What kind of lighting is best?

[Rich A.]

I have a 55Gal Malawi tank w. a coral substrate. The lighting that came w.
the tank is bluish-white and makes the whole tank look washed out. It's a
Perfecto(?) hood w. 2 24" bulbs. I'd like to replace the bulbs, but what are
my options? I'd like a light that enhances the coloring of the fish. I have
no live plants. Thanks.

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

Use a Coralife 50/50

"Rich A." > wrote in message
nk.net...
> I have a 55Gal Malawi tank w. a coral substrate. The lighting that came w.
> the tank is bluish-white and makes the whole tank look washed out. It's a
> Perfecto(?) hood w. 2 24" bulbs. I'd like to replace the bulbs, but what
are
> my options? I'd like a light that enhances the coloring of the fish. I
have
> no live plants. Thanks.
>
>

[Rich A.]

"Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
et...
> Use a Coralife 50/50

Thanks.

[Jay]

Many of the Coralife 50/50 lights come with the blue/white twin tube. If
that's what you are trying to get away from, make sure you get one without
the blue tube.

I have a Coralife 50/50 with a blue/white twin tube and I love the way it
makes my tank look.

- J


"Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
et...
> Use a Coralife 50/50
>
> "Rich A." > wrote in message
> nk.net...
> > I have a 55Gal Malawi tank w. a coral substrate. The lighting that came
w.
> > the tank is bluish-white and makes the whole tank look washed out. It's
a
> > Perfecto(?) hood w. 2 24" bulbs. I'd like to replace the bulbs, but what
> are
> > my options? I'd like a light that enhances the coloring of the fish. I
> have
> > no live plants. Thanks.
> >
> >
>
>

[nanoreef]

In article >, Jay wrote:
> Many of the Coralife 50/50 lights come with the blue/white

All 50/50 lights are 50% actinic(blue) and 50% white. Hence the name.

They are not as practical as a two bulbs: one actinic, and one
white. The actinic tubes don't last as long as the white so you end up
changeing the 50/50 when the white side is still good.


To the original poster. You probably don't want a 50/50 bulb. It is
very blue and will make you fish look funny. If you want to see the
real colours of the fish get a light that is 5500k to 6500k with a
high CRI of 89+. CRI is colour redering index. The Sun has a CRI of
100. You can find these bulbs in a hardware store for much less then
in an aquarium shop.

[Rich A.]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> Ghazanfar, do the 50/50's lose actual wattage? I mean, if I had a 55W
6500k
> regular, versus a 55w 6500k 50/50, are they putting out the same wattage,
> same intensity, everything??

My LFS did not have the 50/50 Coralife, I picked up the SpectraMax lights,
like these(http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_792.shtml)

HUGE improvement.

[Jay]

"nanoreef" > wrote in message
.cable.rogers.com...
> In article >, Jay wrote:
> > Many of the Coralife 50/50 lights come with the blue/white
>
> All 50/50 lights are 50% actinic(blue) and 50% white. Hence the name.
>
> They are not as practical as a two bulbs: one actinic, and one
> white. The actinic tubes don't last as long as the white so you end up
> changeing the 50/50 when the white side is still good.

Ah, I see. When I purchased it, my LFS thought that some came with two white
tubes instead but they did tell me that the blue would wear out first. I'll
probably switch to a double white after six months. I do like the way it
makes my fish and plants look though.

:-)

- J

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

The actual wattage is the same, but the luminosity, CRI and spectrum
are different. IMO 50/50 makes a African tank look reef-like - which
looks appropriate given the colors of many of the Africans.

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> Ghazanfar, do the 50/50's lose actual wattage? I mean, if I had a 55W
6500k
> regular, versus a 55w 6500k 50/50, are they putting out the same wattage,
> same intensity, everything??
>
>
> "Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
> et...
> > Use a Coralife 50/50
> >
> > "Rich A." > wrote in message
> > nk.net...
> > > I have a 55Gal Malawi tank w. a coral substrate. The lighting that
came
> w.
> > > the tank is bluish-white and makes the whole tank look washed out.
It's
> a
> > > Perfecto(?) hood w. 2 24" bulbs. I'd like to replace the bulbs, but
what
> > are
> > > my options? I'd like a light that enhances the coloring of the fish. I
> > have
> > > no live plants. Thanks.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[RedForeman ©®]

thanks, was wondering what your thoughts were behind the 50/50, as I've
heard that it has adverse affects, like an algae magnet and such....

"Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
et...
>
> The actual wattage is the same, but the luminosity, CRI and spectrum
> are different. IMO 50/50 makes a African tank look reef-like - which
> looks appropriate given the colors of many of the Africans.
>
> "RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Ghazanfar, do the 50/50's lose actual wattage? I mean, if I had a 55W
> 6500k
> > regular, versus a 55w 6500k 50/50, are they putting out the same
wattage,
> > same intensity, everything??
> >
> >
> > "Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
> > et...
> > > Use a Coralife 50/50
> > >
> > > "Rich A." > wrote in message
> > > nk.net...
> > > > I have a 55Gal Malawi tank w. a coral substrate. The lighting that
> came
> > w.
> > > > the tank is bluish-white and makes the whole tank look washed out.
> It's
> > a
> > > > Perfecto(?) hood w. 2 24" bulbs. I'd like to replace the bulbs, but
> what
> > > are
> > > > my options? I'd like a light that enhances the coloring of the fish.
I
> > > have
> > > > no live plants. Thanks.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[Haywire]

Interesting comment, I'm using 3500K compact florescents and the strangest
thing occured the other day when I pulled my pargest ram out of the tank. a
male 2" with little colouration, as soon as he was out from under the
tank's lights and under the incandescent lighting he was an amazing dark
purple.

should I add another tube to the system to bring out the colour in the
rams? Which spectrum would be best?

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in
:

> thanks, was wondering what your thoughts were behind the 50/50, as
> I've heard that it has adverse affects, like an algae magnet and
> such....
>
> "Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
> et...
>>
>> The actual wattage is the same, but the luminosity, CRI and
>> spectrum are different. IMO 50/50 makes a African tank look
>> reef-like - which looks appropriate given the colors of many of
>> the Africans.
>>
>> "RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > Ghazanfar, do the 50/50's lose actual wattage? I mean, if I had a
>> > 55W
>> 6500k
>> > regular, versus a 55w 6500k 50/50, are they putting out the same
> wattage,
>> > same intensity, everything??
>> >
>> >
>> > "Ghazanfar Ghori" > wrote in message
>> > et...
>> > > Use a Coralife 50/50
>> > >
>> > > "Rich A." > wrote in message
>> > > nk.net...
>> > > > I have a 55Gal Malawi tank w. a coral substrate. The lighting
>> > > > that
>> came
>> > w.
>> > > > the tank is bluish-white and makes the whole tank look washed
>> > > > out.
>> It's
>> > a
>> > > > Perfecto(?) hood w. 2 24" bulbs. I'd like to replace the bulbs,
>> > > > but
>> what
>> > > are
>> > > > my options? I'd like a light that enhances the coloring of the
>> > > > fish.
> I
>> > > have
>> > > > no live plants. Thanks.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
>