Help!! Broke 55w PC Light

[chrizg]

I have a 30 gallon reef with a 55w Combo and a 55w 10k light from ahsupply. I was taking the 10k light out of the socket and the pins came apart from the bulbs so now it is ruined.

My question is this. How long can my tank survive on the 55w combo??

Its a 30 gallon with a CPR Skimmer.

Corals...

Hammer
Frogspawn - Small
Leather - Small
Xenia
Orange Cap
Metallic Green Star polyps
Orange and brown button polyps
Candy Cane
Blastomussa

Please help!!

[FlyGTI]

Chris, you'll be fine until you can get ahold of a new lamp. If I hadn't thrown my old ones out, I'd have given you a spare that would at least throw some light on the tank until you can get ahold of some new.

I've got 110w over a 90 gal, and I've got a fair bit of coral in there, and while it's certainly dim, things are surviving just fine.

Obviously, get some bulbs ordered (now might be a good time to swap out both), but your tank will be fine at half light for a little while. The only thing I'm not sure of because I've never kept is the orange cap. Watch that, and if need be, someone around you could babysit it in one of our light intensive tanks for a while.

[JSM]

Get it ordered today and you'll be fine. It is not always sunny in the tropics, they have cloudy/rainy days where corals are not getting full sunlight. I had a halide go out and one side of the tank was dark for 3 days and nothing suffered. Just don't wait too long to get your light ordered.

Janna

[chrizg]

Ok....

I am trying to decided if I want to change my lighting... I currently have a 10k 55w PC and a 10k/Actinic 03 combo 55w PC over a 30 Gallon.

As stated above I broke my 10k and I need to order a new light.

I talked to some people and I found out that the corals will use 100% of the Actinic light and only 40% of the 10k light, and the rest of the 10k light is for appearance.

So, should I switch to 2 combos? I would have the same lighting, but it would be more blue in color. That really doesn't bug me to much.

Also, my corals are growing REALLY good, and I am not sure if changing it would stop the growth, or increase it...

What do you guys think ?

[Coralfreak]

Well, that's a loaded question:)

I don't think there is any one "right" answer, if it were me I would go with 2 50/50 bulbs.

HTH

Allen

[Atticus]

My decision would be based on this question.... Is it 2 independant ballasts or one dual ballast with only one power switch? If it is 2 ballasts I would get 1 actinic and 1 10k or even 20k. The 20k would make the tank more blue and would be more of a personal preferance than anything. The reason i suggest the full actinic on the 2 ballast set-up is for a Dawn Dusk effect. Kick the actinic on an hour before the Daylight bulb and let it run 1 hour after. That allows for your critters to know that darkness is coming, so they can prepare, and I kinda like to see my tank under just actinics. If it is a dual ballast with one switch throw 2 50/50's on there for proper light dispersion and call it good. Hope that helps, Travis

[Atticus]

Are your bulbs in open air above your tank? You may want to put glass between the bulbs and water if there isn't, to stop the pin corrosion also. A fan would also help extend your bulb's life, if you do not already have one, by pulling the salty moisture away from the socket. Travis

[chrizg]

I have one ballast with both lights hooked up to one switch. The bulbs I have are dual-tubed, so one side can be 10k and the other side can be Actinic.

I have a separate 15wt Actinic bulb for the dust/dawn effect.

I guess my biggest question is this...

I talked to some people and I found out that the corals will use 100% of the Actinic light and only 40% of the 10k light, and the rest of the 10k light is for appearance

[Coralfreak]

Chris,

Here are some good articles to check out, if you haven't already seen them.

http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/s_tyree_060202.html

http://www.reefs.org/library/article/actinic_lighting.html

Allen

[dknape]

Chris and I both have the same setup. Decent pics can be seen at http://www.iowareefclub.com/members/dustin/mefolioCategory.asp?catID=40.

I also am considering the same as it is now time for me to replace my bulbs as well. I have considered in the past to make a sheet of 1/4" acrylic into a cover that would fit nicely onto the lip of the aquarium. What is everyones opinion of this.

I am also considering the possibility of replacing the 2 55w bulbs with a single 175w MH lamp but build it into the existing hood.

Opinions?

[FlyGTI]

Hey Allen, thanks for posting those articles. When I have the time, I'll try and dive into them, as I think they'd be good theory to understand.

[Atticus]

Dustin,
It may be better to cover the lights instead of sealing the tank. For one if you place the acrilic over the top of the tank you seal in all the surface air and no exchange can happen. Surface area on tanks should always be open for the exchange of Nitrogen, CO2, Oxygen, and other gases that are formed by or used by your tank. Secondly, If you cover the tank you have to keep opening it everytime you want to feed and that can get pretty anoying. JMO Travis