# New light setup, too blue??



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

I went to a higher output Actinic and what a difference in blue.. I can't decide If I like it or not.. Looks extremely reef like now..

What do you guys think? Honest opinions



















Here is how it looked before


----------



## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

I have to say in the picture it looks good but I know exactly what you mean. I had a H/O actinic bulb along with the white daylight bulb and it was way too blue for liking. I ended up switching to a non H/O bulb and I now like it very much.


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

Its crazy all I switched was from the 28w to the 54w HO and that's how much brighter it is. Both tank setups are the same.. actinic/6k , blue one is just HO.. I am stuck.. I think it looks cool but feels like it washes out the yellow and orange.. im considering trying 50/50 HO w/6k not sure how that will look.


----------



## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I prefer the switch,the before was too brite,that would look even better on a frontosa tank


----------



## fishghost (Jul 27, 2003)

I actually like the color itself, but to me it looks like it's drowning out the blues in your fish.

Nice tank BTW


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

I think I may try the 50/50 setup Run one HO 50/50 bulb and the 6k HO.. Hopefully the 50/50 will add just enough blue but not overpower it.. Something in between this blue and the orginal color would be perfect.

How would two 10ks look? May have to cosider that as well.


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

I ended up keeping the Actinic and putting in a 10k HO, Much better.. Ill post pictures later tonight when its dark and my new background is in :thumb:


----------



## xxbenjamminxx (Jan 22, 2011)

opcorn:

I am interested in see how it turns out. I am gonna be switching to black sand and painting the back black myself and not so sure that the Marineland DB's i have now till be enough to do the job. Thats the only thing that has been holding me back from doing it is the fear of it looking "gloomy" and "too dark" when finished.

I didnt mind the blue look in the pics, but in person it might have been a little too blue.


----------



## codyDjung (May 4, 2011)

[imghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dLSVgS5AxBI/SrDvrjbhJiI/AAAAAAAAjCE/W5AHN6yfepc/s400/LakeMalawi+(2).jpg

her's a pic from under the actual lake, i'd say yours is pretty similar. I wish there was a way to make it exactly like that though.[/img]


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

Actually with the 10k it looks just like that :thumb:


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

My background didn't come in today, got delayed until monday   here are pictures anyways with the 10k and Actinic.. You can still see it's pretty blue but now you can notice it with more white, lightens it up some.. It really does look like a deep ocean..


----------



## codyDjung (May 4, 2011)

duuuuude I like that!!!! With mine im gonna try to hang the lights higher over the tank to see if it will give it a more "natural sunlight effect"


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

In person it looks so much better.. its hard to capture that blue on camera and especially on video


----------



## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

what kinda background you getting?your tank looks good by the way


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

Here's a better pic at night time.. I was finally able to capture the actual color, see how much better it looks with the 10k?










Pretty happy how it looks now..

newforestrob, I had the guy from here http://www.designsbynature.net/
make me their prefitted 55g one for my 90g, expectional pricing and great looking background.. It's supposed to come in 4 pieces I believe and can be installed in an already established tank with no silicon or magnets.. We'll see how it goes when it comes on Monday.

Here is the one I had him make for me.










I think it will fit my setup great :thumb: it was the closest i could find for the color and style of rock.


----------



## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

*Cromak*
installed in an already established tank with no silicon or magnets

hows it attached?I think that will look really good


----------



## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I think your tank looks better with the blue. I don't even really see it that much and your rock work and everything looks very natural I really like your tank setup!!!! Great job, I feel your just thinking too much into this.


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

newforestrob said:


> *Cromak*
> installed in an already established tank with no silicon or magnets
> 
> hows it attached?I think that will look really good


Here is my tank with the new background.. It's basically just cut down so it fits underneath the tank braces, then pushed flat against the glass.. Move your substrate back so its flush with the bottom of the tank then push it back once installed.. So I get support from the sand and top braces.. Fits perfectly.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=228969


----------



## MrLeadFoot (Dec 30, 2006)

Cromak said:


> I went to a higher output Actinic and what a difference in blue.. I can't decide If I like it or not.. Looks extremely reef like now..
> 
> What do you guys think? Honest opinions
> 
> ...


I'm late on this thread, but what lights do you have in the last pic? I like that best. I have 6700 and 7100 CFs I'm looking to replace. I'm tired of the yellowish look, and am considering either 10,000ks or 10,000k/Actinic 03 combos. Don't want it TOO blue, and like the look of your last photo, which is why I ask.


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

The first two are 10k/actinic HOs the last is two 10k HO's

Now that the Actinic bulb has been in use for awhile the blue has gone away a lot, now it looks so much better.

I'll try to get an updated pic later on..


----------



## MrLeadFoot (Dec 30, 2006)

So there are no Actinics at all in that last pic? It's straight 10,000k? You're running T5s, which I would think probably results the same output as my CFLs (55watt each bulb).


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

Correct, last pic is two 10k 54w HO's T5's


----------



## MrLeadFoot (Dec 30, 2006)

Have you ever run just 6500k - 7100k? I'm asking because while I suspect the 10,000k would be significantly cooler (bluer) than those, I don't think the change would be almost double, like the difference in temps between 6500 and 10,000 are in numbers, does that make sense? So, I was curious to know if you had experience in the difference between true daylights (6500, 7100) and the 10,000k.


----------



## MrLeadFoot (Dec 30, 2006)

While I want to crispen up the colors in my tank, I don't want it to be as blue as those first two pics of yours. So, I hope you're not taking offense in my liking your previous lighting. Or, is it the camera that's picking up so much blue in the first pics?


----------



## Cromak (Dec 29, 2010)

The camera kind of made the pics look more blue then they really are.. Ill post some new pics later..

I've never tried anything other than 10k/10k 10k/actinic

If you get a low output Actinic buld it wont be as blue as the Actinic HO's get like a 24w i think they are? That will add some blue but not overpower it..


----------

