I have a 2x65 watt Coralife PC fixture on my 55g tank. Should I upgrade my lighting if I want to keep normal zoos? Right now I have a colony of mushrooms and one of zoos. The zoos have been okay but look brown. Should I look into a 4x65 watt PC fixture, or should I Try to find MH lighting? If you have any extra MH fixures I may be willing to buy them too.
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Lighting
- Thread starter ocmsolidsnake
- Start date
PCs have better penetration then T-5 fluorescent but T-5 can get brighter due to the single reflectors. If the tank is under the 24" MH range, I feel that the proper bulb frequency <10k, 14k, 20k, etc> is more important then PAR value being that all bulbs are basicly equal in the more shallow tanks. If you already have 2x65, you could make those both 10k bulbs and add either another 2x65 <both antinics or 1 50/50 and 1 antinic would work> or you can add T-5 fluorescent in a similar way. I myself wouldn't use T-5 fluorescent in any application other then antinics. Penetration is about 18" for T-5, PCs work very well until you get to the 24" tanks where most people use MH. I am currently using 2x65 24" on a 15 gal. tank and am very happy with it so far.
Lighting has always been a hot topic in this hobby. Hope my opinion helps ya! ;D
Lighting has always been a hot topic in this hobby. Hope my opinion helps ya! ;D
Is it important that I uprade or should my zoos be okay under 2x65 on a 55g, I am planning on upgrading eventualy, but Im wondering how necessary it is.
In my store, we have a Green Acropora and a Stag Horn growing nicely in a 10 gal. cube that has two 24 watt PCs in it. The growth is slow, but the color is real nice on them. Both bulbs are 50/50s.
Just my opinion, but I think you are a little underpowered. You could do what I had posted a few steps up in the thread. Both styles of adjustment to the lighting would work well for your tank.
Just my opinion, but I think you are a little underpowered. You could do what I had posted a few steps up in the thread. Both styles of adjustment to the lighting would work well for your tank.
I have the original Lighting that came with t8 flourescent on the system. Could I switch my lights to both daylight 65 watts, and put a 40 watt actinic light in the old light and run that. Would that be a good solution?
If you were going to do that, I would do what you said or run a 65 watt 10k, a 50/50 and the T-8 antinic this way you have a bit of a balance for growth and color.
I was at the medowlands flee market today, and I found a 175 watt Mh with everything, except the pendant it is in doent have a reflector. It has a venture 175w bulb in it. What kind of bulb is this and where can I get a 10k bulb that will fit in the socket. Also, how can I go about having the Mh and my Pc light on the tank? Should I make a canopy, or hang the MH? I bought the system for 20 bucks, score lol. Anyway the bulb turns on and is pretty blue. Do you think I need to change the bulb at all?
oc. Nice find. Any Mh mogul bulb will fit it. You can pick one up at a LSF of pick one up in Toms River here. They usually have some in stock.
http://www.tfjpetcenter.com/
I would build a new canopy and fit all your lighting into it. I can't tell how old the bulb is that came with it until it starts to create algae.
http://www.tfjpetcenter.com/
I would build a new canopy and fit all your lighting into it. I can't tell how old the bulb is that came with it until it starts to create algae.
What specturm of bulb is the best for coral growth, not asthetics?
Thats whats in the light now, but I bought a 20k off ebay just now for $20 including shipping.
mikem said:
It's yellow.
If you were to switch to 20Ks then you would notice how much "whiter/brighter" the tank looks due to the additional blue spectrum.There is nothing wrong with sticking to 10Ks. I think most people switch because the 20Ks have the illusion of being brighter when in fact it's just a spectrum change that looks better to our eyes. Keep in mind this doesn't mean it's better for the corals.
Carlo
My Ushio 10k doesn't look yellow at all. It looks sparkling pure white with just a very slight touch of blue. Granted I haven't seen it over the tank yet, just on a test to make sure everything worked. However, from all the pictures I have seen with people using this bulb it looks just as I described. It's the main reason why I went with choice. I like my colors to look like they are supposed to look. Blue lights tend to mek red look purple.
If I position the light hi enough, THe light will be able to cover the whole tank eight? I know it wont be as strong if I do that, but I also have the PCs Lighting the tank.
Treadingwater, maybe I wasn't clear. A good quality 10K bulb will look white. However if you switch the bulb to 20K in the same unit you will definitely notice a brighter more "white" look by comparison. If this wasn't the case there would be no reason to switch to 14K or 20K bulbs. I do agree that the reds look a little purple under 20Ks.
I'm presently using a combination of bulbs over my 265 including 20Ks and 10Ks. It more or less balances out to look like 14Ks would. The reason I usually go with 20K halides is that the blue light penetrates water better. I run 30" deep tanks and use 175 watt double ended HQIs which are usually considered to be equal to single ended 250s. The difference of using the 20Ks on this height tank is happy maxima clams on the bottom. I had trouble with the clams under 10Ks and had to move them up a bit. If I ran 24" tanks I believe I'd go with 14Ks or even 10Ks for a more "natural" look.
Granted everyone's tank is different and it could have just been my choice of 10K manufacture light fixture (not the best) and bulb but I got to thinking that blue light penetrates better and made the change for the sake of the clams.
I'm presently using a combination of bulbs over my 265 including 20Ks and 10Ks. It more or less balances out to look like 14Ks would. The reason I usually go with 20K halides is that the blue light penetrates water better. I run 30" deep tanks and use 175 watt double ended HQIs which are usually considered to be equal to single ended 250s. The difference of using the 20Ks on this height tank is happy maxima clams on the bottom. I had trouble with the clams under 10Ks and had to move them up a bit. If I ran 24" tanks I believe I'd go with 14Ks or even 10Ks for a more "natural" look.
Granted everyone's tank is different and it could have just been my choice of 10K manufacture light fixture (not the best) and bulb but I got to thinking that blue light penetrates better and made the change for the sake of the clams.
Carlo, you don't find that the 20K looks makes the tank look blue? That's the one thing I am trying to avoid. My tank is only 24" high so hopefully I can won't have an issue with light penetration with the 250w MH's.
I originaly was looking at 12k and 14k bulbs, but there isn't a big choice of them in 250w and I wasn't sure which brand to go with. I do plan on supplementing the MH's (going to be three 250w MH's total) with two 72" VHO supper antics. I believe there 160w each. I do want some blue, but not enough that it actually makes the colors of the fish and coral look different then what they should be (red looking purple, for example).
I originaly was looking at 12k and 14k bulbs, but there isn't a big choice of them in 250w and I wasn't sure which brand to go with. I do plan on supplementing the MH's (going to be three 250w MH's total) with two 72" VHO supper antics. I believe there 160w each. I do want some blue, but not enough that it actually makes the colors of the fish and coral look different then what they should be (red looking purple, for example).
It's definately a personal thing and there is not a right or wrong way. You basically need to do what makes you feel good and comfortable with your tank.
This is a personal thing: To me 20Ks look white but not blue. 10Ks look yellow while 14Ks look white but not as "pure" white as the 20Ks. I personally think the blue look of the tanks comes from the choice of actinics used. I know a lot of people mix them 50/50 but I prefer the look of 1/4 to 1/3 when used with 20K or 14Ks which I think creates a nice balance to the eye.
To me it sounds like your light setup is going to be very nice on a 24" tank.
This is a personal thing: To me 20Ks look white but not blue. 10Ks look yellow while 14Ks look white but not as "pure" white as the 20Ks. I personally think the blue look of the tanks comes from the choice of actinics used. I know a lot of people mix them 50/50 but I prefer the look of 1/4 to 1/3 when used with 20K or 14Ks which I think creates a nice balance to the eye.
To me it sounds like your light setup is going to be very nice on a 24" tank.
