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	Saltwater Lights---Freshwater Tank
ricanboy57 Fingerling Posts: 17 Kudos: 4 Votes: 5 Registered: 20-Nov-2006	So i was at my LFS today and they were fitting actinic bulbs on there freshwater systems. I've heard that this wasn't a good idea because of algea but is that it? I asked them and they just said it looked better. Is there anything else? I personaly didn't like it, but if someone wanted there freshwater tanks to look like that would this be a problem? _________________________________________ I'm the classic newb. I went out and bought the smallest tank and a fish at the same time. Now I'm kicking myself wondering how could I have been so stupid. But I'm hooked.
Posted 14-Jan-2007 23:00
tiny_clanger Fish Guru Posts: 2563 Kudos: 571 Votes: 12 Registered: 17-Sep-2002	As it was an LFS, I expect they'd be using UV in their filtration which can cut down photosensitive algae. ------------------------------------------------- I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions
Posted 14-Jan-2007 23:49
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	no problem with it unless you need the light for plants. I haven't noticed more algae using the same amount of actinic versus other spectrum lighting. However putting lots more actinic on the tank along with your other light will increase the chance of algae just like adding more of any other light will and plants won't really use actinics. I think it looks great on some cichlid tanks with lots of rockwork and no plants but it's difficult to include them in a lighting system for planted tanks unless you only run the actinics for a few hours a day.
Posted 15-Jan-2007 00:31
ricanboy57 Fingerling Posts: 17 Kudos: 4 Votes: 5 Registered: 20-Nov-2006	So the use of the actinics isn't bad. And it may not even add to the algea growth. But what would it do to a planted system? _________________________________________ I'm the classic newb. I went out and bought the smallest tank and a fish at the same time. Now I'm kicking myself wondering how could I have been so stupid. But I'm hooked.
Posted 15-Jan-2007 01:49
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	It won't grow plants unless you balance it with bulbs that produce mostly red light and it will still allow algea to grow. The reason actinics seem to grow algae is that the algae can still use the blue only light while plants can't. It's nearly worthless light on a planted tank unless you put on tons of it and then you will get algae. Alot of any light will grow algae. That makes it hard to use on a planted tank and keep the plant growth ahead of the algae growth.
Posted 15-Jan-2007 02:56
Brybenn Mega Fish Posts: 1217 Kudos: 1173 Votes: 1 Registered: 02-Mar-2003	i use a aqua glow 48" bulb and a 48" atinic on my mbuna tank 100gallon tank the atinic makes the blues shine awesomely while the other light brings out the other fishes colours i have black substrate n 500lbs of limestone rock work it looks amazing n gives a nice moon lighted effect with my setup i can run both or separately my algae problems arent any more in that tank then any of my other 8
Posted 23-Jan-2007 19:22


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