Adding T8 Actinic to Arcadia Luminaire?

[eskimoigloo]

I am not impressed with the output of my T5 blue actinic on my Arcadia Luminaire (4' & 4 bulb). Just wondering if anyone has had a go at mounting an extra T8 actinic on the outside of the main unit at all??? If you have, a pic of how you did it would be good!

Chris

[MR Teee]

Why T8? What about another T5, in terms of output a T5 is alot higher than a T8 tube for tube.

[Zeus]

Hi all,

I have a T8 24w actinic hanging of the back of the tank. I used an Arcadia Ultraseal controller and the hanging brackets off of my Seio pumps, drilled a couple of 4mm holes in these and secured the light brackets to them. You don't get the nylon nuts and bolts with the controller but you can buy them separately in packs of 10.

T8 vs T5? Well IMO the T8 gives off a much softer, less harsh, easier to look at light than the T5. However, my actinic has nothing to do with coral growth, it's only so the fish are not plunged into total darkness when the main lights go off.

HTH
Campbell

[eskimoigloo]

I'm just not getting the bright colours out of my corals that I had with my T8 actinic before I upgraded to a Luminaire. I might just try running 2 blues and 2 whites instead of 1 and 3.

[Tangman]

I'm just not getting the bright colours out of my corals that I had with my T8 actinic before I upgraded to a Luminaire. I might just try running 2 blues and 2 whites instead of 1 and 3.

Hi You want to get a Pure Actinic D-D T5 tube this will give you the fluorecning efect your after, IMO Arcadia actinic tubes are not that blue compared to D-D. HTH. Eric

[eskimoigloo]

I am running the d-d bulbs already. My actinic is the actinic plus, not the pure.

[MR Teee]

Thats why, as Eric has said the actinic plus is just a bluer tube, not really an actinic at all.

Swap a white one for a actinic pure, that should 'blue' it up considerably.

Deltec-Giessman names for tubes are rubbish.

[eskimoigloo]

Ok, more expense!

[Tangman]

Ok, more expense!

It sure is one dear hobby, :) Eric