travisurfer Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I am thinking about doing a 2.5g reef setup so I have to decide on a setup for soft corals like zoanthids, mushrooms, sarcos, etc. I can't decide between a single or a dual 18w current pc setup. I dont want to have to deal with overheated water since there will also be a 10w bulb over the AC fuge in the back. Any opinions? Link to comment
rleon3003 Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 i have 2x18w retrofit fit in my canopy with a 10w lighting my AC20. i was experiencing heat problems but i added 2 60mm fans both sucking out. right now i get as low as 76 but i dont have a heater and i get a high of 79. i have no idea what im gonna do in the summer. Its gonna be burnin. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 the only problem is going to be with the tank overheating. sometimes the windows are open and the ambient temp gets a bit over 80 degrees. the 12" model doesnt come with a fan either. Link to comment
circusordie16 Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 my 1x18W on the legs hasnt given me any heat problems. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 right now i am leaning towards the single 18w since the dual 18w do not come with fans installed. they should really get that worked out. i think 46w over a 2.9g would overheat the tank way too much especially when it is warmer outside. 18 should still be sufficient for a sarco. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 i have decided to make a hood for a moonlight and the 2 10w coralife bulbs that I have now and then possibly upgrade to a single 13w retro from ahsupply.(I think the 2x13w retro would be too big). Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 also, the AC70 and the ACMini have the same size impellars, correct? Link to comment
FryedFish Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Do what Me and Texx did, buy a 12'' incadesent light strip (from petco, 9.99) and buy a 20 watt PC bubl (by corallife) no heat issues I did have a 18 watt Satalite but I replaced it! Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 why did you replace the satellite? wouldnt it be a lot brighter? anyway here is my 2 x 10w upgrade that I made out of an old 24" flourescent fixture. Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 I have 2x15W of daylight lamps in two walmart under-cabinet fixtures over my 2.5g. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 i have walmart 13w daylights but i decided to keep the 50/50 since i like the slightly blue look. still may upgrade to the satellite fixture but im not sure. here is a fts in case you havent seen it Link to comment
Taikimoto Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 4x13w gets my vote!! but only cause thats whats on my 2.5g hehehe Link to comment
FryedFish Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 I replaced the satalight because I didn't really like its bulkieness in the work place, and I am planing another 2.5 anyways, lol, so It will get some use! Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 that is a ton of light takimoto. my 2x10w is plenty for me . i may add another socket with another 20w but i dont see it necessary at this point. Link to comment
skey44 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 i have the 18 w current single. not sure the dual would fit... check depth (width of the two pcs) the single seems to fit perfectly and i like the lighting amount. very bright and good coloration for this small tank. the single does look a little bulky not sure i like the look but im just trying to grow some zoa/mushroom rock so i guess ill make due with the looks cuz its economical (time wise) and works to just put the satellite up there. a 2-3" black base might balance the look? Link to comment
Lingwendil Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 For my 2.5's I'm getting them each a pair of sunpaq 27w bulbs. They'll be cooled by dual 80mm blue LED fans, so heat shouldn't be that big of a deal. Beats the heck out of screw-ins any day. Link to comment
Hekim Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 For my 2.5's I'm getting them each a pair of sunpaq 27w bulbs. They'll be cooled by dual 80mm blue LED fans, so heat shouldn't be that big of a deal. Beats the heck out of screw-ins any day. please comment after you have something setup Link to comment
distantfire Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Travis you can swap the AC 20 impelar with the AC 70 impelar. If that's what your thinking about doing. It work's fine for slowing down the flow out of AC 70. I just got back from my brothers funeral this afternoon. And found most of my tank's crashed due to a power failure. All I have left is one 2.5 with some gsp's and a few zoa's. And even those coral's look really bad. I hope that I can keep them alive but only time will tell. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 thanks distant fire, i decided to just use the lights i currently have for now but like i said, i may upgrade to the 13w with parabolic reflector from ahsupply but that will be later on. where did you find 27w sunpaq bulbs? the hood barely fits so i will have to remove the filter and get a glass top. hopefully i wont have any temp issues but only time will tell. i will post pics when i do the upgrades. Link to comment
Lingwendil Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 please comment after you have something setup Do I detect disgust? I have something set up, my current 2.5G has a 2 x 65w retro sitting about 6" from the top of the tank for now., I just didn't mention that 'cuz it's jury rigged temporarily. my bulbs arrive wednesday. This tank has previously had 4 x 13w, 1 x 10w, 2 x 9W and 2 x 10w. The 13's ran WAY hot though 27w Sunpaqs can be found at many places. I'm special ordering them through my work, but a internet source for them is http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/Itemdy...F36EC+0434+0173 A search on froogle shows a great amount of other places. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 24, 2006 Author Share Posted October 24, 2006 wow, those would give you more heat problems than the 13w. and you are going to have 4? i think 2 should be plenty. i would rather have lower watts with better reflectors than have higher watts cramped into a hood with lower overall light output. Link to comment
Lingwendil Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 Four bulbs? Crazy! I'm having two bulbs in each hood, I'm ordering four because I'm setting up another 2.5G shortly. The fans should help with the heat a great deal though, I've done a dual 18w custom hood for people that only had two 40 mm fans before, and the bulbs were in their own lens to prevent heat getting to the tank, with good results. If it don't work, I'll just have to downgrade to duallie 18w. The sunpaqs are on electronic ballast, rather than magnetic like the 13w were, so they'll be fairly comparable in heat (due to my tests) Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 24, 2006 Author Share Posted October 24, 2006 sounds good, be sure to get some good reflectors on them though. the hood i made doesnt have room for another bulb so the only addition will be moonlighting. it turned out really well though. Link to comment
Lingwendil Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I make all my own reflectors out of aluminum sheet, so they'll be pretty nice, same general shape as the ahsupply or coralife ones. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.