So I was wondering why I just can't buy Power compact lights from lowes. They have 65 watt power compact bulbs. Is there a difference than aquarium grade? Also, they have T5's there in 6,500K. Can I just use those? Has any one done this before (I'm sure someone has tried)? Thanks.
Using Lighting From Lowes
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Yes you can do it but the best you are going to find is 6500K bulbs which is going to make the corals grow like mad (or as well as they can under a PC) but is not going to be very pretty to look at (too yellow for most people) and going to make the corals look pretty bland as well.
Well I was going to add it to my tank that already has a MH 400watt 14K, which is blue by my standards. I just want my corals to start growing a little more. I hear that 6500k will do that. I don't know if I have to much light because I was running 13 watts per gallon, but know it is down to 7 because 13, so I hear is too much and that is why my soft corals were not growing but looked happy.
I have 200w of regular flouresent. 2-10K 2-50/50 and one actenic. would these be better with the actenic for a makeshift until I can afford the T5 setup im working on or should I just keep the flour. I can add these to the canopy I have now but would have to remove a couple of the t12 bulbs.
I actually am Bleeding thought. I just got a great deal on the metal halide and thought that I could move up to hard corals one day and this would give me the option. I've been doing softies for about a year now, but I just can't seem to get the color options that the hard coral people get in the softies. I think I'm about to take the step up, but what am I going to do with all my soft coral now? The tank only 18 inches deep.
Keep the ones you like, and sell the ones you don't. I actually prefer the look of a mixed reef. I have more sps than anything, but I still have a finger leather, an unknown softie, pink xenia, mushrooms, palys & zoas. I am pro-diversity!
No I don't have any LPS yet, but I'm going to work on that. The tank is 36 in. long and 18 inches deep. 58 gallons. Do you think one 400 watt 14k bulb will be enough lighting 12 inches from the water. I do have another 400 watt 10K set-up, but that just seems like I'm going to bleach everything out with that. How much water flow are you using bleeding thought and on what size tank? Are you using rotational flow or....? I'm doing 1000 gallons an hour now, so I turn the tank over about 17 times an hour.
