Can Anyone Help With Lighting!

[smelly shelley]

As we all know we are in credit crunch time.So other day i was wondreing,
Is there a way of useing energy saving bulbs to light a marine fish tank.Or am i talking complete ####. If so can somone help me get one or even make one.

many thanks daniel.

 

[ben1987]

What sort of tank? FOWLR
Softies
mixed reef
SPS reef?


If its fish only then it doesnt really matter what lighting you use.

 

[smelly shelley]

What sort of tank? FOWLR
Softies
mixed reef
SPS reef?


If its fish only then it doesnt really matter what lighting you use.

Sorry forgot that bit,it is a mixed tank of coral and fish.

 

[rabbut]

What types of corals? Some of the filter feeding softies may do OK under energy saving lamps, but other things may not...

 

[ben1987]

IMO your best of wacking a couple of t5's above it if your even considering corals

 

[rabbut]

When you consider the wattage of T5's, you aren't going to get any better performance watt-for-watt than energy saving anyway TBH, especially if you put individual reflectors on the lamps. While it could work, you will make a unit that's less energy efficient because of the way the energy saving lamps are rolled up

LED's may well prove to be the most energy efficient solution before long...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[smelly shelley]

When you consider the wattage of T5's, you aren't going to get any better performance watt-for-watt than energy saving anyway TBH, especially if you put individual reflectors on the lamps. While it could work, you will make a unit that's less energy efficient because of the way the energy saving lamps are rolled up

LED's may well prove to be the most energy efficient solution before long...

All the best
Rabbut

ok the info you have all given is great, maybe the technology is not there yet to use energy bulbs.I shall surf the net for the LED idea.

thanks daniel

 

[ben1987]

If your worried about the running costst though... LED's are very expensive to buy. Unless your good with DIY

 

[degsod]

I am looking at CFL flodlights, you can get a 36W lamp for about £17 + delivery, they are equivilent to a 300W halogen

 

[rabbut]

Some people use those over sumps. They seem to work OK for macroalgea growth, but for a tank, I can't say I've heard of anyone trying it before...

 

[ben1987]

they would be fine if the colour temp is ok. But if its completely wrong then your likely to have problems keeping corals