DIY power compacts and questions

Jasontkd · 03-17-2005, 06:17 PM

Hey all, I was wondreing if anyone had any good DIY plans or places to buy kits for DIY power compacts? Also, I am getting 180 gal, and was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions about how to mix and match bulbs. i was thinking about 4 bulbs spanning the entire length of the tank with 2 being 1000k white and 2 being blue actinate 03.

wharyat · 03-17-2005, 06:18 PM

What type of corals do you want to keep?

TheReefer12 · 03-17-2005, 07:10 PM

I think the best thing to do would be to get a couple MH. You could also get the PCs and used them for actinics. With 180 gal you will need a lot of light for corals.

Brian

wharyat · 03-17-2005, 07:14 PM

softies= 4-6 x pc,vho
lps= 6-8 x pc, vho
sps= 3 x 150 or 250 MH
clams = 3 x 250, maybe even 400 MH

Jasontkd · 03-17-2005, 08:40 PM

I am not going to keep anything fancy at all. i am starting a predator tank, and I know the water quality is hard to keep under control, I just wat to be able to bring out the color in the fish, and maybe keep a star polop or two. Oh, and in my earlier post i said 1000k white when I ment 10000k.

wharyat · 03-17-2005, 09:35 PM

For fish that's perfectly fine. 4x96 watt PC will give good coloration.

volitansman · 03-17-2005, 11:01 PM

A good place to get diy pc flourescents is AH supply Aquarium Hobbyist Supply

I have several of thier bright kits and they last for a long time and the reflectors are very good.

Jasontkd · 03-18-2005, 09:04 AM

Now, on the 4x96w, is that four seperate bulbs or is it 2 of the dual bulbs? I was wondering if I could get by and still get about the same effect with 2 of the dual bulbs as apposed to getting 4 regulars?

Horace · 03-18-2005, 09:13 AM

4x96w being 2x10k and 2xActinics. Of course it really all depends on what you like. if your not supporting corals its probably more about what is asthetically pleasing to you. If you go above 10k you start to get more and more blue. I think 2x10 and 2xActinics would like pretty nice though. Will have some blue but not overly blue. Just my opinion though. I like the whiter light.

tims · 03-18-2005, 09:13 AM

it is two bulb sets. htey are counting each single bulb run as 1.
you could get a 50/50 bulb then a daylight.. or one of each..

Jasontkd · 03-18-2005, 09:23 AM

so a 4x96w is actually 2 dual bulbs?

Horace · 03-18-2005, 09:29 AM

4x96 means 4 bulbs each 96watts. You would get a set of each type of bulb. Though you dont NECESSARLY need to have only two different kinds of bulbs either, that just seems to be what most do here. Usually the standard middle of the road is 2 10k and 2 actinics. You can then adjust the Kelvin of the two (non-actinics) to higher or lower... meaning 12k or 6.5k. Lower Kelvin will give you a yellowish tiint, where higher will give you a bluish tint. The actinics will give it a blueish tint on thier own which is why Im going with the white 10k bulbs and let the actinics take care of the blue.

Jasontkd · 03-18-2005, 10:10 AM

hey tims,
what are you talking about? is 4x96 two bulbs or 4?

jennmac415 · 03-18-2005, 02:45 PM

4 bulbs!! 4 X 96 watt bulbs

TheReefer12 · 03-18-2005, 04:22 PM

it is 4 bulbs. each bulb is dual.
example: 1 bulb at 96 watts can be a 50/50 bulb. one side 10k and one side actinic.
I hope this clears up everything.

Brian