5.5 planning....

jeepjon · 03-08-2004, 11:21 PM

I've got an old 5.5 gallon tank...some LR that I don't need in my 15 gallon (there were some coral frags that I had in there that are now dead...so I'm going to need to move the LR that the coral frags were on out of the tank...and I might be getting some more LR anyway...but. I have some old 15watt fixtures. If I used one or two of those NO 15watt bulbs over a 5.5 gallon with the right bulbs in them (one daylight, one actinic or maybe one 50/50 and one actinic), would I be able to keep some soft corals? I'm looking to keep Green Star polyps, mushroom anemones, xenia, and maybe some zoos...would that lighting work? or do I need to fork over the cash for some PC lighting? Anyway...I just wondered...i also have a left over Red Sea Prizm skimmer...would that be beneficial to the tank (I know it would be overkill...but would it be beneficial?)

bamann345 · 03-09-2004, 11:11 AM

I think 2-15 watt NO would be fine for what you listed, the tank isnt too deep either! I just changed in the lighing on my 55 Afican Cichlid tank and went with 4 curly screw-in bulbs. You could do one of thoes and a actinic no bulb....just a couple of thoughts. I could take a picture of the bulbs I just installed on my african tank, they are 6400k.

ckreef · 03-09-2004, 04:16 PM

Yup I agree with William --- 2 x 15w NO bulbs of the correct spectrum should be plenty for some softies in a 5.5

jeepjon · 03-09-2004, 07:51 PM

those curly bulbs...vita-twist gro-lites or something like that?...yeah, I thought that lighting would work. I just want a cheap little tank to set up and have on my desk...

ckreef · 03-09-2004, 08:25 PM

I have a Minibow 2.5 with a 10 watt screw in 10,000k PC that fits right into the standard canopy.

jeepjon · 03-09-2004, 09:50 PM

how did you get that little screw in bulb?

jeepjon · 03-09-2004, 09:55 PM

that would be great over my eclipse 3...tell me, please tell me how to obatin a bulb like that! ! !

ckreef · 03-10-2004, 04:41 PM

I got mine at Walmart in the Fish section. They do come in both a 10,000k flavor and a 50/50 flavor but my Walmart only caries the 10,000k. Less than $10.00 if I remember correctly.

jeepjon · 03-10-2004, 11:24 PM

wow...cool...at wal-mart I only saw 6500k...I should look for the 50/50...that would be so cool over a little 2.5 nano!

bamann345 · 03-11-2004, 10:54 AM

check petwarehouse or PA for the 50/50 screw bulbs. I think Corallife makes them.

ckreef · 03-11-2004, 03:44 PM

Maybe I am wrong and mine is a 6500k and not a 10,000k --- but they do also come in 50/50 just not at my Walmart but other people do report it at theirs.