How important is a full lighting cycle?

digital-audiophile · #1 01-04-2006, 05:54 PM

Here is my dillema. I have narrowed the buying decision of my lighting to two options. One is just a MH pendant, the other is a combo that can do the full dawn/day/dusk/night cycle.

1. Pendant 250W MH HQI w/ 14k Giesmann bulb @ $405.65

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...t_ID=pfo-hp8q2

2. Pendant, 250W MH HQI w/13K Giesmann bulb, PFO Nightlight, 2 x 28W PC Actinic @ $646.95

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...ct_ID=pfo-hp8p

Now.. if you guys had the money burning a hole in your pocket and need to get a light so you could start moving into your new tank.. what would you do?

Greg

christyf5 · #2 01-04-2006, 06:08 PM

Well if I had only $405.65 burning a hole in my pocket, it would be the plain old pendant, but that second one sounds awesome. So if I had no problem with money I'd get the second one

(btw, don't necessarily listen to me, I'm not a lighting guru

).

muck · #3 01-04-2006, 06:16 PM

Whats the tank size? and inhabitants?

digital-audiophile · #4 01-04-2006, 06:32 PM

The new tank is a 37G semi-cube. What I am transferring over from my 10G nano are:

2 Perc. Clowns, 1 Purple Psyduchromis, 1 Peppermint Shrimp, various hermits and snails

Branching Hammer, Frogspawn, Blasto, couple zoas, Xenia, open brain, Trumpeter coral

What I want to start doing are some SPS and clams - not sure what kind yet.. but they will be beginner varieties.

Greg

muck · #5 01-04-2006, 06:38 PM

Well.. personally if money wasn't an issue Id buy the second one.
I really miss the dawn/dusk effect on my tank right now.

Definately a good choice for growing acros and clams IMO.

digital-audiophile · #6 01-04-2006, 06:46 PM

Cool! I think in the end it will be worth the extra couple hundred for the complete set-up. I know if I went with just the pendant I would be trying to slid a little t5 strip or something on the tank at a later date.

I guess this leads me to another question. If using the pendant with the actinic suppliments, should I considering going with a 10k bulb for more intensity since the actinics are there for colour?

Greg