# Coral life 50/50 bulb ?



## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

Anyone use these ? has 50% 6000K and 50% actinic
Has not arrived but bought one to use on my ten gallon along/w a 6500K, T5 both.
There seems to be a very limited variety of 18" bulbs for the 18" T5.
Why on earth are most of them 10,000K or over...go figure. Put a 100% actinic in there
which someone gave me to try and really don't like the look it gives.
Started out/w one 6500K and one Roseate(620nm) and tank looked good.
Thought the 50/50 might be a good match/w the Roseate as it would be less bright.
The real problem is that after 2 weeks my fish still stay totally hidden..don't seem to
be getting used to that bright of light, the T5's.
Worked fine/w T8's...


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Actinics provide very little to help your plants grow. They get something from it, but not enough to sustain life without something helping to include some ambient light. The color is sort of cool but sort of dark also. I ran a planted bulb and one actinic for a little while on one of my tanks. Actually bought it by mistake online.

Are these T5 or T5HO? Wattage? I would use what you have.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

This is the link to the ones I bought at the same time I bought the fixture. They are said to be Ho. The 18" is actually 17.25" and as you know some
perhaps all T5 fixtures(I have no experience/w other brands) have loose caps which fit onto the ends of each bulb(the wiring) as differs from the
T8 fixtures which have fixed slots for the bulb to fit into. So bulbs from 16" to 18" will fit the fixture. I found a site and think it was given in here in
a thread, which had pages of T5 and T8 bulbs but can't remember where it was. I made myself a promise to give these a fair trial but the lack of
my fish accepting the level of light may short cut that somewhat. I shall go back to the T8's if the fish don't come out before too long. Not average fish
though. Banded Pigmy sunfish. Secretive, shy and likes close quarters as in plenty of plants in which to lurk. The other ten has T8's so a realistic
though very involved tedious transfer of fish(because of the level of plants) might be a suitable alternative to going back to the T8 lights in this tank.
Hmmm...interesting thought...switch the lights instead of the fish...both same brand ten's.
I think I just gave myself a project...been know to act on impulse a tad bit too often so will consider it a while first...
2X T5 Light Bulbs 18 Watts 18W Lamps Aquarium Lighting Fits Most 20" Odyssea | eBay
The bulbs say 18W...on T8's the 18" ones say 15W.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I have a 96 watt 50/50 10K I think.It grew plants ok,but grew aldae even better,so it is not in use at this time.Mostly a saltwater light ,but I tried it over a 20 long fw.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

Well beat me up for an idiot...the 50/50 bulb turned out to be a T8 instead of a T5. Here's the link if interested. You need to look to find where it states
which kind it is but it's there still. Oh well now I have yet one more bulb for my tank that has T8's.
Coralife 50/50 50% Natural Daylight 6,000 K Fluorescent Bulbs at PETCO
Did the deed this morning though. Promised myself that I'd give the T5's a few months on that tank but with having the Banded Pigmy sunfish in it
and their not wanting to be out in that bright of light I switched lights on both tanks. Now the BPS have T8 lights, still not on this morning due to timer.
This is the tank in which I have discontinued using the Excel so needs less light and hopefully my mosses can grow with the smaller amount of light.
Will take a picture of each tank this morning as also have cleaned the glasses on both in past couple of days. Will add link to this thread later A.M.
Is this merry-go-round issue common to all or is this just me. Don't remember much "stuff" about my tank(s) when in my teen years so this "just recently
started back" thing is now about 3.5 years old. I realize that long term is where the results show much better...but I "have to" tinker with, change and otherwise
harass my tanks at intervals to calm my lack of patients with not getting it "perfect" yet...LOL...
Ah...the lights just came on...time to see how the other fish react to the T5's in that tank...pictures soon...
This is the tank which had the T5's...can't tell any difference...but will the fish come out now ?



Took 2 pictures of half each of this tank to get closer pixs. Now has T5's on it. THESE fish don't seem disturbed by the change in the light.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I have WAY to many lights in my attick.Imagine your level of exploring with salt water reefs added in!My worst case latley(last two years) is a $400-$500 dual 250 watt metal halide fixture.Nothing wrong with the light(besides the heat and electric consumption),but when I got into my current true lumen pro leds I pulled it out and haven't used it since(almost brand new!)
Good luck and keep tinker,eventually we have to achieve harmony!


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

Have a Marineland Double Bright that got the same treatment after 8 days. Was on that tank/w the T5's. Has way to much directional focus on a ten gallon
but may be fine on a taller tank so the "beams" can spread out more. Also found out that it has 1W bulbs and the 3W bulbs are preferred for plants. Heard
good things about it though and believe that a person who had a single bulb strip or hood on their tank would be very happy with the up-grade to that 
Marineland Double Bright.


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