i need help with choosing bulbs

[althea2you]

ok, i have decided to go with the Tek-Lights the 8 bulb version...

i need to know what bulbs i need, and where to place them... right now i have these three in mind... what else do i need... only have 3 and need 8! LOL


PowerChrome, Actinic+
T5 Lamps by Giesemann


PowerChrome, Aqua Blue+
T5 Lamps by Giesemann

ok, onlt 2... those i guess are my abticnic bulbs.. do i need more? with an 8 bulb fixture?

and what else.. ive seen fixtures with all different spectrums of bulbs but i dont know what they are...soo i want something in the 14000k area...?

 

[lcstorc]

There are a lot of different lights to choose from. The kelvin rating is what tells you if there is more blue or more yellow etc. To make it even more confusing different brands of the same kelvin rating and same wattage can look very different. Your best bet is to look around at people's tanks and if you like their lighting go with that. Different kelvin ratings also produce different growth rates. 10k is generally the fastest growing but some people don't like the look so they either go to a higher rating or add actinics or both.
If it were my tank I would probably go with 6 10k and 2 actinics but that is just my preference and after trying it I could change my mind.

 

[althea2you]

Re: i need help with choosing T-5 bulbs

There are a lot of different lights to choose from. The kelvin rating is what tells you if there is more blue or more yellow etc. To make it even more confusing different brands of the same kelvin rating and same wattage can look very different. Your best bet is to look around at people's tanks and if you like their lighting go with that. Different kelvin ratings also produce different growth rates. 10k is generally the fastest growing but some people don't like the look so they either go to a higher rating or add actinics or both.
If it were my tank I would probably go with 6 10k and 2 actinics but that is just my preference and after trying it I could change my mind.

thanks lynn!! i do not really want the 10000K look... i dont want it to look too yellow... like i said above... i was thinking somehwere in the 12-14000K!? would thos work/ anyone else have suggestions?

 

[prow]

hummm, well i am thinking your looking for something more blue~ish. like said many choices. but before i give you a suggestion i need to know a couple things. what tek light did you get exactly? bulb wattage ballast ect.(got a link?)..also what are the tanks dimensions and type corals your planning on?

 

[HowardW]

<<< soo i want something in the 14000k area...? >>>


This may get you pretty close:

Front

UVL Super Actinic

Geisemann Actinic+

Geisemann Aquablue

UVL Actinic White

Geisemann Aquablue

UVL Aquasun

Geisemann Actinic+

UVL Super Actinic

Rear

 

[althea2you]

thanks for the help.. but i decided on th the outer orbit... metal halide with 4 54w t-5's.. LOL.. thanks for the help.. but it was becoming too much.. and i didnt want just t-5'd.. i was sooo confused on lighting and was getting so frustrated!!!