Who Gives A Fish Forums

Been running actinic lights for a few weeks now, but my Zoanthids aren't popping like I expected. What's the deal? Tank's a 40-gallon breeder, running two AI Prime HDs at 60% blue, 20% white. Params are stable, 8.1 pH, 1.025 salinity, 0 nitrates. Got a mixed reef with some LPS and softies too.

Actinic lighting's great for fluorescence, but Zoanthids need a bit more white spectrum to really thrive. Try bumping the white channel to 30% and see if they respond. Also, how old are your bulbs? Actinics lose intensity over time, even if they still look bright to us.

craftzone wrote: ↑Sat May 17, 2025 12:35 am Actinic lighting's great for fluorescence, but Zoanthids need a bit more white spectrum to really thrive. Try bumping the white channel to 30% and see if they respond. Also, how old are your bulbs? Actinics lose intensity over time, even if they still look bright to us.

Yep, that's spot on. My Acans were dull until I tweaked the whites. Lazord, you running any supplemental feeding? These guys can be picky eaters.

I've had better luck with T5 actinics over LEDs for color pop. Less shadowing, more even coverage. What's your photoperiod? Might be worth cutting it back to 8 hours if you're blasting them for 12.

Honestly, actinics are overrated unless you're going for that blacklight poster vibe. My tank's fine with just whites and blues. But hey, if you're into the glow, go nuts.

goldenEye wrote: ↑Sat May 17, 2025 3:24 am Honestly, actinics are overrated unless you're going for that blacklight poster vibe. My tank's fine with just whites and blues. But hey, if you're into the glow, go nuts.

Actinics aren't just about looks—they support photosynthesis in deeper-water corals. Lazord, what's your tank depth? Shallow tanks might not need as much actinic intensity.

Thanks for the tips, y'all. Gonna tweak the whites and check bulb age. Tank's 18 inches deep, and I feed Reef Roids twice a week. Appreciate the help.

18 inches is right on the edge where actinics start mattering more. If you're dosing amino acids, that could help too. My SPS started coloring up way better after adding them.

Aminos are a game-changer, no lie. Also, make sure your flow isn't too direct. Zoas hate getting blasted, even if the lights are perfect.

dixiek wrote: ↑Sat May 17, 2025 7:09 am Aminos are a game-changer, no lie. Also, make sure your flow isn't too direct. Zoas hate getting blasted, even if the lights are perfect.

Exactly. Flow's just as crucial as lighting. Lazord, what's your current setup? Wavemakers or just return pumps?