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light for a ten gallon


D.D.

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Can anyone recommend a decent light for a regular ten gallon tank? I'm just going to rest it on top of the tank and run it open top. I need one that I can keep some stuff like green star polyps and beginner corals. It should be at least 36 watts, correct. Does it have to have the actinic bulb also? Thanks for all the great help. My 11 gallon has been up for 25 days. I have two ocellaris clowns(eating well now thanks to great advice on this website) three blue leg crabs and one Astrae snail. I lost one snail and two crabs so far but the water tests are all good once a week and I'm just siphoning off 1 gallon every Sunday and topping off on Wednesday and Friday with ro wayer from my LFS.

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hey D.D.

 

Well there is all kinds of good lights... I think you stand the best chance for good advice and recommendations if you give us an idea what kind of moola you can drop on lighting. You can retro fit a standard NO striplight with a combo bulb fer like 50 bucks or you can drop 4 or 500 bucks on a fan cooled hood with a hqi MH bulb, pc actinics and moonbeams... see what I mean? ;)

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What corals do you call beginner corals? My own lighting example: I have a 12 gallon with 32W 50/50. I have shrooms, buttons, porites, xenia, organ pipe, and gorgonia... See if this helps you out... You can CERTAINLY go above the lighting stated here: web page

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A lot of people use 2x32watt pcs, it leaves a lot of options for coral choice. But it all depends on what you want to keep(Be realistic, you know you want more than shrooms). And as Glazer mentioned, it depends on the coin your willing to spend. ;)

As far as blue lights, it once again depends on waht you want to keep, is it deep water or shallow water. But in general I would recommend at least a 50/50 bulb in the mix, if not an o3 actinic.;)

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IMO, from doing searches on n-r.com, more wattage/bulb the better. You can always add spacers on a hood or redo the paneling on a DIY to elevate if it's too intense. Also, you'll probably run cooler without the bulbs up against the tank and be able to seal off the top w/ a glass cover to eliminate evaporation and still provide your stock w/ enough spectrum and intensity to flourish.

 

If I had the bucks, I'd've pumped up my lighting funds and done just that.

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Well having heard differing opinions.... I chose to "split-the-difference"

 

I have a 15 gallon AGA that I am doing a custom hood on ( 2 whisper fans on it to help facilitae heat disipation )

 

I am getting a 2 1x32 kits gonna prob run a 10k and a 50/50

 

If i end up needing more ( which I doubt ) I will have plenty of space to add more...

 

 

I am actually going to put the ballasts in he bottom of the case on the wall ( I have some nice quick disconnects I will be adding )

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