I need 5.5 nano lights!

[eco170]

I need PC lighting for a back up 5.5 aga nano. I can only seem to find 12" and 20" lights no 16"s. Any ideas?

[mathias999us]

Haven't done an AGA myself, but I did do a PC retrofit.

The 36/72W kits here:
http://www.ahsupply.com/
are 17.25" long, with the actual bulb being 16.5" in length. I bet you could trim that extra 0.75" off the reflector also. That's probably as close as you're going to get to 16" with PC I think...

[rogerwells]

i have a five gallon that i want to get good lights for so i could get some zoas in there....will that website help me out?

[mathias999us]

If you see a kit there that matches your tank dimensions, most of the light kits there will work great for zoanthids and softies in a 5g. That sight only sells retrofit kits and parts though. It doesn't sell the enclosures/hoods; you'll have to DIY with that (but I believe they do have some DIY plans available on their site).

[eco170]

Thanks for the reply, I think the retro kits are my only option. I don't get why they would only make lights for 10 & 2.5's and not a 5.5.

[eco170]

Just found one at customaquatic.com but it's only 18 watt

[rogerwells]

what wattage would i need for some zoas?

[Jordan55]

You could use a 12 inch light. Just use a piece of egg crate or acrylic under the light to hold it up. They make a 32 watt bulb in 12 inch size which is pretty good for a 5.5 IMO.

[mathias999us]

eco - yeah. I had a tough time finding the PC lights I needed to retro my hood also. I needed 12" bulbs, and wanted 18W each. Finally got mine from nanocustoms.

Look at the upside though: Retro/making a hood isn't too hard. It'll bring ya a sense of satisfaction. :) I know a lot of people don't have access to the tools, but everyone I know or read about who's taken the time to make a decent wood canopy for their nano has found it was an excellent decision that afforded them a lot of freedom in lighting and other equipment choices and mods.

rogerwells - zoas in a 5g? You wouldn't need too much. I've got a cube knock-off that's just about 5g in the display portion of the tank. I've 2x18W PCs on it (50/50 bulbs) on it, and a bunch of zoas that are doing just fantastic - growing like weeds. Since my tank is cube shaped, it's presumably deeper than a 5g AGA as well. IMO, I think your zoas would do just fine under 18W PC in a 5g AGA. Although they are zooxanthellate, they are also quite photoadaptive, and can survive, and even thrive, in a variety of lighting conditions. The more watts you go, the more options you'll have for other livestock though.

Have fun!
Mathias

[rogerwells]

yeah but i always loved the look of an all zoanthid little tank....i got some zoas for my 29 and i have had them for maybe a month and they barely spread...even with my MH lighting...you know whats up with that?

[Carl_in_Florida]

13 and 18 watt pc bulbs

[mathias999us]

rogerwells - now that is a very open-ended question... could be caused by a variety of problems.