Nano reef lighting

[Zoe]

What's better, for a live rock setup with some basic soft corals, polyps and shrooms?
A 20W actinic 50/50 PC?  Or a 27W PC (not sure of K rating, but let's say between 6500 and 10,000).
Does the actinic actually DO anything other than just enhance the look of the tank?

[artw]

I just started a 20g, and after some research I decided on the Hagen T5HO "Glo" 48 watt fixture. I am using a LifeGlo and a MarineGlo light and it looks great, it even has a bit of the shimmer effect that you would normally only get from a strong point of light (IE Metal halide)

We'll see in a month if its enough to actually grow anything.

[Zoe]

Well, due to my tank size, format, and other household inhabitants (-cough- my cats), I am restricted to either a regular 27W PC, or a 20W PC 50/50 actinic.

[Alchemist]

If you are handy you could probably easily (and cheaply) add another screw in PC socket (from eg Can Tire then crazy glue or metal screws to attach to hood) in series to the one that's in there (simple electrical circuit in a "loop", the existing light switch would control both lights)...then you could have 40 watts of 50:50 which is 5 watts per gallon which is the recommended amount for soft corals!! 

[Zoe]

For much can I hire you to be handy for me???
But seriously, I don't think it would even work. It's a weird hood.

[Alchemist]

I have this tiny tank with a weird hood too.....anyway...got a pic?

You don't want to hire me, believe me, I just misread a concrete mix and now have a floor with concrety water on it.  Having aid that.....wiring this extra light socket up would be easy.

[kennyman]

Does the actinic actually DO anything other than just enhance the look of the tank?

The actinic helps simulate the light that reaches deeper sections of the reef since most of the yellow and red light gets filtered out by water. Also the specific range of the actinic bulbs reacts with pigments in the tissue of corals and causes them to fluoresce, giving those vivid colours.