lighting for 2.5 gal

[invert]

I have been saving up for about a month to get my rock sand and other basic stuff but I dont have any lights.

 

so would this work:

I can get one 8 watt wide spectrum no Fluorescent tube and one 8 watt marine glow no fluorescent. This would give me 6.4 watts per gallon. would this set up be ok for soft corals and one or two hard corals. if not how much light do I need.

[NanoReefer53]

2x13 would be better

[invert]

I cant find any no tubes that are over 8 watts and still fit over a 12 inch tank but if anyone knows of any I would cirtainly go for the higher wattage.

but if not will it work with two 8 watt tubes?

thanks for the help nano reefer 53

[Bearded]

JBJ 18W clamp-on Power compact. That's what I've got on my 3G. Works like a charm.

 

Joe

[tinyreef]

if you want to keep corals you may have to go and get the uri's 12". remember you lose about a 1/4" or both ends anyway. plus you'll get more choices and intensity that the corals will need. they offer true actinic (think fluorescent!) and the 50/50 (12000K) & aquasun (10000K). or you can go to the 15" and go a little overboard but i think the uri's are still better, no vho's available at that size though.

 

that's brave to go stonys that small. the softies can take it but will probably outgrow it in a few months.

 

how deep are you making the sand? that'll affect the distance to the lights.

[invert]

I dont think I can get hold of pc is there a difference between two 8 watt normal tubes and a 18 watt pc other than the 2 watt exstra.

[invert]

my sand bed will be about one inch deep and i will have rock piled almost to the top. im not worried about corals out growing the tank because my mum has a 160gal reef tank that is still pretty empty because it has been up and running for 6 months.

 

thanks for all the help so far

[tinyreef]

160g backing you up, huh? i WAS worried about you but not anymore, hmph!

 

the 18w pc will be approximately 2.5 times brighter than the NO's together. the uri's are the best quality though but the pc's are good for that size range. i prefer the fluorescening quality their actinics give the corals. pc's can never quite match it (at least i haven't seen it from csl or coralife bulbs).

[lizbeth]

Why won't the 13 watt fit? You could put two of them side by side in an 8"x3" space.

[Nishant3789]

yea... why not use PCs? NOs imo are too hard to use on nanos i mean theyll work, but its just so much easier to use PCs. no way in hell can u use the wattsper gallon thing on a tank this small. 16 watts of NO is still 16 watts of NO, its really not that much light. NOs can put out light but if you think u can put in hard corals under it your just not going to get the intesity you need. i would go with PCs, they arent all that $$$ anyways. hope this helps, i dont mean to come of rude, butyour corals will tahnk you for it in the long run....

nishant

[OscarBeast]

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/m...e=Ultracompacts

 

 

This is what I use.

[cmoreash]

pffffffft....... this is what I use

 

13 retro for $18

[mxpro32]

i would use 2x13 w. or one 13w actinic and one 27w screw in 6500k bulb for 12 bucks including built in ballast. you can get those here: http://www.efi.org/products/lighting/cflsprin.html that is the setup i have over my 2 gallon and it is alot of light and looks nice too.

[Dave ESPI]

www.championlighting.com look fer 27 watt Quad 9 watt 03 actinic retro kit. It will fit perfect with some minor sheetmetal bending of the reflector hood. I have one on my 2.5 gal and it works great... its so bright it even washed the color out of the camera. about 65.00 but a great unit.

[invert]

Im not allowed to buy on line but if anyone knows where I can get pc's from in england by mail order or a shop in berkshire then I would definetly go for pc's.

[Nishant3789]

o ok your in enlgand why didnt you say so???? in that case go for some T5s whatver the smallest lamps are. i dont think you will want a MH over it. ask sahin, he should be able to help you out. what part of eng;and are you from? i was born there but i moved to the US later.

nishant

[anthony812]

go all the way..use a 70W MH pendant..hahahaha