20" fuge,just chaet,how many watts

[grubsnaek]

i will be setting up a 36" long sump. the fuge part will be around 20" itself. so a light fixture around 23"-24" is what i would need. i know its longer but thats what im gonna have to work with. what type of lights and how many watts.

 

[grubsnaek]

come on nobody

 

[cj7eagle]

i just use a clamp on light fixture from home depot with one of those spiral energy saving bulbs. something like 14 watts maybe. I am not sure off the top of my head.

 

[grubsnaek]

yeah i have two of those one on my 125DT and one on my 20L frag tank, but there not good with timers, so i need something that is a regular light fixture that can go with a timer.

 

[thacyko]

Get a 2' long T5 fixture off e-bay with 2 55W lamps for around $70

 

[hurt]

I'd recommend at least a 55w PC light. T-5 would be even better. Just make sure the bulbs are no greater than 10K, preferably 6700K.

 

[grubsnaek]

i will be gettin 6500k bulb

 

[cj7eagle]

why do you need such strong lights? my fuge grows cheato like crazy.

 

[grubsnaek]

its not so much the amount of light. i just want a light fixture instead of a clip on lamp. i want to run this on a timer. hope that made sense.

 

[hurt]

Originally Posted by cj7eagle
why do you need such strong lights? my fuge grows cheato like crazy.

Put a real light on it and you will see what I mean. I originally did the same with the cheap clip on light from HD. It grew my macros, but nothing like they grow with my 65w PC light. I'd say the growth rate has at least doubled. Light penetrates deeper-my macros at the bottom don't die now, and it does not throw off the near the amount of heat the clip on light did. Most people who are really serious about their algae scrubbers usually put a MH on it for max growth.

 

[grubsnaek]

i will go with some sort of pc on it.

 

[gatorwpb]

I thought the spiral bulbs were PC bulbs...
Also, whats the problem with them on the timer? I havent had any problem with my spiral bulb in the clip on reflector.

 

[grubsnaek]

actually i just looked. i thought it said not to run a timer, but it doesnt. the spiral ones are PC.