What kinds of coral can I grow with pc lights
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There's some "Lighting Snobs" in this club that will poo-poo CF lighting, but really, they are decent for what they are, and can sustain many different corals.
The important thing is understanding what CF CAN'T do...... No Maxima Clam, very few SPS and even a lot of LPS will live, but not thrive in CF (Bubble Corals, Elegance Coral).
Remember to change out the bulbs regularly, as the Kelvin rating will shift long before the bulb actually blows.
The important thing is understanding what CF CAN'T do...... No Maxima Clam, very few SPS and even a lot of LPS will live, but not thrive in CF (Bubble Corals, Elegance Coral).
Remember to change out the bulbs regularly, as the Kelvin rating will shift long before the bulb actually blows.
I actually had better growth under PC than a 250 metal halide keeping sorties and lps.
Lighting has become one of the cheaper parts of a reef tank nowadays sk just wait it out and upgrade in a year.
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Lighting has become one of the cheaper parts of a reef tank nowadays sk just wait it out and upgrade in a year.
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+1 while compacts are not the best out there they do provide good bang for the buck. While they can keep everything from sps to clams the amount lighting you have on your tank is not enough. I have 4 65w pc's on one of my frag tanks but its only a 20gal L with a depth of I think twelve inches. Go with what db366 and keep some softies and some lps until you upgrade.
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I used to have a coralife pc unit over a 72 bow I have. My thoughts are that I had significantly less growth of all coral. Also, the other thing to keep in mind is bulb cost. You can easily spend $200 replacing four bulbs. At that cost you can almost buy mh. I spent $300 on the 2 150w coralife unit currently over the tank and I think it makes the tank look 10x better. Imo pcs are a waste.
where did you buy your mh from.i am weighing the cost now,looking into led's.but the questions just keep coming in,with very few answers.not sure if at this time any body really has the answer.
my tank is 75 gal rr tank,that is about 20-24 inches deep with 4-65 watt pc bulbs(2 10000k and 2 actnics)and 4-t8(2 10000k and 2 actnics)
my tank is 75 gal rr tank,that is about 20-24 inches deep with 4-65 watt pc bulbs(2 10000k and 2 actnics)and 4-t8(2 10000k and 2 actnics)
http://www.sunlightsupply.com">www.sunlightsupply.com</a> is a decent source for reflectors and ballasts, lamps are kinda eh.
I went from PC's to MH and PC's and for what I spent on the fixture and energy costs over the past 4 years, I could have a couple LARGE top of the line setups with LED lighting.
MH produce a lot of heat, so A/C runs more, you evaporate more and have to make more RO/DI water as a result.
Lamps last about a year with an average cost of $75/per lamp. Add $300-$500 for reflectors and ballasts, fans and lamps for the initial setup you have spent a chunk.
Same money on LED's that last (advertised) 50,000 hours, reduced to little heat, lower energy consumption.. you do the math.
I wish LED's were available when I started out...
Edit: forgot these folks:
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/
http://www.specialty-lights.com/aquarium-lights-reflectors.html
I went from PC's to MH and PC's and for what I spent on the fixture and energy costs over the past 4 years, I could have a couple LARGE top of the line setups with LED lighting.
MH produce a lot of heat, so A/C runs more, you evaporate more and have to make more RO/DI water as a result.
Lamps last about a year with an average cost of $75/per lamp. Add $300-$500 for reflectors and ballasts, fans and lamps for the initial setup you have spent a chunk.
Same money on LED's that last (advertised) 50,000 hours, reduced to little heat, lower energy consumption.. you do the math.
I wish LED's were available when I started out...
Edit: forgot these folks:
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/
http://www.specialty-lights.com/aquarium-lights-reflectors.html
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