actinic question

[mariner]

On lampsnow.com, for power compacts they have a choice between 03 and 7100K. I'm looking for the blue bulbs so that I could leave them on at night. What is the difference between the two and which one is the bulb i'm looking for? Thank you.
Also, Who has the best price on PC bulbs? Thans again.

[ November 14, 2001: Message edited by: mariner ]</p>

 

[Super Len]

Actinic O3 usually refers to florescent bulbs that incorporate true actinic phosphors that burn blue (with a spectral peak at ~420nm). 7100K blue bulbs usually utilize conventional phosphors to generate white light, with a blue coating on the bulb's inner wall used to achieve the blue coloration. This is why most power compact systems using the 7100k blue blue don't floresnce the corals like, for example, VHO "O3" actinics do. BTW, true actinic power compacts are now being imported from Japan (www.marinedepot.com, et. al.).

Do not leave your actinics on at night. Although they may seem to mimic dawn/dusk colors, most reef inhabitants don't differiante between actinics/blue bulbs and "full spectrum" bulbs. If they perceive intense light anywhere between 400-600nm, they'll think it's daylight. Remember: reef animals don't see the way you and I do. It's quite obvious that reef animals don't respond to upper spectrums (orange-red) if you've ever used red lights to observe your tank at night. 1000 watts of blue light is equivalent to 1000 watts of full spectum light. The dawn/dusk effect is geared more to fulfill human whim then for the benefit of your reef inhabitants. Dimming, however, is another story (something that the dawn/dusk effect usually inadvertedly facilitates).

 

[mariner]

O.K. Is there any type of bulb that I could put in a german style socket(4 pin straight) 55 watt that would be good for night viewing? If so, where could I get a couple? I don't want to leave them on all night just for a few hours afetr the halides go off. So if I did go with the actinics for this, which one 03 or 7100K? I want no daylight in this bulb just blue.

 

[Super Len]

For night viewing, I'd suggest using only red bulbs.

I don't believe there are true actinics available for the german pin config, but I'd call your preferred retailer and ask. There are also no red bulbs available for any PC that I'm aware of. For night viewing, I use a small red LED to spot the areas I'm looking at. For tankwide viewing, you might have to get red filters for your bulbs; I don't know of any commonly available manufacturered red bulb.

For actinics, I always recommend 03 if possible. With the German pin config, you may have no choice but 7100K.

 

[stilmas]

The 03 is a dark blue bulb and the 7100k is a med. blue. I use a 6400k daylight and a med.blue 7100k PC on mine, it looks nice. I create a dawn/dusk effect with the 7100k but don't leave it on all night. If you're looking to create like a moonlight effect, I'm pretty sure they make them. The actinics are not considered a night time bulb since the animals can still see it. If you leave an actinic on all night it will be like a never ending photoperiod which you would not want. I know I have seen "night" bulbs that simulate moonlight and the animals don't know it's on. It is similar to the "night lights" used for nocturnal reptiles and stuff. Hope that helps.

 

[JMKirk]

Mariner:

Both Marine Depot and Lampsnow sell German 03's.

You will probably do better price-wise at Lampsnow (now called Hello Lights) using one of their coupon codes. I do not have the new coupon codes, and the old ones expire today 11/15/01.

E-Coupon Code: ZRC1001 Good For 10% off of $50.00 or more.
E-Coupon Code: ZRC1001b Good For 20% off of $100.00 or more.

 

[mariner]

So, to get the flourescent colors out of my corals with just the actinics on, I want the o3?

 

[esmithiii]

Mariner: Exactly.

E

 

[mariner]

Thanks "E"