CA2OR Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 What is the difference between 420nm and 470nm PC's? Is one deeper blue than the other? Which one makes color pop more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 420nm is closer to the UV wavelength (Around 380-400nm if I recall right) and will make the flourecents pop a little more. It is noticeably more purple because of this. 460 is still close so the colors will still pop but not quite as much and it has a blue color to it instead. The color from 14k to 20k MH lights is close to the same as what you will get from the 460nm actinic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I added some actinic O3 pc's to my 14k's and it makes a world of difference. I think actinic O3 is the same as 460nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrd Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Hey Eric, my actinics you saw are all the 03 which has the 420nm-FYI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 So 420 makes for more pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 yup........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 cool. Now I know what to replace my PC's with. Right now they are like a smurf blue....I don't get much pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JManrow Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Here is some interesting info about Actinic 03 fluorescents The "03" designation is simply part of the original product code number for the Philips actinic fluorescent lamp. The original "Actinic 03" bulb was made by Philips. This lamp has a medical application - treatment of hyperbilirubinemia, or "yellow jaundice". In order to be good for this, the lamp output has to be extremely low on UV output, and it surely accomplishes this. Either the phosphor or the glass has a UV block ingredient that even blocks at least half of the 404.7 nm mercury line. They were not made for aquarium use, but were adopted once news spread about the beneficial aspects of using this bulb over reef tanks. Nowadays, "Actinic 03" has become the marketing term used to identify "blue" looking bulbs. Many bulbs are passed off as "actinic", when they are just a blue bulb. More information on this can be found at Colors and Spectral Characteristics of Various Fluorescent Lamps http://members.misty.com/don/f-spec.html Also good reading on original Actinic03 http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/general-reef-aquarium-discussion/4076-actinic-03-420nm-vs-460nm.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 That was an interesting read. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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