ToiletDuck Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 So i picked up a new 5g at a garage sale yesterday for a quater and i got to thinking, i would like to set this up on my desk here next to the computer. I don't have any type of hood or light source as of yet, would like a nice canopy, but i know of no-one who's handy like that. Anyway, I'm looking at these lights http://www.hellolights.com/lamps-now/201xcoaqpcho.html Price looks good, but its gonna look kinda funky as the lights are longer than the tank. Is there something else out there to fit my needs? or am i just as well off with the above mentioned lights? Thanks Link to comment
samthebigfish Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 i use the Coralife 2x9 mini aqualight. just got it in last thursday. everything seems to be loving it. i have 'shrooms,zoo's and some 'cane. all seems well for now- Link to comment
movingshadow Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 it all depends on what you want to keep in the tank, if you are just gonna go with some softies/shrooms/zoanthids pc lighting in a retro-kit will work just fine... should you be interested in keeping more difficult types of livestock like sps/clams/etc. you need to consider metal halide... I just put a 10.000K 70W MH Pendant (not a DIY though, the good stuff is fairly cheap here in Germany) over my 5.5 bowfront... and I wouldn't want to be without it... Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 thats funny, usually I start insisting on halides when aquariums start hitting the 29g+ range...now with the popularity of the 70watt DIY units, people are going to start suggesting them for 2gallons!! LOL!! IMO, halide is the best thing, but it really isnt that necessary for tanks under 20gallons IMO...PC lights can provide similar intensity at these shallower depth aquariums pretty well...well enough that I bet a 2x32 watt retrofit would be enough. That 96watt powerquad is going to be a little big over that 5gallon...being 20". I used to like the 96watt powerquad by coralife. Now Im not so sure. Anyone remember Coralife's first round of PC fixtures from years back? They were all recalled due to faulty wiring...and never reissued. I thought this time around they would have gone all out...and although they wont burn your house down...I just cant recomend them anymore. Not when there are better made units out there for a little bit more (CSL moonlights). My cousin bought one for his 10gallon, and my opinion on these lights has also been influenced by others here on the board. These are the things I dont like that a quality unit should have solved: Those noisy little fans...they start out fine, but a few months into it they turn into little buzzers. Shifting color...I know a little shift is usual as the bulb breaks in, but this fixture shifts to an almost greenish color...I speculate this is because it uses a cheap magnetic ballast...and any good company would use an electronic ballast to prevent color shifting this drastic...(CSL). Link to comment
ToiletDuck Posted December 9, 2003 Author Share Posted December 9, 2003 Not plannin on sps/clams/etc. just some ricordia, maybe a yellow leather Link to comment
onthefly Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 PC's will work great......beware of the bug that gets/got most of us. "I'll just add a Monti. dig or a cap.....their low light SPS" Next thing you know you be looking at MHs! FWIW, my zoo's, ric's, GSP, and leathers have never looked better (5 days so far under 70W MH, had 64W of PC before)......70W MH system costs about $130 (ushio) and $80 (if you trust Catalina bulbs) Link to comment
ToiletDuck Posted December 9, 2003 Author Share Posted December 9, 2003 Originally posted by onthefly PC's will work great......beware of the bug that gets/got most of us. "I'll just add a Monti. dig or a cap.....their low light SPS" Next thing you know you be looking at MHs! FWIW, my zoo's, ric's, GSP, and leathers have never looked better (5 days so far under 70W MH, had 64W of PC before)......70W MH system costs about $130 (ushio) and $80 (if you trust Catalina bulbs) A nice small frag of monti would be nice as well, Im doin just doin 5g for now. I have a 75g as well, and im gonna dread takin it down, gf and i bought a house and we close end of the month. And i get my own room for my fish and corals. Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 ya know, on second thought, if you want to DIY something, the 70watt halide isnt a bad way to go. The regent fixture cost me $10...took a little time to retrofit it to accomidate the halide bulb. I got in on AbsoluTc's group buy of bulbs...so $60 for a 10,000K ushio...and I bought the fulham electronic ballast for $50...so for $120 you could have perhaps the best lighting possible for a 5-10gallon...not bad. Link to comment
ToiletDuck Posted December 10, 2003 Author Share Posted December 10, 2003 One last qustion about this and im good to go, I will adding a 2x32 csl retro into the hood, what is a "safe" distance to keep the lights above the water line? Link to comment
movingshadow Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 hehehe, my brand-spankin-new MH pendant (with BLV/Ushio 10.000K bulb) cost me 70 bucks (with a full warranty!) anyway, regarding your question: it again depends on your setup, i.e. how high is the tank, what kind over cover/canopy do you have, is there a splasguard between the water and the lights to prevent corrosion and/or worse - a short) you'll want to place the lights relatively close to the water, though heat may be an issue in a closed canopy (easily solved with 1-2 small pc fans) and as I said, I'd definately prefer a shield of some sort between the water and the cables/etc... HTH Link to comment
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