6700K and 10,000K

[Erk]

I was wondering if I could get some input from you experienced plant keepers....I currently have the coralife aqualite fixtue on my tank, which come with a 10,000K bulb and the blue actinic bulb. Since Im not keeping a reef tank, I replace BOTH bulbs with 6700K plant bulbs.....since then Ive been directed to plantgeek.com, and I have been reading around on there, and it seems as tho people like using the 6700K WITH the 10,000K tube? What are your suggestions? should I put the 10,000K back in and run both like they like, or is it ok to run with 2x6700K like I have been doing? I believe the tank is about 18" tall (glass) plus the black strip at the top, and then the light fixture sits about 3" higher then the top, so lets say about 24" from the light to the bottom of the tank? I would like to get my riccia to grow nice, and I will hopefully receive my reg. for the pressurized co2 system in the next couple of days, and if it is recommended to run the 10K with the 67K, I would like to switch it at the same time?

Thanks very much for all your help....as always! :D

[Proteus]

To get the most out of a lighting system you need to factor in a lot of things. Depending where you are located on the planet, will be the final factor in establishing what the normal Sun spectrum is (since that is what we are trying to replicate). In Australia, and for that matter most of the U.S. the midday sun is approx 7200k to 7800k with 7500k being the average. 6700k lights are manufactured as that is the usual light output from the sun (recieved on Earth) for the majority of the day.

So in theory, unless you are using a light computer with dimming switches and multiple tubes of different lumens and kelvin the only way to try and provide your aquarium with the best lighting is to mix things up a bit... In your case use 1 x 6700k & 1 x 10000k. If you have seperate power cords and timers have the 6700k tube come on first and go off last with the 10000k tube coming on and going off 1 hour after and before the other.

Aside from what I believe will be better plant growth, fish will be less stressed with a regular and gradual approach to lights on and off.

HTH

[Erk]

Thanks a lot Proteus :D I really appreciate the explanation, and advice :D

I dont have dimming switches or anything like that....I do have separate cords and timers, so I can at least make them come on an hour apart from eachother....right now I had it set for a half hour apart, so things were a lil gradual on and off.

I will swap those lights and plugs around a bit, very soon! :D

Thanks again

[ILLUSN]

G'day Erk, it comes down to preference, adding a 10000k to your 6700k will give a nice look to your tank and accent the blues and to a lesser extent your geens slightly better, i run 2x6500k, 1x6800k and 1x10000k on my display tank that lives in dads entrance way and it shows up the colors of the discus very well, either way your plants wil use what parts of the spectrum they can, your new red plants would proably benifit from the increase in blue wavelengths of the 10000k tube.

[Erk]

Thanks very much ILLUSN! :D

I think thats just more of what I was hoping to hear :D :D

You have a lot of light bulbs :shock: I bet it does look very neat tho 8-)

I think it would make my scorpion and ocean green look pretty neat :D I also hope it would make my plants grow a lil better, and look a lil nicer....the rotala mac is coming back....slowlyyyy!! I expect the reg tomorrow (saturday for me) or monday, so im sure that will help as well, but if there was anything else I could do in the meantime to give me a boost..(im a lil */-&^ bout this reg situation :evil:) I would be very happy

I can def. only mess with two bulbs, and I have a 10,000K tube here, so I will put that in, and save the other 6,700K until I need to replace the one that will stay in there....I think the lights have only been running on that tank since jan. or feb.

I cant wait to redo this tank layout.....once things start to grow :D

Thanks again!

[fish_r]

if u have 6700k and 10000k tubes i would be putting one of each in. i'm using one x 5000k tube and 1 x 10000k
"80watt each" tube and it really brings out the colour in my fish as this covers both the red and blue spectrum needed for good plant growth and good colour in the fish
http://www.aqua-medic.de/freshwater/en/22/T5%20set%2024W/
as for having them switched to come on at different times, i wouldnt really bother as ur fish wont know the difference and the plants neglible.
most people try to aim around 8000k for the both of best worlds.

[Erk]

Thanks fish_r, I have both in my light fixture now....looked neat for the few hours I was home yesterday after switching things up....didnt really notice much in the difference in my fish, but I will give it some time

It will be interesting to watch to see how the plants go between now and whenever the /*+_& the reg shows up!

Can I average out my K in my two tubes? one 10k, one 67k is 16,700 divide by 2 for an average of 8,350K? about what you're saying most people aim for? Or doesnt it work this way? haha

Thanks again

[fish_r]

i recon ur about right in averaging the two m8, and ur right around the mark :) u should be fine with them 2.
just change ur tubes on regular intervals and u should be right :)
i changed my 2 for new ones a cpl of weeks ago and it made a hell "not heaven"of a difference to the fish colour
as i hadnt put new tubes in for about 12mths.