2 X CoralLife PC Lighting make a difference ??????????????

[cowbuoy]

I have a 36" CoralLife light system
It has (1) 10000K 96 watt light and (1) 96 watt Actinic --- ie 192 watts total

[hr]
before I forget -- Question 1 -- is this the true actinic and not just a "blue light" I've read Bang Guy speak of -- for the $ they BETTER BE!! lol
It is on a 50 gallon (36x18x18) so this is 4 watts per gallon- FWIW
Anyhow - I have learned that it is the light intensity that is the main factor not watts/gallon
so -- a couple of questions
2. Say someone has the same set up over 75 gallons (if it was 18 inches deep)- the watts per gallon would be less but the intensity would be the same (wouldn't it?) --- so why would it (if it does) make any difference
I really like these lights -- not too hot -- not too big -- and last longer then VHO before changing them (at least that is the consensus on this board - and even my lfs told me they can go a year before they need to be changed even though i was talking to them about changing every 6 months so it's not like they are trying to get all my money)
anyhow Question 3.. -- If I get another set of the same kind of lights am I really any better off???
It seems that the general thought here is the PC lights can have shrooms, zoos, leathers, ....softies and LPS but nothing else
so if I get another set and go to 8 watts/gallon
........and I suposse in the process I am doubleing my intensity
Am I really doing myself any favors???
Would I be able to keep any other kinds of corals, anemones etc that I can't keep now?????????
Again I want to stay with PC and not have VHO and definately not MH
thanks

 

[lesleybird]

Hi, I don't know, but I have the same type of Coral Life double bulb set up. I am kind of afraid of the metal halides because I do not want to buy a chiller. I ordered a specal order 65 gallon reef ready tank by Oceanic this week. This is an upgrade from my tiny 40 gallon that I have now. It is too bad I can't have a much larger tank as I can afford a really big one, but don't have the room where it needs to go! Anyway, on my 65 gallon I plan to have the same type (longer) Coral Life double bulb set up and add one of those metal halide pendants 175 watt pendants in white to match the wall. Have you seen those? I plan to put a bracket on the wall behind the tank (ceiling is 20 feet high there) so that I can hang it in the middle back of the tank and can raise it maybe 12 to 18 inches above the top of the tank to keep the heat down. I plan to have it in the middle back of the tank, and the other light middle a little more to the front of the tank. I plan to have the Coral Life on a full 12 hours and maybe only have the halide on for 8 hours in the middle of the day.
I am hoping to do this to place a couple of clams very high up in the middle of the tank closest to where the light sources are. Maybe someone with more experience could answer your question. I would think that what you are talking about doing would be fine as far as high light loving creatures could be kept well in the top half of your tank, but think that heat that is not a problem now with one may become an issue with two.
Good luck, Lesley

 

[marvida]

Q1: There is very little, if any difference in cost between "true actinic" or "blue" tubes. The vendors I deal with list them as one or the other. Also it seems that the actinic rarely have a Kelvin value listed but the blue ones seem to.
Q2: While it is true that the light delivered to a given point directly below the light source will be the same regardless of the volume of the tank, you will lose intensity as you move laterally from the light source. In a 75 you would have more marginal areas than in a 55.
Q3: Whether or not you would be better off by adding more light is dependant on what you are going to do with the tank. I personally think you would be better off.
Lighting can be confusing. PAR (photosythetically available radiation) seems to be the most important thing. That's where the differences between NO,PC,VHO, & MH come into play.

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by MarVida
Q1: There is very little, if any difference in cost between "true actinic" or "blue" tubes. The vendors I deal with list them as one or the other. Also it seems that the actinic rarely have a Kelvin value listed but the blue ones seem to.
Yes! There are Actinic PC bulbs.
The reason the Actinic bulbs do not list a Kelvin temperature is because the "K" rating of bulbs stops at 20,000K and a true Actinic (wavelength around 420nm) would have an infinite "K" rating.

 

[cowbuoy]

ok thanks
but if I get a second system of the same type will I be able to keep anything I can't keep now????
or will I just be wasting my money???

 

[marvida]

Sorry I wasn't clear, there IS a BIG difference between true actinic and blue bulbs, just not a big difference in cost.
I don't think it would change much as to what you can keep but it would make a difference in the appearance and health of what you do keep. IMHO you would still be looking at 'shrooms, softies, & maybe some LPS.

 

[entice59]

usually in PC setups, they come with the bulbs. One 10k and one blue bulb. Call them and ask if they are willing to give you one 03 bulb instead of the blue bulb. If not, i know a online dealer who will give do this for you. email me if you want, flare59@juno.com

 

[cowbuoy]

thanks
actually I have been looking on the web
(since I got rid of the box and where I got them is an hour away)
and the croallife are true actinic 03 bulbs
so I am good on that
the only question I have (for myself) is - do I feel like spending another $200
when I called LFS they actually told me that they didn't think I needed it unless - as you guys say I want sps or clams
they said all of their display tanks (about 8 of em) are under the same lights as mine except for the big one (240 gallon I think) which is under MH
they seem to be pretty good about stuff
their prices are on the high side but they don't try to sell me stuff I don't need (Even when I bring it up myself they tend to give me the low down on the positive and negative side)
I spent a lot more there when I first set up the system than I planned but now I see that they really set me up with the good stuff from the beginning so I am pretty happy
although I do wish i went with a 75 gallon since I want a tang - but I was actually thinking of a 29 gallon when I went in so...............but I only have 3 feet of wall space for the tank where it is now so 50 gallons is ok - I like the 18" depth
I have seen tank raised Regal Tangs (harvested eggs - born and raised in captivity and the critters have never been in the ocean so I may try one one those)