Hi all. New to the hobby have a question about the lighting in the RSM 130c
- Thread starter kryoz88
- Start date
sirrealism
Well-Known Member
Welcome to RS. Lots of great people here to help you. Sorry i dont have an RSM but I am sure there will be someone here to help.
to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
Start a new tank thread & share your tank with us so we can follow along - we love pics
Not sure where you can purchase the bulb, but can tell you lots of RS members of the RSM Club run the stock bulbs & have great success with them !
Here is one online vendor that has them (offsite) - http://www.marineandreef.com/Max_Replacement_55_Watt_50_50_Compact_Lamp_Red_Sea_p/rrs40251.htm
I would use two 50/50 bulbs for your lighting. I consider your LFS to be giving you bad advice unless you want the tank to be extremely blue, and want to restrict yourself to lower light corals.
I would use two 50/50 bulbs for your lighting. I consider your LFS to be giving you bad advice unless you want the tank to be extremely blue, and want to restrict yourself to lower light corals.
reefer gladness
Well-Known Member
Get familiar with the concept of color temperature if not already. Stock RSM lighting with 50/50's is about 10k. When you're looking at corals photographed online at places like LiveAquaria they typically use 20k metal halide which is much bluer but the actinic spectrum makes the colors in a lot of corals really pop.
It's important to consider this as the appearance of certain corals as photographed online or seen at your LFS may look much different when you get them home. I've had corals that looked brown color under 10k for example but the same coral is almost neon orange under actinic lighting. Which appeals to you is a matter of personal choice.
Yes, with all other factors being equal corals will generally grow faster under a 10k spectrum than a 20k. Personally I find corals grow plenty fast enough under an actinic 20k spectrum. My 2 cents, choose the color temp that appeals to you personally and forget about growth rates unless you're going into business to farm corals.
It's important to consider this as the appearance of certain corals as photographed online or seen at your LFS may look much different when you get them home. I've had corals that looked brown color under 10k for example but the same coral is almost neon orange under actinic lighting. Which appeals to you is a matter of personal choice.
Yes, with all other factors being equal corals will generally grow faster under a 10k spectrum than a 20k. Personally I find corals grow plenty fast enough under an actinic 20k spectrum. My 2 cents, choose the color temp that appeals to you personally and forget about growth rates unless you're going into business to farm corals.