| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
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12-25-2006, 08:14 PM
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#1
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 4,482
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for the love of lighting.. what's one more of these right
GOOD G_D!
After two days of looking people's tanks, reading on haldies, and darn near going blind I need help...
This is for the 29 gallon tank
I would like it to be lit with enough light to keep a clam or sps if the whim hits...
It is planned as a seahorse tank with florida rics , leathers and zoos...
i know they don't "require" high light, but everything I am reading says the rics tend to grow better under higher light.
Basically I don't what to buy lights twice so I want to go with enough light to grow anything over the long haul...
so 175 watt or go with the 250watts
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12-25-2006, 08:30 PM
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#2
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The Bitter Mod
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,384
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T5's
__________________
We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue eyed men
To be young believers
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12-25-2006, 08:33 PM
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#3
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: spartanburg, south carolina
Posts: 4,604
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I'm finding that in a small tank like that (mine's 30 gal), you have to be careful with lighting. I put T5's over my tank and am realizing that it's cooking my corals. My ricordea on the bottom is still getting too much light. In other words, I doubt that you'll be able to have a mixed tank with a space so small. In larger tanks, there is much more room to work with, even if you have halides (since it's a point light source, you can get less intense light by placing a frag further away from the spot directly under the bulb). Having said all that, figure out the corals that you want and aim for lights suitable for it.
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12-25-2006, 10:18 PM
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#4
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Just some guy, you know?
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West of Dimples
Posts: 18,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YLChik
GOOD G_D!
After two days of looking people's tanks, reading on haldies, and darn near going blind I need help...
This is for the 29 gallon tank
I would like it to be lit with enough light to keep a clam or sps if the whim hits...
It is planned as a seahorse tank with florida rics , leathers and zoos...
i know they don't "require" high light, but everything I am reading says the rics tend to grow better under higher light.
Basically I don't what to buy lights twice so I want to go with enough light to grow anything over the long haul...
so 175 watt or go with the 250watts
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Well on one hand you have seahorces that require low flow, on the other you have SPS that require high flow, I think you need to decide what your going to do 
Whiskey
__________________
Mr. Jive/Dr. Heckyll
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
racing around to come up behind you again
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12-25-2006, 10:20 PM
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#5
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Just some guy, you know?
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West of Dimples
Posts: 18,185
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P.S. I'm on dialup right now and away from the computer allot so shoot me a PM with this link if you make your disision and need more help.
Whiskey
__________________
Mr. Jive/Dr. Heckyll
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
racing around to come up behind you again
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12-26-2006, 07:20 PM
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#6
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 4,482
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the plan is seahorses and low flow, but I would still like a good amount of light on the tank - no sps because of flow requirments in this tank. but still want good light... suggestions...
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12-26-2006, 07:24 PM
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#7
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 4,482
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I liked the look of a 5500K venture + VHO actinic
or the 10K Hamilton + 1 actinic sun +1 aqua sun
not that I have any idea wha the suns are... everything else I understood.
Is a 5500K bulb just asking for algae problems?
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12-27-2006, 03:33 AM
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#8
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Just some guy, you know?
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: West of Dimples
Posts: 18,185
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5500K? I'm not sure at all how that would look, I'm not sure bulbs are readly available, or at least I've never seen any data on them. Back in the day the Iwsaki 6500K bulb with VHO atinic was the norm, some people who wanted a really blue tank opted for 10,000K bulbs, at the expence of a little growth,.... my how the times have changed.
Whiskey
__________________
Mr. Jive/Dr. Heckyll
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
racing around to come up behind you again
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12-27-2006, 06:23 AM
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#9
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Lights are off up here :D
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,547
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go 20k it looks nice and blue and no need for actinic.or you can go 14k
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12-27-2006, 03:40 PM
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#10
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: spartanburg, south carolina
Posts: 4,604
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If you're set on the halides, I'd go with a 20K or 14K bulb. I wouldn't go with a 5500K since it's a very yellow light, you'd need lots of actinics to get a nice white color. It will also put out a whole lotta par, so be careful about a 5500K frying your corals.
If you're not set on a halide system, I really would consider a T5 setup for several reasons. Less heat output (important for such a small system), easier to maintain a steady temperature (see 1st reason), more energy efficient, easier to get the color that you want by using different bulb combinations, less water evaporation, good value/inexpensive. Although I've had some issues with my T5's (too much light) I really like the look of them and the quality of the light is superb.
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12-27-2006, 04:54 PM
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#11
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Shark
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Toledo OH
Posts: 4,889
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t5 or 175w 14k MH would be great.
MH's will add more heat over t5 but will have SHIMMER effect 
__________________
Nano reef in the works
TIM MADE ME DO IT, Yet Robert made him do it, yet Casey made him do it!
Yet the voices in all their heads made them do it (skeety)
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12-27-2006, 05:54 PM
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#12
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 97
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I put a 250W 14k and tried a 20k on my 21G tank  the only problem was over heating the tank so you'll need a chiller but besides that it was great. The 14k is magic and is all you need. I'd go with a DE bulb since the smaller size is great for small tanks.
-c |
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12-27-2006, 10:21 PM
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#13
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Shark
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Pismo Beach, CA
Posts: 2,311
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No matter how great T5s are (which I believe they are, Im running them, and will do so in the future), you cant replace that MH shimmer! Go 10k MH and maybe some T5 actinics.
__________________
190g Reef In Progress! Octopus 250 Pro Skimmer (2) Tunze 6080 & (2) Tunze 6045 (2) Lumenarcs w/ 14k Hamiltons & PFO ballast
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12-27-2006, 11:26 PM
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#14
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Professor Chaos
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Arkham Asylum
Posts: 9,708
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don't kill yourself with this. just do 1 150 or 175w 15k MH and that's it. go ahead and do a seio in the tank and give it flow. the horses will find a spot behind a rock to rest and then they can play the rest of the time.
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I mix twinkies and ding dongs all the time, in Europe they call it a Dinky -- Homer Simpson
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12-28-2006, 04:44 PM
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#15
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Mommy Mod
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: down the street and around the corner from Dimples
Posts: 4,482
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twitter,
Are you able to keep the heat down low enough in your horse tank with the haldies, or I'm I going to need a chiller... because i don't know if the shimmer is worth having to buy the chiller |
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