5.5 Lighting

[nsreefer]

Hey guys, i'm setting up a 5.5 for my desk at work. I want to keep lps, zoas and softies. I need a light that would be suitable for this. I believe the tank is 16" long, but i'm not 100% sure at this moment as i am at work. Would a very bright halogen desk lamp work? Any suggestions would be awesome. I don't want to use a viper due to heat issues...i don't like the idea of burning my office down. Any help would be appreciated.

[nsreefer]

anybody?

[lessthanlights]

i'm putting 2x13w pc in mine. check out

http://www.hellolights.com/13watbalkit.html

[Colin]

I don't think halogen lights are recommended for reef tanks/corals.

Those 13W PC's are great. Also check out www.ahsupply.com for 13W kits. I've used a lot of their 13W kits and never had any problems.

For LPS, you'd probably want more than 2 though.

--Colin

[nsreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9086814#post9086814 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Colin
I don't think halogen lights are recommended for reef tanks/corals. --Colin

I didn't think so. I'm curious why that would be though

[Rosseau]

http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/halogen.html


This is just some people's discussion... however the main ideas are that halogen's are much less efficient than PC and MH, and give off much more heat.. causing problems.


Also, these people claim the specral output of the halogen's is not ideal for most reef environments.... I think the spectral characteristics of lights are easy to find, it just has to be matched with the light needs of the corals.


i'll keep searching, i'm interested too

[Rosseau]

http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mpeterso/classes/phys301/projects2001/awgachor/image1.gif

Spectral emittance for a halogen.


http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mpeterso/classes/phys301/projects2001/awgachor/image2.gif

Emittance of a PC/Flourescent.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/4/review_album/Figure8-gscoral-de.gif

Metal Halide emittance.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/specialty-lights/actinicplus.gif

"Actinic" bulb.


Yes, individual bulbs will vary however in general I think these outputs are about right..... The MH is the most intense, which is important. However its range in the spectrum is similar to the fluorescent. That is, weighted more heavily in the shorter, blue wavelengths. Conversely the halogen has little light in this range. Most corals like the shorter wavelengths as the red (halogen like wavelengths) are filtered most efficiently by water. Thus red light does not penetrate to depth and so corals have adapted to blue lights...


I'm sure you could grow some things, especially in a small tank as the halogen likely will emit energy even in the blue wavelengths, just much much less of it..... so you'd really be better off getting a few 10$ power compact bulbs from home depot.




I have a scientific based paper to write next week on some aspect of climate change.... I just decided it'll be on coral reefs and PAR. :cool: i'm so cool.



Source...
http://www.mbl.ku.dk/MKuhl/pages/PDF/Ralph_et_al_2005b.pdf

[nsreefer]

Whoa, that's quite a presentation you came up with there.... and all for the curiosity of a complete stranger.... Thanks so much!!

[Rosseau]

well... it's great procrastination for me! I hope it helps a bit... Lights seem way too expensive in this hobby

[nsreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9088724#post9088724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rosseau
Lights seem way too expensive in this hobby

Agreed... wire, glass, and gas... it's really quite crazy that a decent metal halide system for a good sized reef can run thousands of dollars... for old technology... it's crazy... but it's a fact.

[Rosseau]

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@1755798604.1169921243@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfladdjmlmdklkcgelceffdfgidgin.0&MID=9876


I wonder if these would do anything

[Rosseau]

.. link is messed, just search metal halide

[travisurfer]

The 70w looks nice but its still $117. i may try something like that or a halogen ;)

[nsreefer]

Thanks for the link.... i'm tying to stay away from halides however, just due to heat mostly. They might be interesting to try on a propagation tank at home however... i wonder what kelvin rating the bulbs are?

[Agu]

I'm using a 26w curly PC bulb from Home Depot on my 5.5. They make them in a "daylight" version. Gutted out an old light fixture and used the shade as a hanging bell pendant.

An alternative is to use a 20w coralife 50/50 screw in bulb.

Buth bulbs are pretty long soo you'll need a deep shade to hide the bulb.


fwiw,