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What does it all mean?

post #1 of 32
1/24/12 at 10:55pm
Thread Starter 

I have had many tanks over the years, I mean many. I have always had FOWLR tanks, some large aggressives, some nanos, and some reef style tanks with coral that didnt need much light. But here is the thing, as of today, I have two tanks: a 10g and a 29g. I have standard ugly lighitng on both and want to know some info on what I can do to upgrade the lights. Both are FOWLR so I am not concerned about wattage as much as aesthetics. What type of lighting will make my tank look fancy and crisp like those nice reef tanks? 10,000k T-5s? paired with a actinic? or just a 50/50? LED ha you get the point, I dont know where to start. Thanks for any responses I could use some knowledge!

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post #2 of 32
1/25/12 at 9:15am

I generally use half 10k's and half 03 actinics on our setups.  Most are some form of fluorescents (NO, T-5, PC), but we also have a couple of LED setups.  The 10k's and actinics will give you a nice, crisp look, but if you like the "MH shimmer", you can use LED's.

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post #3 of 32
1/26/12 at 8:31pm
Thread Starter 

If i was to upgrade to the Current Nova 18W 460 Actinic/ 18W 12000K would I be able to support some simple soft corals in my 10g? 

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post #4 of 32
1/27/12 at 1:57am
With the 20 Inch Current USA 6x18W Nova Extreme Pro you can keep just about any thing you like.
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post #5 of 32
1/27/12 at 5:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ View Post

With the 20 Inch Current USA 6x18W Nova Extreme Pro you can keep just about any thing you like.


This is the fixture I have on my 47g column (30" tall) tank, so yeah, over a 10g you could give everything a good roasting if not careful.

Wouldn't a 4 lamp fixture be better for a 10g?

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post #6 of 32
1/27/12 at 6:31am

If you want that shimmer look, go with the LEDs.

 

I think one nice PAR38 bulb with 60 - 80 degree optics would do well over the 10g and two of the same would do well over the 29g. They would support some soft corals and give you the benefit of the metal halide shimmer. They also look sleek if you can find some way to screw the bulbs in a socket over your tank. (no need for reflectors either)

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post #7 of 32
1/27/12 at 6:34am

by the way, a 4 bulb t5 fixture on a small tank like those would let you keep any soft coral you want. Doesn't have to be expensive and you wouldn't really have to change out the bulbs to brand name bulbs for better PAR to be able to keep soft corals.

 

 

 

 

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post #8 of 32
1/27/12 at 9:08am
Thread Starter 

I was only curious as corals are not really a must for me. I would be interested in the LED look but that info about the PAR38 60-80 degree stuff is not quite enough. From what i found googling that, it is just an average LED bulb? Is there a specific kind that produces the best light? A really cool tank known as "Bon's lagoon" on the "tube" (sorry, I don't know how references to other sites are tolerated on here) has some LEDs and they are actinic and 12000K I believe. But they retail at 500 + dollars per "cannon" (as they are called). So how would I go about looking for an LED fixture and bulb? Thanks guys this is helpful, may have to do it on my 29g and actually play with some corals. - as weird as that sounds ha!

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post #9 of 32
1/27/12 at 9:10am
Thread Starter 

Oh and as far as looking cool, I'm building a floating hood over the 10g as we blog! Because right now were dealing with the ol' freshwater flap hood ha!

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post #10 of 32
1/27/12 at 10:34am
Thread Starter 

Anyone ever hear of or have reference for BoostLED?

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post #11 of 32
1/27/12 at 10:57am

Mu series or Par 30 bulbs..

sent you a PM about the Par 30 bulb and their website has all the specs on it....

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post #12 of 32
1/30/12 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 

This is not the bulb Im using but this shows the tank and the fixture I built for the bulb that should come in tomorrow. I ended up getting a PAR30 from BoostLED. Sorry the picture sucks, my gf has the camera so had to use the ol' BB.

 422665_2873551771813_1650486648_2460107_1780183846_n.jpg

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post #13 of 32
1/30/12 at 11:18am
Thread Starter 

I actually bought this live rock piece today for a dollar because it has what I believe to be 5-6 zoas on it? They haven't opened all the way up but what do you think? One of them is right in the middle of the picture.

403705_2873611173298_1650486648_2460161_1672744609_n.jpg

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post #14 of 32
1/30/12 at 11:39am

looking good... not sure if those are live,,, cant really see to good with the blue lighting??

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post #15 of 32
1/30/12 at 12:22pm
Thread Starter 

423424_2874178187473_1650486648_2460279_626107036_n.jpg

Maybe this is better. They are alive, whether they are zoa or not is debatable. They opened up half way on me so far, ill be able to tell when they open further. And that light is not blue its just a horrible picture and the half actinic and purple colored coral/rock makes for horrible contrast ha. I will post better pictures when I can and of the new bulb when it comes in. 

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post #16 of 32
1/30/12 at 1:20pm
Could you just pull out the piece of rock and take a picture with a flash?
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post #17 of 32
1/30/12 at 1:22pm
Cause they almost look like zoas growing on a lobe skeleton...
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post #18 of 32
1/30/12 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 

Just got the new light, put it in, and they are zoa ha they came out and started flowing around lil pink and green ones and yep on some sort of coral exo. 

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post #19 of 32
1/30/12 at 5:29pm

 pictures are worth a thousand words :)

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post #20 of 32
1/31/12 at 10:07am
Thread Starter 

My camera is gona be at my gf's for a while so I will have to make due with an old 3x 3.2 MP Sony ha. Bare with me until I get my camera in about a week. DSC00169.JPG

 

DSC00163.JPG

 

DSC00168.JPG

 

DSC00165.JPG

 

You can see the one in the middle and the few to the left shoulder of the one in center.

 

DSC00170.JPG

 

Even worse but you can see the backwards s trail of them. There are 6 polyps total.. for $1! ha

DSC00172.JPG

 

This is at least easier to see the green contrast.

 

Thanks for looking 

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