Does actinic help growth?

[strendo]

I have a 2 x 250mh w/ 2 t5 actinic fixture. I just switched to 12k bulbs from 10k and really like the way the tank looks without the actinic t5 bulbs on. Will leaving them off impact my coral growth?

[sam75]

I would think it would impact color more than growth. T5 actinics have relatively low par.

Don't forget you may notice may notice difference from changing the MH bulbs as well.

[jmarti705]

hmmmm good question =/

[TeeLapia]

Man, a question highly debated as to whether or not actincs really do play a role in growth. I would say no. I remember reading a lengthy article from a USC marine grad. He tested various light etc. in seperate environments... yadda yadda yadda... He concluded that actinics have no visible effects of growth.

[A.T.T.R]

400-500 nm range effects the algae in the coral. ( par) as does 560 ish if i remember correct

as long as its being made up somewhere then it will be fine

your 12k bulb is putting out some more blue then the 10k but at a decreased overall par. im sure you wont even knotice the growth difference.
but what you could do is try and balance the light witht he t5s ( like maybe one white one blue to achive the same look but with more par

[barjam]

Way too many factors to say for sure. T5 actinics put anywhere from 30-60% of the PAR of a daylight bulb. So you will lose par. Do your corals need the extra par? Is it enough to matter if even if they can use it? Who knows. I would guess you wouldn't see much of a difference.

[Tom Fay]

There has to be a study on this somewhere. I'm curious too, as I just changed my 10k bulbs to 14k and I would like to save the electricity and heat from running actinics. Just the 14k bulbs alone look awesome.

[rickh]

I use fluorescent lighting, about 80% Actinic to 20% Daylight and I am constantly having to frag. I have Zoas, Mushrooms, LPS and Monopora Caps-- no SPS R

[Tom Fay]

Interesting. Have you experimented with different bulb combinations?

[strendo]

Thanks for the replys everyone! I think I'll just run the T5s for a few hours during the day when Im not home just in case.

[saltwater4life1]

I ran atinics on my tank and never got much growth my corals always looked great but never grew i had green star polyps and they took like a month to attach to the rock. same with my xenia...