I Know I have the Wrong Lighting, Help Please!

I just finished setting up a 110 Tall tank and for lighting I have 2 x 250 Watt MH 20K, 1x54W T5 HO Actinic, 1x54W T5 HO 6500K. The T5 HO ballast is a Hagen Glo and the available bulbs are Actinic, 6500K, and 18K. I have algae problems which are probably caused by the 6500K bulb. From what I have read I do not need to suppliment my 20K MH with actinic at all so if I take out my 6500K and replace it with another actinic there is probably no real benefit. I do want some supplimental lighting since I can't leave my MH on for too long. If I had my time back I would have used 10K MH supplemented with actinic but I can't replace brand new bulbs, they're just too expensive (maybe next year). Basically what I would like to know is what is the best way to supplement my 20K MH?

 

I'm not sure what the technical correct answer would be ... but I would still have some 420/460 actinics. Nothing makes my corals glow like those.

 

I would leave the one actinic and go with a 20k t5 as well.
If you really want to rock next go round, get 14K MH's and 420 T5's

 

The question is do you like the color of the tank right now? Most people use supplemental lighting to change the spectrum of the primary lighting. People add actinic type bulbs to make the tank more blue. People will add daylight type bulbs to make the tank more white.

So what do you want the tank to look like? If you like the color right now, I would say stick with what you have. If you want more blue, replace your 6500K bulb with a blue type bulb.

On your bulbs, if the T5 ballast is a standard t5HO ballast, and I believe it is, you can use any 54 watt T5HO bulb so you are not limited to those three bulb choices.

Kim