something new

[pate2929]

today i bought a new 48 inch light strip with double lights. it is very bright. Will this be sufficient to support anemonies and corals my old strip had one light.

 

[doublezero]

Pate2929,
IMO., Need a little more info, how many watts?, if not VHO or if you don't have MH supplement probably not..
#00

 

[pate2929]

How do you tell the wattage of the bulbs and fixture it doesnt say on the bulbs or on the banister,now im getting hot i spent a lot of money and it sounds like i did not get what i needed:thinking:

 

[doublezero]

Pate2929,
tell us a little more about the setup, how much did it cost, If you look on the bulb it usually should tell you the wattage.. even if it doesn't what is the name of the company that made the ballast, this type of info will shed more light on the matter,

#00

 

[thomas712]

Are they T-12's in size? like a normal tube fluoresent? VHO would say VHO near the end of one of the bulbs. Also who makes it.
Just type out all the info that you find on the bulb.
Does the light fixture have any special ballast with it? almost the size of a brick?
THomas

 

[pate2929]

ok it is a marineland perfect a strip double bright aquarium reflector with two eclipse florescent lamps 48 inches but it doesnt say the wattage the bulbs are eclipse natural daylight i had planned on replacing those with actanic bulbs next time i feel like getting shafted by my lfs

 

[pate2929]

actually the numbers on the bulb are f40t10 and the balast looks pretty big not as big as a brick.

 

[thomas712]

Sounds like two normal output 48" bulbs that gives you 80 watts.
If that is the case (and I'm only guessing that it is) then 80 watts would only be enough to kill an anemone.
Let me do some searching to see if I can find any information about them.
Thomas

 

[pate2929]

the lights are really bright and they sure do heat up my glass you are right they are 40 watt bulbs. would 160 watts be enough to support these creatures if so i can buy another, to go with the one i bought

 

[thomas712]

(2) F40T12RS 240V
Item#: 00527A
Watts: 40
Volts: 240
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(1)F40T10 or (1) F40T12 220V
Item#: 00590B
Watts: 40
Volts: 220
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(2) F40T10/12 RS
Item#: 00593A
Watts: 40
Volts: 277
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(2)F40T10 or (2)F30T12
Item#: 00634A
Watts: 40
Volts: 120
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(1)F40/F30T12RS 120V
Item#: 03480A
Watts: 40
Volts: 120
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(1)F40T10 or (1)F30T12 or (1)F40T12
Item#: 04924A
Watts: 40
Volts: 277
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(1)F40T10 or (1)F40T12RS 277V
Item#: 05352A
Watts: 40
Volts: 277
Life: Date Coded
More >>
(1) F40T12/10
Item#: 05868A
Watts: 40
Volts: 120
Life: Date Coded
More >>
All of these seem to be only 40 watters so ah..sorry but you don't have enough for any anemeone. Your at least 300 watts short.
I could be wrong and there may be other bulbs out there. I looked at aquarium bulbs and others, but I only skimmed many of them but it doesn't look good for you.
THomas

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by pate2929
the lights are really bright and they sure do heat up my glass you are right they are 40 watt bulbs. would 160 watts be enough to support these creatures if so i can buy another, to go with the one i bought
Your problem here is also going to be spectrum. Most of these bulbs have maybe 5500 or less of a k rating. Great for algae but not for your reef tank.
No 160 watts of this lighting will not be enough for an anemone. Also this type of week lighting will not have enough par value to penitrate to the bottom of a 75 gallon tank.
I have 7 BTA anemonies and a rather week 380 watts of VHO. They survive but they could do much better with Metal Halides.
Thomas

 

[pate2929]

Thanks thomas Now my question is where can i get what i need for as little as possible, i guess my main concern is the overall health of my system.

 

[thomas712]

Well link posting to any type of advertising is really frowned on this board. I can tell you that I said HELLO to someone it california who sold LIGHTS with a .COM address.
You get that or do I need to send you my decoder ring

Thomas

 

[pate2929]

Send it on