Question about daylight and actinic lights

[Torino]

Just picked up these lights Coralife Lunar Aqualight Deluxe Series-48" (4X65W) at big als and have a few questions

http://www.bigalsonline.ca/StoreCatalog/ctl3664/cp17952/si1319993/cl1/coralife_lunar_aqualight_deluxe_series48_4x65w_with_4_34w_bluemoonglow_led_lamps?&path=c3664-def-CAD-16667%23%23-1%23%23-1%
7E%7Eq636f72616c696665206c756e6172%7E%7Ec3664-def-CAD-17307%23%234%23%23g%7E%7Enc3664-def-CAD-17952%23%230%23%235&query=coralife+lunar&offset=

two 65 watt 10,000K Daylight and two 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue compact lamps
do i turn all the lights to have full 260watts

or do i turn the daylights in the day and the actinic at night ?
but then i will have only 130watts ( i was looking to be in the 200watt range)

whats the correct way and time frame to turn on the lights?

[kennyman]

I run my actinics 13 hrs a day and the daylight 11hrs. Actinic comes on 1 hr before and stays on 1hr longer. It is just for effect.

[Torino]

I dont get it why does the actinic has to be an hour longer and after ?
any real reason to that ?

[saltynewb]

Mostly to simulate a sinrise/sunset I believe

[charlie]

Torino, are you using this fixture for a freshwater planted tank? ( I suspect you are from your other post), if so, it is widely thought,   that the actinic will be of little benefit to you other than looks & contributing to algae.( i have no personal experience on this, just what i`ve read) some folks say it does not matter.

The other thing that would help is if we know the size of the tank , is it a 55 Gln. or a 75 Gln.?
Here is a thread that deals with actinic lights & planted tanks
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/56061-does-actinic-lights-do-anything-inparticular.html

[Torino]

if it did not benafits why are they making the lights at 65watt each ?
are you saying when i have 130watts of actinic it will not help grow plants at all ?

but the 130watts of the 10k would ?


its a 55gallon

[Toss]

I guess you bought lighting for saltwater. Saltwater do need actinic. Search Coralife Freshwater.

[zima]

He bought it for freshwater. Like I mentioned in my pm, actinic lights do next to nothing for plants. 130w of 10 000K lights are okay over 55 gallons to start, but then you are not making use of your fixture, which is a waste. Again, like I suggested in my pm, I recommend changing the fixture to T5HO's, with colour range closer to 65 000K - 67 000K - closest to sunlight.

Start small, maybe 2x54 watts fixture. This is a medium-low light range (just undeer 2 watts per gallon), and you'll be able to grow a lot of nice medium-low light plants. Will most probably not require the addition of CO2 and fertilisers. I find that aquarium hobbyists underestimate the possibilities this kind of setup provides for planted tank.

If you feel the need to upgrade after a few weeks, get an extra T5HO 1x54 watts fixture, which will give you a shade under 3 watts per gallon. With this kind of light you're moving towards the high-tech side, where you're getting into CO2 injection and addition of fertilisers. A whole different world! I have this kind of setup on my 55 gallon, and I can grow anything I want in there. But for your own sake, start slow and be patient.