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To find information on a specific topic like that on this forum, a great place to start is to go to the Search->Advanced Search, click "Search Titles Only" in the drop-down box, and try using actinic as a keyword. You'll find many threads with information relating to your topic.

Welcome to the forum!

- Joe
 

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No.

But it makes your fish look cool!

(read rex's pages).
I agree, It brings out the fish color and brightens the tank but a large portion of the light it puts out will not be used by the plants.

You could try 10k or 12K lights. they look good too!
 

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There is evidence to suggest that supplemental actinic lighting is beneficial for plants (only after main lighting needs are met).

I have a metal halide / pc combo fixture, and run 150 W metal halide and actinic lights for the pc.
 

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plants use "blue light " more than they do light in 650- 680 nm range ( ideal range for Photosynthesis ) If you look at some articles about plants and lighting you will find that since blue light is more avalable in the wild plants use it more than the 650-680 nm range How ever they will not be at a peak for growth and Photosynthesis. There are numerous threads on actinic's and some people are dead against them and some say it grows their plants fine. I got alot of my info from the encyclopedia of aquarium plants. Now im not reccomending that you go out and buy a full actinic fixture but you have it why not try it out and see ? I find that this is a very conterversial topic and I dont want this to be turned into a flame war, but this is my personal opinion. I have never used actinic's on my tanks but i use 10,000 k t5's which are pretty blue and my plants grow fine some people report sucess with actinic's some don't. good luck.
 

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i think that blue light would be more of a macro nutrient and 650-680 nm range would be micro if you look at the output of the sun there is a huge and long peak of purple to blue light and then it goes down and is followed by a few tall spikes of green and amber ( 650-680 nm range ) unfortunately i cannot scan the page and put it on here but it says.....


"since blue light is more energetic it can travel deeper into the water ( it is at the lower end of the spectrum which is more energetic ) therefore plants are more likely to recieve lager amounts of light in the 400-500 nm range ( blue light ) The photosynthesis pigment chlorophyll used my the majority of plants for photosynthesis traps mostly blue and red light... although it is more efficent at trapping light in the 650-680 nm range. Blue light is used just as much as red light simpily because it is far more avalable, is stronger in natural sunlight, and passes through water easier. Artifical light with a strong blue and red light is much more appealing to our eyes and will still provide plants with sutable lighting. It is worth remembering that blue light will also promote algal growth, so aim for a balance of red and blue light."

as you can see plants being origianally grown in sunlight are used to more or equal blue light, how ever in most plant propagation companies they use 6,000 to 6,500 K lights. Im not one to say but depending on the kelvin of light they are grown in a similar kelvin would probabily be best. Now you cant forget that green plants reflect or asorb green light ( the reason they apper green) but red plants reflect red light ( the reason they appear red ) so having a bulb that peaks at 650-680 wouldn't be the best for a red plant they would need an alternative such as blue.
 

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One, from me... I have used both actinics, 6700, and 10000 bulbs as supplemental lighting to 150 watt metal halide, and I observed the best response from actinics.
Really? Huh. That's interesting.
When I got my USA Current Orbit it came with 2 bulbs. One was a Dual Daylight bulb that had 6700 K and 10,000 K. The other was actinic. I shipped back the actinic and they gave me another Dual Daylight bulb.

I've been trying to figure out what Actinic bulbs were for (marketed for) and what the results of them were.

Interesting.....

I want bulbs that are good for my plants. But for my cubicle at work I am realizing the 6700K flourescent bulb I have is a little bluish. Not as horrible that awful purple light (boy, the guys at work ribbed on me for that one! Rightfully so.) I am at the point that I just want bulbs that look like sunlight.

After that, I am willing to learn and explore with supplements.

So actinics are not just expensive nightlights for tanks? :D
 

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D.gilly

Perhaps this small fact escaped you but most actinic lights are in the 420 to 460nm range.

Most of the plants we grow in our tanks come from very shallow water.
The blue light that penetrates deep doesnt just appear in the deep, its still there and in greater intensity in shallow FW. I am not saying that actinics are by any means ideal, but light in the "420 to 460nm range" is indeed one of the photosynthetic peaks.

 

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Thought you said you had a 6700K? The 50/50's make the 'wpg' a bit less accurate, plus CF lights are generally more effecient towards wpg so ist tough to give exact numbers. Youll draw 65Wx2 out of your outlet but when talking about lighting up plants its not always straight forward. Do you have polished reflectors, parabolic? I'd probably rate your lighting as medium light. Without a single bulb in the under 10,000K range, you may be somewhat lacking in the red end of the spectrum.
 

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I have 60 Gal heavy planted tank. I have 65 Watts x 2 and 65 watts 50/50 x2 so my question is what is watts per gal do I have? it won't be (4 x 65)/60 ?
Thanks.
Thought you said you had a 6700K? The 50/50's make the 'wpg' a bit less accurate, plus CF lights are generally more effecient towards wpg so ist tough to give exact numbers. Youll draw 65Wx2 out of your outlet but when talking about lighting up plants its not always straight forward. Do you have polished reflectors, parabolic? I'd probably rate your lighting as medium light. Without a single bulb in the under 10,000K range, you may be somewhat lacking in the red end of the spectrum.

I think he means 2x65W 6700K and 2x65W 50 actinic/50 daylight.
 
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