Will this work

[DukeB]

HI,
I am so releived to find a place like this!
I am in the early stages of planning a small 20 gallon reef setup. I thought I had every base covered until I discovered **lighting**.
My local LFS sold me two of those 50/50 10 watt compact flourescent bulbs (10,000k) and a hood, with the proper incandescent light fixtures. The hood that came with the 20 gallon tank has a standard (single) 15 watt flourescent tube. I was instructed to modify one of the hoods to hold both the incandescent light fixture and the flourescent light fixture. (Confused yet?)
My question is, will this lighting be enough? Or, is there a better/cheaper method?
Thanks in advance,
Duke

This has been moved to the general reef forum

[StirCrazy]

it all depends on what you want to keep in there..

Steve

[kris]

a good way for people here to start helping you is to discribe what you want to keep. As well as how your planing to keep it, ie set-up and feeding.


cheers

[horsehunter]

My first thought was to tell you to get a 24inch fixture with 2 65w power compacts Coralife or custom Sea Life you could get Metal Halide or get as involved as you like, and to find another LFS.

My second thought was to keep my big mouth shut.

My third thought was what the hell To me what the LFS gave you is expensive Mickey Mouse.

[DukeB]

This should have been in the newbies section I guess-- My apologies.
Like I said, I'm still in the planning stages, picking up the odd peice here and there. My plan is to have a humble reef tank with a clown (or two?) a cleanup crew, and some soft corals ( which from what I understand are easier to keep??). I plan on using live rock, a DSB and power heads for filtration.
I stumbled onto the lighting aspects of setting up the tank. When I was shown these two little compact flourescents, I started questioning whether or not I had reliable information given to me. After seeing a reef tank setup with these, I thought cool --save some cash. When I got home with these things I found myself thinking-- how can something half the cost work as good?
In any event, if that lighting isn't up to snuff, would anyone care to offer a shopping list of what I should be after?
Again, thank-you for your time and patience.

[StirCrazy]

if you want to keep soft corals.. what you have is probably fine.

It wouldent hurt to throw in a couple more powerfull PC like 23 watt or 55 watts if you can fit them in there.

Steve

[pocilipora]

He just told you what he wants to keep.

[kari]

That's where the bucks go. I wonder how rich those light bulb/fixture maker guys are by now.

DIY lighting stuff can save you a bunch of cash but if you go that route be careful not to burn down the house. Most of my lighting is DIY but it does make me wonder. Modifying fixtures can also be a risk. How would the fire inspector comment if things went wrong.

[Beverly]

Hi Duke,

I'm in Edmonton, too, and was recently light shopping for my new 72 gal bowfront that will eventually house captive bred tropical seahorses, lr and macroalgae for the horses to hitch onto.

Found a nice Oceanic light fixture with two 55 pc tubes for the 4' tank at Super Pet in Mayfield Common, suitable to grow softies if I wanted, which I don't plan on. They also have 2' fixtures which might suit you well. The same 4' fixture was $70 off at PJ's south side store. Don't know if their 2' fixtures are on sale, but you might want to check it out.

HTH.

[DukeB]

Thanks for the info all. I appreciate the help.
Beverly,
Thanks. I'm going to go down and check it out.