New lights

[Joe Fish]

I'm going to order a new day light. Currently I have a 50/50 coralife and a 03 actinic. I want to take out the actinic and replace it with a 10000 daylight bulb. Probably a Coralife or a GE Aqua ray saltwater blue. Should I get a 10000 or a 20000K bulb? I also have a small 18" fixture that I'm going to use to mount in my canopy when I get done making it. Is a blacklight bad for fishes? Can I use a straight actinic bulb as a night light or moon lighting?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

aim for the 10000K...20000k is more blue and appealing but it's not what corals really need.
Get a moonlight it's pretty hot but no blacklight..
Anyways blacklights aren't usually powerful enough and it'll "spray" UV.

 

[Joe Fish]

Ok, I will get a 10000. I'm looking at a coralife high intensity 10000k and a GE aqua rays saltwater blue 10000k. Due you mean a moonlight has a lot of heat? So I shouldn't use a straight actinic light as a moonlight?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

they do pretty much the same effect, except the moonlight add a waving effect on a smaller area. usually they're used during the night only 'cause during the "day" you can't really see 'em. Actinics are usually opened a little bit before the main lights comes on, and a little bit after they're off, running all the daytime to add dramatic colors.
BTW...i've checked a lot of actinics and pseudo-actinics..the only real powerful ones i've seen so far are the Phillips ( purple ones )..can't find it in Canada, but check'em out. Even if you have a high canopy, a 40W can penetrate a 24" high tank and you're corals at the bottom can be fluorescent.