Light Schedule-Help Please
 

Hey everyone, just wondering if any of you could help me out...

I have a 29 Gallon tank, 30"x12" canopy, with a single flourescent tube. 24" long, 1" Diameter

Right now I will be doing FOWLR, but I want the option of corals too, is there a light that I can use with my current hood?

In there right now is a 20W blue actinic.
What can I do with my current lighting? Is there a tube that works for corals with my hood that is good?

Also, what sort of lighting schedule should I be using? Since I dont have a timer yet. When should I turn the light on and off?
Thanks

-Cam

If you have a standard canopy there are a number of retrofit PC fixtures that will fit in your hood. Try the online dealers such as J&L. There is a link in the sidebar. there is a single 65W PC retrofit available from MOPS.ca that should work nicely in your setup. :biggrin:

Okay, so after checking out a few of those retro kits, it seems as though I'd be better off just buying a new hood.

I really only plan on having a pair of fish in my tank and maybe two corals.

Is the single tube blue actinic enough to keep everything healthy?
Or should I go with a 50/50 tube? Or what is best?

The only reason I am hesitant to getting a new canopy is because I am planning on upgrading next fall/winter. I want this tank to be suitable for the livestock, but I dont want to pour a bunch of money into the tank that will be my sump in 6 months, if I dont have to.

Thanks

Your other option is to hold off on the corals until you do your upgrade. Use this time to research about all the different species and see what you want & can keep.

Or, get some High Output T'5s that you can use with 6400k bulbs for primary lighting now & then switch to 20000k or actinic if its available later, for your blue lighting later on the bigger tank.

Anthony (pm me for some sources for T5s if interested).

Yeah....Yeah... that was my plan too :eek: ...... If only it ended there

You can also get an old style light with the screw in bulbs and run the Philips daylight or the coral life 50/50 style bulbs for now. As for light colour 6500k is the closest to sun light that you can get the blue light just makes thing look better.

Brad

And by old style you mean??? Could you post a link to one if possible?

Thanks

haha...I know, its getting harder and harder to stand by that. I think I have the strength to hold off until I upgrade (I think I do).

I should go out and buy the most expensive fish I can find, then I wont be able to justify getting any fish that might endager it. That might solve me!

Here is what I am talking about.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/dat...00718-med.JPG?

there is a 10w light on one side and a 20w on the other.


*** please note that this light is old and I don’t use this light any more it is just around in the garage as a spare just in case I need it.***

Brad

"sorry I cant get the Img tag to work."

Interesting. Does that actually work and promote growth?

Would it be able to work alongside a 20W 24" actinic T8?

It works just fine, that is what I use on my 20 every now and then when I set it back up. You can use it with another light as long as you have a glass top so that none of the lights will be blocked.

Brad

hmm

Thanks, that was interesting. Could make for a decent component of a DIY canopy.