Bulb Question

[::pete::]

Just a thought as I have new standard fluorescent bulbs with fixture laying around that came with the tanks and were never used. I was wonder if they can be used to supplement the 250W-XM's 20K I am currently running or would this cause a problem ? Or would it be best to get daylight or 50/50 ? Thanks.

[Instar]

Don't use standard fluorescent bulbs. Their spectrum is too yellow and will grow nusiance algaes and they are not made with photosynthetic animals in mind. They don't have a very high useful rating. It will make your critters and tank look poorly colored too. What is the K of your XM's? If its 10000 K, use the fixtures with Coralife 03 Actinics. If they are rated at 20000 K, the measurement is more likely to be around a true 14000 K. I would still suppliment with actinics plus maybe add a daylight (10000 K) of some kind. The colors will really jump at you if you suppliment the halides. Why Coralife? b/c they have twice to three times the useful lifespan of the latest competitor bulb and they are a truer 420nm wavelength.