20L Frag Tank! Need Light! what one????

[grubsnaek]

im setting up a frag tank in a 20L, what light should go ontop of this biotch.

 

[joojoo]

For softies 130 PC will suffice.

 

[grubsnaek]

softies and LPS. who makes the light and how much joojoo?

 

[joojoo]

The Coralife fixture of 2x65 watts would probbaly be the cheapest, I paid 150 for mine at the LFS, but I'm sure if you looked hard enough you can find a used one for cheaper.

 

[grubsnaek]

i see it comes with mounting legs should i put a glass canopy on top so the fish dont jump out or no?

 

[joojoo]

Originally Posted by grubsnaek
i see it comes with mounting legs should i put a glass canopy on top so the fish dont jump out or no?
Hmm, idk. I've always ran a hoodless tank and never had a suicidal fish. I guess it depends on the fish?

 

[grubsnaek]

alright then i really dont need the canopy unless i get a jumper. since you already have the light fixture. does the light look very blue. the actinic one.

 

[joojoo]

When they are brand new, yes. The problem I have noticed with PC bulbs is they "wear out" pretty fast. I've been running my current ones for about 8 months and the tank is starting to get the 6.5K yellowish look... I need to replace them!

 

[grubsnaek]

how long do you run both lights for

 

[joojoo]

Actinic - 11am - 11pm
10K - 12pm - 10pm

 

[grubsnaek]

how do you run two different times. manually?

 

[joojoo]

There are 2 switches and 2 power cords, one for each socket, pretty nifty, IMO, just hook em up to timers... but for just a frag tank I don't think this is necessary.

 

[grubsnaek]

no just wondering though, i really like that blue look, what type of bulbs give it the really blue look

 

[grubsnaek]

what about 198w between VHO's and T5's. 198w on a 20L gives me 9.9w/g. that should be more than enough. im really tryin to get that blue color that T5's give off. i dont think the VHO bulbs are that blue. am i wrong on this?

 

[joojoo]

I have no experience with T5's so i can't really help you with that. However, if you went with PC, you could use 1 True Actinic bulb and one 50/50 bulb, that should give the nice blue effect that 14K MH bulbs give.

 

[grubsnaek]

thats true too

 

[rbaldino]

Originally Posted by grubsnaek
i see it comes with mounting legs should i put a glass canopy on top so the fish dont jump out or no?
If it's a frag tank, why are you worried about fish?

 

[volitan_fa]

The "blue" look is usually given off by the Actinic bulbs. These come in all lighting types, from NO all the way up to LED and VHO and everything in between. MH you can get higher Kelvin color temps, but they are still usually supplemented with some kind of fluorescent actinic.
And why are you worrying about all this in a frag tank? What you need to worry about in a frag tank is flow, filtration, and proper lighting. You shouldn't really have fish in a frag tank and you shouldn't be worried about "the look" of it. Frag tanks are for holding and culturing....well frags.
PS:NOT a flame, just giving my interjection . Good luck with your project!

 

[mopar9012]

how long is that tank? I have a 30 inch 130 PC light with mounting legs. It has BRAND NEW bulbs.

 

[grubsnaek]

its a 20L. as for the fish i have a 55 that might get converted so i wanted to know if i needed them. i know the tank should not look good but i have to. just the type of person i am. i am thinking about getting two 24" VHO bulbs. i was only considering the T5's cause of the blue effect that i am for some what desireing. but the two VHO bulbs would be 150w should be plenty i think.