Calfo's lighting comment

georgiajams · 10-13-2003, 04:05 PM

Hey, what is the deal with A. Calfo's comment the other night about using grow lights (e.g. lights from High Times) over your tank instead of aquarium specific lights. I had heard they were not the same and the use of grow lights would not work. Is the confusion that the fixture/electronics are the same, but the bulbs are different??

Can anyone clarify this?

cyberchef · 10-13-2003, 04:22 PM

His comment is that items that are sold for different uses, even thoughn the items themselves are identical, will sell for different prices. Hobbiests in general, especially hobbies that revolve around "pets", tend to be willing to pay a lot more money for things for thier "pets" than some other people will.

His point was that the MH light fixtures for horticulture are the same as MH light fixtures for aquariums except that fixtures that are made "specifically" for "aquariums" will command a higher price than the ones for horticulture.

Do your research and you might be surprised where you can find what you need for much less.

rcassidy · 10-13-2003, 04:27 PM

I'd even check out ebay. When I was looking for MH's I found very reasonable prices on a complete setup meant for Plants etc. You'll end up with an extra set of bulbs after you buy what you want, but sometimes you can save significantly instead of buying a "specifically for aquariums" one.

Ryan

cyberchef · 10-13-2003, 04:36 PM

As Ryan pointed out you will still need bulbs specifically made for our needs. Plants use bulbs in a different light spectrum.

georgiajams · 10-13-2003, 05:39 PM

Well, in that case, welcome to the Atlanta Reefer Club... I mean Reef club. The similarity in names just can't be a cooincidence :-)

Someone in the know should maybe post some sort of equivalency chart. I had never heard of anyone using the same fixtures as used with grow lights. I had always heard the opposite (that you can't use them), but I suppose the miscommunication is that the bulbs are different spectrums.

I believe Doug (Aquaticco) mentioned that certain bulbs won't work with certain fixtures as well. And certain fixtures can't drive certain bulbs to their highest potential, or something like that... but now I'm way out of my comfort zone.

Now, don't anyone be putting Miracle Grow in their make-up water. Kalk is all you need.

Chris

Rover · 10-13-2003, 09:38 PM

I believe the horticulture ballasts don't run the higher Kelvin bulbs as well. So while you may save a buck up front you may lose some preformance down the road. How you want the tank to look also has a lot to do with it. If your goal is to jack up coral growth or grow out frags, they may work but the tank won't be "pretty". Function over asthetics.

GeoJoe · 10-13-2003, 10:42 PM

Remember too that an aquarium may be higher humidity than some plant environments, thus some aquarium fixtures may be rated safer in these settings.

I know you can buy a MH fixture & ballast from Graybar for $50, but they are meant for indoor (dry) environs.

Joe

Ray1214 · 10-14-2003, 08:07 AM

I don't know why but I have the munchies reading this thread.

Ray

AquaticCo · 10-14-2003, 08:13 AM

Well, your all correct. There are different types of ballasts for different types of bulbs. For example we have sodium, mercury vapor your standard metal halide and on and on.

Most horticulture systems do use the standard equipment but the bulbs hit in a different spectrum. They are typically not waterproofed and they are typically not as appealing to look at nor do they have a protective lenses.

It's all these added things that push the prices up for the reef aquarium. But for the bargin basement shopper they would work fine.

Just be careful with what you get, make sure you buy the appropriate ballast and bulb and keep it away from moisture and your good to go.

AtlFishBoy1980 · 10-14-2003, 12:42 PM

I wonder something about Anthony's lighting suggestion. He was talking about using NO flourescents on shallow tanks with SPS.....did I hear him correctly that it is okey to do that or was I on crack. I though I also heard him say that while he did it, it was a bit of a disaster, etc, blah, blah, blah...any corrections/insight please on this one.

Also didn't he also say that Actinic bulbs were a waste of light, as the corals didn't use it. I though the Xooanthalle's Chloryphyll A and C was activated by the Blue wavelengths. Also what about corals from deeper regions where only Blue wave lengths can penetrate, do thoes corals not benefit from the proper wave lengths of light.

If I'm wrong on what I heard someone please correct me, I'm very confused.

wildemon · 10-14-2003, 01:23 PM

I think a lot of Anthony's opinions come from raising frags for sale. His primary suggestion would be to use natural lighting. However if you have a normal hobby tank depth of <18" from coral to lamp, then many options are available for you. T-5 flourescents are bright and can be densely packed but he did say Metal Halides <250W would be his suggestion. Of course many of the soft corals and corallimorphs require far less light. Really, research which coral you intend to keep and find where they live on the ocean bottom. Be specific about your needs and you will have the answer.

The Actinic comment was that blue is for the viewer's pleasure whereas the zooxanthellae actually are plants and respond to 6700 Kelvin thru 10,000 Kelvin.

AquaticCo · 10-14-2003, 04:20 PM

If you want to see tanks running on just NO's and swear by them go to www.garf.org. Sally Jo has been running NO's for years. As far as the blue is concerned William is correct. The blue is more for the individual than the coral

AtlFishBoy1980 · 10-14-2003, 06:07 PM

I just find that very interesting, the Xooanthalle are plants and I have been told and read over and over that you use Actinics to activate them. I guess that is no longer true, does anyone have any information or know of a site about that.

Also, what about things like the Corallimorphins, they are from deep down below along with Elegance Corals, the only light that can get down there is of the blue wave lengths, so woudln't it help them, since the reds/yellows/oranges/greens, etc are all filtered out by the depth of the ocean. Anyone on this?????

AquaticCo · 10-14-2003, 07:00 PM

Check out this article from various authors who are supposed to be in the know

http://www.reefs.org/library/article..._lighting.html

Doug

AtlFishBoy1980 · 10-14-2003, 09:35 PM

Doug,
Thanks alot, that sheds A LOT of light on what Anthony was talking about, I think. I knew I had heard something about it activating chloryphyll somewhere.

Calfo's lighting comment

Calfo lighting