What kind of lighting is best?

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.

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.

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

Thanks.

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.

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.

"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.

"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

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.

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.

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.