I guess it's the difference between pure 420nm and something that has a broader range of actinic and blue. I always try to check the actual stated lumens/intensity or how bright it appears to my eyes, though that can be deceiving since human eyes cannot accurately perceive intensity at the actinic wavelength. Adam thinks I'm weird, but I see worms crawling around on my eyeballs when I look directly at true actinic light.
Actinic light makes some greens pop but does less for reds and blues, that's where the pink/blue bulbs are cool. Several people here use pinkish VHO and T-5 tubes which enhance the same reds and blues. If you want to see the appearance, go look at any of those tanks.
It's just strange to me that, except for that one supplier, the Power Compact industry carries the blue and washout white tubes and seems to have missed the vibrance that the freshwater hobby has known for years with it's original Gro-Lux bulbs. These are the pinkish colored bulbs for growing and enhancing the colors of freshwater aquarium plants. Our coral and algae do equally well in that same lighting combined with actinic light.
Here is my old 120 with 2x175 14K MH and 4x 4' VHO, three of which are actinic and one Actinic/White (pinkish hue) placed in the front sockets.
Edited by Mark Peterson - May 14 2008 at 4:54pm
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