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:D

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I've often used DaleD's absolutely stunning 90gal lps/softie tank as an example of what is possible with lower than the commonly excepted lighting qualifications. Dale lit the 90 with a single 175W 10000K Aqualine Bushe(Bushke?) and (I think) one 40W actinic. This tank was stunning (I've never seen a better looking tank). He had the bulb for at least 18 months or 3x's older than is generally excepted. Point? Don't have one [img]tongue.gif[/img] , back to the fence I go.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You just get back on that fence right now [img]tongue.gif[/img]

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Good thing it ain't barb-wire!

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Perhaps the people advocating old bulbs and lower kelvin bulbs could post pics of their tanks. Then people advocating newer bulbs and higher kelvin bulbs post their tanks. This way we'll let the pics do the talking. I myself like the newer high k bulbs and as long as I want the best for my corals, I will always replace bulbs at or before a years time. The reason I like the higher k bulbs and keeping my bulbs new are for one reason only... Visually its clear, my corals are healthier. If your keeping less light demanding animals then sure your able to get away with less longer and perhaps do just fine. Those raising high light animals will I'm sure agree with what pocilipora is saying. Again a pictures worth a thousand words. Put those pics were your mouth is everyone.

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[ 04 October 2002, 21:39: Message edited by: pocilipora ]

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Whooaa, nice looking pics. :D

You guys have a very interesting lighting thread going on here. To bad its in the for sale forum. Hard to move though, with the first half being there.

My 2 cents worth. I think as others, running bulbs for extended periods on soft coral tanks is fine. As for acros, we shall see soon. My pink birdsnest had no love for old bulbs.

I ran my 250 watt Iwasaki on my soft coral tank for over two years. As for comments on low colour bulbs, I have tried the 175 watt 43K halide, purchased at the local lighting store.

Ugly yellow, excellent for refugiums, butt ugly on reef tanks, even with actinic, but corals grow fine under them. Many corals have drab colour though. And BEWARE, the algae. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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We could probably handle the pics being a bit smaller :D

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I would never dream of trying to keep SPS or clams under old bulbs. And if you read my post carefully, I said that particularly with higher Kelvin bulbs, an increased replacement schedule is called for. When I was playing with 14000Ks/12000Ks I found they were useless after 6 months.

I don't know why my carpet doesn't seem to care about an older bulb. But, it doesn't. I base my assessment on a number of factors, not the least of which are colour and growth. I'm sorry I don't mean to sound arrogant, but, in the many years I have been at this, I have learned how to tell how an anemone is doing. (There are many things about a great many things I have still to learn about the hobby as a whole, but anemones, I know what I am seeing when I see it.) As we all should know by now, there are factors in addition to light that are equally as important as lighting (if not pontentially -more so- in some cases) such as water movement, feeding schedule, what to feed, and appropriate substrata for the species and age of anemone.

Unfortunately, I cannot post pictures of my "baby" at this time because 1) I am about 2000 miles away from my tanks and not due back until at least Tuesday :( and 2) I don't have a digital camera anyways so I would have to impose on someone to come over and take pictures for me. :(

...

Very nice pictures, Chris. A little too large, though. For future, can you please try to reduce them to 640x480 if at all possible? They'll fit much nicer into the text based threads then.

...

I should also mention, I would never dream of trying to keep my ritteri under bulbs that were too old, it is far too light-demanding. It all depends on your goals, and your results. Remember, I said, is your bulb working for you? That's the only valid criteria. If it stops working for you after three months, or six months, or six years, is going to depend on a number of different variables, and I generally don't question anyone's own assessment over their setups. If you feel you need to replace your bulbs twice a year, well then, you probably need to replace your bulbs twice a year. I don't question that, and furthermore I don't dare criticize anyone's setup and certainly would never do so if I've never SEEN the whole setup. That would just be rude. If your tank makes you happy then I am sure it is a nice setup. Don't ever tell me that my setup is no good when you haven't seen it. Whether it is, or isn't ... isn't for someone else to decide, unless I ask for their assessment beforehand.

...

Now, how about everyone stop taking their grumpy pills from now on, and chill out. I can't beleive how hostile this board is getting. It's not fun. Smarten up, people. It's a HOBBY, people, it's supposed to be FUN.

[ 04 October 2002, 21:32: Message edited by: delphinus ]

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Best advice I've seen here in a while.