over it and were doing better than before for about a month before the current problems. I was wondering if it was possible to keep Corals under the current lighting or if they needed the acentic as well? I have a devals hand leather, candycane, zoa's and ricordias and mushrooms. The zoa's and mushrooms appear unaffected.

 

Thanks

[lakshwadeep]

Actinics are most useful in getting good colors. If you're okay with how your corals look now, then there's no need to add another bulb. If you want actinic lighting, you should get a 50/50 bulb where one tube is white and one is blue.

[Bishop]

I'd go topless and hand a par30 bulb over it.

[metrokat]

you can add a stunner LED strip in actinic blue.