lennon
Member
I read this article and wondered if you agree with it.
I want to avoid getting anything that using high heat or ballasts. What is the closest thing to it. Also, less expensive to replace.
I am getting a 55 or 65 gallon and would consider the 48 gallon to avoid having to get those lights.
Any advise is greatly appreciated. As far as moonlights..I think I am going to get submersible ones for safety from that internet auction site.
Thank so much for any input...
SALTWATER TANK LIGHTING AND HEATING
What Kind of Lights Will I Need?
There are various kinds of tank lights available, but the type you need depends on what tank system you are running. For instance, fish only tanks can use a basic fluorescent light. When choosing a lamp make note of the "spectrum" of the lamp, which is the range of distribution of light. The rule of thumb for lighting is around 0.14W (1 Watt per gal) is a sufficient level to use.
Incandescent bulbs may provide many of the desired aspects of lighting needed by live plants. The least expensive fixtures are incandescent and take regular screw-in type light bulbs. The bulbs are also relatively inexpensive however, they need to be replaced much more often than other types of bulbs. Unfortunately, these bulbs put out a lot of heat, making it more difficult to regulate the temperature in your tank. Also these lights use more power for the light they give off than most other lighting, so you will have a higher power bill using this type of fixture.
While some types of metal halide bulbs produce desirable qualities of light at a low enough cost, they also drawbacks, namely that they are expensive to buy and generate too much ultraviolet radiation. If you do choose one of these units, make sure that it is designed for marine aquariums, and use an ultraviolet filter. Also be aware that these units get very hot and care needs to be taken to avoid getting burned.
Both metal halide and mercury vapor types of lighting share other drawbacks. They probably will require motorized fans, and need reflective mechanisms to direct and shield the light rays and are limited to high wattage's, most coming in a few to several hundred watt sizes, up.
Power Compact lighting is becoming very popular with live plant and reef enthusiasts. The power compact bulbs provide slightly more than three times the light of a N.O. bulb of similar length. Power compact fluorescent bulbs are available in two pin configurations, linear or square, so if you have purchased a power compact fixture, make sure that you purchase replacement bulbs with the same pin configuration. One advantage of power compact lights is that several varieties of bulbs are available as thread-in bulb, which fit most incandescent light fixtures. However, remember not to exceed the wattage recommendation for your light fixture, or you could risk starting a fire!
Full-Spectrum Fluorescent lighting has been and still is the best available lighting. It provides the best quality and quantity light at the lowest up front, operational and replacement costs. In addition, fixtures can be made or bought at reasonable cost. These lamps have functional life spans of about two years. The spectral shift and lumen depreciation is tractable and easy to adjust. V.H.O., or very high output fluorescent lighting, is a popular option for people keeping densely planted aquariums, very tall aquariums, or reef aquariums. These bulbs require special expensive ballasts to work properly. However, these lights provide nearly three times the light of a similar length N.O. bulb. Because of the extra expense of V.H.O. lighting, it is quickly giving way to power compact lighting, which can achieve similar results in less space and with less initial cost. For all fluorescent lighting, the amount of light put out is a function of the length of the bulb and the type of bulb, so if two bulbs are the same length and for the same fixture, they put out the same amount of light.
I want to avoid getting anything that using high heat or ballasts. What is the closest thing to it. Also, less expensive to replace.
I am getting a 55 or 65 gallon and would consider the 48 gallon to avoid having to get those lights.
Any advise is greatly appreciated. As far as moonlights..I think I am going to get submersible ones for safety from that internet auction site.
Thank so much for any input...
SALTWATER TANK LIGHTING AND HEATING
What Kind of Lights Will I Need?
There are various kinds of tank lights available, but the type you need depends on what tank system you are running. For instance, fish only tanks can use a basic fluorescent light. When choosing a lamp make note of the "spectrum" of the lamp, which is the range of distribution of light. The rule of thumb for lighting is around 0.14W (1 Watt per gal) is a sufficient level to use.
Incandescent bulbs may provide many of the desired aspects of lighting needed by live plants. The least expensive fixtures are incandescent and take regular screw-in type light bulbs. The bulbs are also relatively inexpensive however, they need to be replaced much more often than other types of bulbs. Unfortunately, these bulbs put out a lot of heat, making it more difficult to regulate the temperature in your tank. Also these lights use more power for the light they give off than most other lighting, so you will have a higher power bill using this type of fixture.
While some types of metal halide bulbs produce desirable qualities of light at a low enough cost, they also drawbacks, namely that they are expensive to buy and generate too much ultraviolet radiation. If you do choose one of these units, make sure that it is designed for marine aquariums, and use an ultraviolet filter. Also be aware that these units get very hot and care needs to be taken to avoid getting burned.
Both metal halide and mercury vapor types of lighting share other drawbacks. They probably will require motorized fans, and need reflective mechanisms to direct and shield the light rays and are limited to high wattage's, most coming in a few to several hundred watt sizes, up.
Power Compact lighting is becoming very popular with live plant and reef enthusiasts. The power compact bulbs provide slightly more than three times the light of a N.O. bulb of similar length. Power compact fluorescent bulbs are available in two pin configurations, linear or square, so if you have purchased a power compact fixture, make sure that you purchase replacement bulbs with the same pin configuration. One advantage of power compact lights is that several varieties of bulbs are available as thread-in bulb, which fit most incandescent light fixtures. However, remember not to exceed the wattage recommendation for your light fixture, or you could risk starting a fire!
Full-Spectrum Fluorescent lighting has been and still is the best available lighting. It provides the best quality and quantity light at the lowest up front, operational and replacement costs. In addition, fixtures can be made or bought at reasonable cost. These lamps have functional life spans of about two years. The spectral shift and lumen depreciation is tractable and easy to adjust. V.H.O., or very high output fluorescent lighting, is a popular option for people keeping densely planted aquariums, very tall aquariums, or reef aquariums. These bulbs require special expensive ballasts to work properly. However, these lights provide nearly three times the light of a similar length N.O. bulb. Because of the extra expense of V.H.O. lighting, it is quickly giving way to power compact lighting, which can achieve similar results in less space and with less initial cost. For all fluorescent lighting, the amount of light put out is a function of the length of the bulb and the type of bulb, so if two bulbs are the same length and for the same fixture, they put out the same amount of light.
