Looking for some advice on lighting

xyra · 02/04/2006, 11:46 AM

Hi,

I'm after some advice on lighting my small (20g or 24"x15"x12") reef tank.

I'm currently running 2 x 55w power compacts (one daylight, one actinic) over the tank, but i'm considering upgrading to a 150w metal halide (specifically the 150w Aquabay with (I think) a 10,000k Radium bulb from http://www.marine-lighting.co.uk/ ) plus maybe a 18" T8 actinic for some extra blue-ness.

I'm looking for a bit more brightness, better coral growth, generally a nicer looking tank - i've never been completely happy with the colour or intensity of the PCs. But most importantly i'm looking to get the corals to fluoresce, the corals under PC just seem flat and don't jump out at you (see: http://www.xyra.co.uk/underpc.jpg )

The tank is mainly soft corals (cloves, leather, buttons, gsp, xenia, various mushrooms etc.) with a couple of LPS (Favia & Bubble) the corals are all doing well (ignore the flopped leather coral in the picture above - it's just complaining at being moved around the tank yestarday

under the current setup but i'm sure they could do better!

Would it be better to get a 250w unit with a 20,000k bulb and no actinics? I don't want to bleach out the lower light corals I have though...would this be a risk with either setup?

What do you think? Am I on the right lines or should I do something completely different....

Many thanks for any help anyone can offer,
Graham

xyra · 02/04/2006, 12:11 PM

Or maybe a 14k Coralvue single ended bulb?

Pattylucylaura · 02/04/2006, 01:33 PM

If you have mostly softies and some lps why not try T-5's

Larry Waughon · 02/04/2006, 01:42 PM

Check out this Phoenix bulb,great color and growth.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...y_Code=mh-250w

xyra · 02/04/2006, 02:48 PM

I've thought about t5's but they are out of my price range - a 3 or 4 tube setup is going to cost about Ã‚Â£150 just for the ballasts and bulbs in the UK (cheapest 2 bulb ballast I can find is about Ã‚Â£69, so i'd need two of those, plus the bulbs...), plus then setting up a hood to hold them.

I can get the Halide setup for about Ã‚Â£100, which is pretty much my maximum budget for this.

Would a 250w 14k halide bleach out the corals I have? Would moving to a 14k halide give much better colour on the corals?

Also does a 250watt halide give out truely obscene heat, there is about 2 foot of space above the tank where it could sit, I have no problems wiring up a small fan or two for it though.

Pioneer> the halide pendant I am looking at is single ended, plus I can't seem to find those bulbs obviously in the UK, so i'm considering the 14k Coralvue bulb

Thanks for the help,
Graham

Larry Waughon · 02/04/2006, 03:08 PM

The 14k Coralvue bulb is a good bulb I ran once I loved the color. You will want to to put a fan in the hood to get rid of heat. I use a 6" clip on fan. Good luck!

xyra · 02/04/2006, 03:32 PM

@Pioneer

Will moving to a 14k halide definately improve greatly on the flat colour from the PCs? and will the 250w 14k CV bulb not bleach the corals...i'm going to introduce them to it slowly obviously (1 hr halide, 7 hours PC, 2 hr halide, 6 hour PC, and so on)

Thanks,
Graham

02/04/2006, 11:46 AM	#1
xyra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 8	Looking for some advice on lighting Hi, I'm after some advice on lighting my small (20g or 24"x15"x12") reef tank. I'm currently running 2 x 55w power compacts (one daylight, one actinic) over the tank, but i'm considering upgrading to a 150w metal halide (specifically the 150w Aquabay with (I think) a 10,000k Radium bulb from http://www.marine-lighting.co.uk/ ) plus maybe a 18" T8 actinic for some extra blue-ness. I'm looking for a bit more brightness, better coral growth, generally a nicer looking tank - i've never been completely happy with the colour or intensity of the PCs. But most importantly i'm looking to get the corals to fluoresce, the corals under PC just seem flat and don't jump out at you (see: http://www.xyra.co.uk/underpc.jpg ) The tank is mainly soft corals (cloves, leather, buttons, gsp, xenia, various mushrooms etc.) with a couple of LPS (Favia & Bubble) the corals are all doing well (ignore the flopped leather coral in the picture above - it's just complaining at being moved around the tank yestarday under the current setup but i'm sure they could do better! Would it be better to get a 250w unit with a 20,000k bulb and no actinics? I don't want to bleach out the lower light corals I have though...would this be a risk with either setup? What do you think? Am I on the right lines or should I do something completely different.... Many thanks for any help anyone can offer, Graham

02/04/2006, 12:11 PM	#2
xyra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 8	Or maybe a 14k Coralvue single ended bulb? __________________ -- http://www.xyra.co.uk/

02/04/2006, 01:33 PM	#3
Pattylucylaura Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Decatur MI Posts: 378	If you have mostly softies and some lps why not try T-5's __________________ Some people are alot like slinkys they both bring a smile to your face if you shove them down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 29 gal 175w MH Reef Tank

02/04/2006, 02:48 PM	#5
xyra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 8	I've thought about t5's but they are out of my price range - a 3 or 4 tube setup is going to cost about Ã‚Â£150 just for the ballasts and bulbs in the UK (cheapest 2 bulb ballast I can find is about Ã‚Â£69, so i'd need two of those, plus the bulbs...), plus then setting up a hood to hold them. I can get the Halide setup for about Ã‚Â£100, which is pretty much my maximum budget for this. Would a 250w 14k halide bleach out the corals I have? Would moving to a 14k halide give much better colour on the corals? Also does a 250watt halide give out truely obscene heat, there is about 2 foot of space above the tank where it could sit, I have no problems wiring up a small fan or two for it though. Pioneer> the halide pendant I am looking at is single ended, plus I can't seem to find those bulbs obviously in the UK, so i'm considering the 14k Coralvue bulb Thanks for the help, Graham __________________ -- http://www.xyra.co.uk/

02/04/2006, 03:32 PM	#7
xyra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 8	@Pioneer Will moving to a 14k halide definately improve greatly on the flat colour from the PCs? and will the 250w 14k CV bulb not bleach the corals...i'm going to introduce them to it slowly obviously (1 hr halide, 7 hours PC, 2 hr halide, 6 hour PC, and so on) Thanks, Graham __________________ -- http://www.xyra.co.uk/

02/04/2006, 01:42 PM	#4
Larry Waughon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pingree Grove, IL Posts: 1,872	Check out this Phoenix bulb,great color and growth. http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...y_Code=mh-250w

02/04/2006, 03:08 PM	#6
Larry Waughon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pingree Grove, IL Posts: 1,872	The 14k Coralvue bulb is a good bulb I ran once I loved the color. You will want to to put a fan in the hood to get rid of heat. I use a 6" clip on fan. Good luck!