Lighting For Nano Nano Reef

[Toadfish]

not just normal nano we're talking one gallon, but besides that I just wanted to know if people have had luck with anything other than compact flourescent and metal halide, becaus ethose are alittle big for a small tank.
I was looking into halogen, neon, xenon, krypton, and led. My actinics will be taken by a few blue LEDs but I want to find something close to a 10000K equivilant that will give me a broad enough spectrum to possibly deal with mushroom or zoos, at the very least macro algaes.

 

[SkiFletch]

LEDs are really the only light source that could give you the proper spectrum. You might have the best luck combining LEDs with one of those twisted compact flourescent bulbs that are becoming more and more popular to replace old style incandescents.

 

[crazyelece]

They make a 20 or 25 W power compact 50/50 bulb with threads to fit a regualr light socket. I think that would be the best way to go for that sized tank.

 

[Toadfish]

ya I use a 10watt compact flourescent on my 5 gal nano but those bulbs are pretty big, say the size of the tank, I just wanted to know if there was anything smaller I could deal with.

 

[Lynden]

The twirly compact flourescents are probably the best option. They are the smallest, most inexpensive, and still adequate lighting that I can think of.

By the way, any nano tank under 5 gallons is called a "pico" (both "nano" and "pico" are measurement prefixes) reef.

-Lynden

 

[Toadfish]

I usually just call the puddle reefs. and I think I am going to try to do multiple leds, each colour represents a different wavlength, combining multiple colours will hopefully give a more even spectrum closer to using a 10000K and actinic flourescent.

I plan to use 1 super red, 2 amber yellow, 2 aquagreen, 1 pure green, 2 ultra blue, 2 super blue, 1 blue gree, 1 uv, and 1 coolwhite