Lighting Issue

[jive_bunny]

Hi Guys,

I seem to be getting contridicting advice with regards to lighting from two differant LFS's and hoped you could clear it up for me. A basic tropical bulb came with my tank so I went out asked the LFS which bulb to get for my hood (its all built in) and replaced the bulb with a "Marine-Glo" which makes the tank look like you have poured in a bottle of bleach turning it a nice blue colour. It said on the packaging: Ideal for Salt Water Aquariums / Corals and Inverts. Anyway went and brought some LR today from a differant store and started chatting away and turns out I should have brought a "Power-Glo". My question is seeing as I can only have one bulb unless I buy a brand new canopy, which one do I choose?

Thanks in advance.

 

[steelhealr]

Jive..I can't remember what size tank you have but lighting is a very complex issue. If you are going to have corals, lighting is very important. IMO, with just a single bulb, it won't make TOO much difference between a marine glo and power glo. What is more important is how MUCH light is getting in there .....a rough rule of thumb is watts/gallon. It would be easier if you post you tank size/gallons and what you plan on keeping in it. What length bulb is it? SH

 

[jive_bunny]

Hi Steel,

Only a small tank (Rekord 96). I've been reading your LONG post in another forum about the 24G nano cube and will probably take an identical path to introduce me to marine. I am only upto page 8 so dont know how it turned out - Your post has me hooked

So the Rekord only has the single 18W 24" bulb (currently the marine-glo) with relectors, I guess I could buy another hood and add two bulbs if needs be. Tank to hold similar to your nano cube.

Cheers, Add

 

[steelhealr]

You maybe better off adding a new light fixture with PC lighting, 10,000K with 50/50 Actinic. I looked up the Rekord96 and ..well...being from the US, was not sure what the measurements meant , gallons, etc. Seems like it shouldn't be hard to improve the lighting on it. If the bulb is 18 wats and the volume is ? 10 gallons, it seems inadequate lighting, ie, at 18W, you'd need at least 30W's for a 10G, 60W's for a 20; my nano cube comes with 72W 50/50 actinic PC which puts me at 3W/gallon considerare 'moderate' lighting. SH

 

[jive_bunny]

The Rekord is 96 Litres or 21.12 UK Gallons or 25.34 US Gallons. Why we all can’t be on the same volume conversion I'll never know. Hmmm well even more confused with the lighting issue now. I went out and brought the power-glo anyway so that I have both just incase I need to swap. I will see how I progress and if I find the lighting is inadequate then will this be acceptable for my tank? http/www.theaquariumshop.co.uk/ishop/1029/shopscr237.html

Add

 

[steelhealr]

That light looks fine. You have separate switches so, if you have the time, you can switch on the floor first in the AM simulating dawn and leave it on last simulating dusk.....if they are on separate plugs (doesn't look that way), you could timer this. So..is that two 54 watt tubes or total 108? If it's one 54 for a 25, light is low. If it's per tube and two tubes, lighting is very good. SH

 

[jive_bunny]

I'm guessing its per tube - Well hoping anyway. Will have to ring them and confirm. As I said am newbie here to marines. Will see how I get on with the power-glo first and drop you a PM when I come to adding corals etc to ask advice and re-think the light situation then. Cheers SH.

 

[steelhealr]

Good luck...you could also get a 150 wattl metal halide and go big time if yoiu have the cash and are thinking SPS. Starting slow and easy is always best. If you are going this route, stay with easy low light corals and see how you make out...mushrooms, leathers, zoos. Good luck. SH

 

[j0rzeh]

Its a twin 54watts per tube which will be enough for ur rekord 96 tank make sure you use reflectorz with them ull have a very bright tank.