Best place to get actinic bulbs?

[Steve]

Anyone have any suggestions on where to get 48" actinic bulbs for a good price? I plan on doing my own lighting on my 7ft tank I'm working on so I think since it is 2ft front to back and 31" deep I plan on doing four 48" dual bulb T8 shop lights so that there are two rows of them basically and just mount then so the extra foot hangs off the one side since it is an in wall tank that wont show at all. So I want to do a daylight spec bulb and a actinic bulb in each fixture so a total of 4 daylight and four actinic bulbs. The actinic bulbs seem pretty costly though so far where I look. So where do you guys get your actinic bulbs when you replace them?

[four_by_ken]

10k and actinic are a great combination for Africans in general.

I haven't found a local place that is better than another.

[Maize-N-Blue-D]

IIRC - Critters in Allen Park had 48" T5 standard bulbs for around $17.99 at one point.. Every other place I have checked was between $18.99 - $22.99 for 48" T5 standard bulbs.

[Ron]

I tried an actinic with a 10k on shallow 6' tank and for anything other than deep-water blue-colored africans it was WAY TOO MUCH blue IMO. Instead I went with a Coralife 50/50 instead of a pure actinic. YMMV.

[danielratti]

I dunno how soon you need them but I can more than likely give you the same deal I was offering to ken

[Steve]

I must'a missed that post, what deal is that?

[danielratti]

It was messages  how soon do you need them?

[Steve]

 I hope to have the tank up and maybe fish in it within the next 3-4 weeks so would like to have all the lighting set by then hopefully.

[danielratti]

Id have to order bulbs is the thing. Id throw some 454s in the mix if you are planning plants. Do you plan to attend the auction the 9th?

[Steve]

Your throwing in some big block Chevy motors? No wonder Ken is in on this deal No plants in this tank. I think I am gonna make the auction on the 9th unless something comes up between now and then but I plan on trying to make it.

[four_by_ken]

Yup, Dan's prices were the best to be found.

[four_by_ken]

Your throwing in some big block Chevy motors? No wonder Ken is in on this deal No plants in this tank. I think I am gonna make the auction on the 9th unless something comes up between now and then but I plan on trying to make it.

I can always use another big block!

[four_by_ken]

I tried an actinic with a 10k on shallow 6' tank and for anything other than deep-water blue-colored africans it was WAY TOO MUCH blue IMO. Instead I went with a Coralife 50/50 instead of a pure actinic. YMMV.

I tend to disagree... but thats how the world is.  I think it depends on the type of lighting and bulbs.  My peacock tank is 10k and actinic (Coralife) and you cant see the typical saltware blue like you are talking... not one bit.  If you want... check out my 85 gallon tank pictures.

Now, on the other hand... I have a saltwater fixture no my 140 gallon and it is too much blue for me.  I am going to add another LED strip of just white to brighten it up some.

[greg y]

Just throwing this out there, 48" t5 ho bulbs in 6500's cost about $8 at local hydroponic stores

[danielratti]

Yeah but a 65k is more for growing plants its more of a pinkish color isn't where 10k is bright white