Lighting options???

[squirt_12]

So I have been looking places to find a light for my SW tank but I can't find one yet.
This (http://www.smarthome.com/images/11835side1big.jpg) is the kind of socket that I have in the hood of my tank to fit a bulb in.
What are some common bulbs that I can use to put in there that could accompany coral with. I will only need a bulb from 10-18w. Probably only PC. Options??
If you want a picture of what the hood looks like to accompany the bulb I can get a picture.

Thanks.

[TowBoater]

I would personally order a light for the tank. What is the tank size and what type of corals do you want to keep?

[squirt_12]

I would personally order a light for the tank. What is the tank size and what type of corals do you want to keep?
The tank is 11" x 6.5" x 11" (L x W x H) making it a 3.4g tank. I know that it is a little small for someone who has never kept a SW tank before but it has been going good so far.
I am thinking maybe some zooanthinds and mushrooms, and maybe something else small and that can stay in a pico tank.

[TowBoater]

You don't need but 3-4 WPG in that tank. IDK what to tell you though, I hope the tank goes good but with it being your first I figure you will have a crash.

[gem]

http://www.petco.com/product/11440/Coralife-Mini-Compact-Fluorescent-50-or-50-Bulb.aspx
Squirt, this one is the one I used in my pico originally. It's like $12 and I changed mine once every 6 months.

Mr. Prototype....a 2.5 gal pico tank was what I started with. It's not a death sentance if you stay on top of it. It requires testing a couple times a week and daily top offs. Weekly good sized water changes should be done once a week religiously. Mine was very healthy and succesful and was up well over a year. The only reason I took it down was that I set up a larger tank. Oddly though.....mine is back up.

[squirt_12]

Gem, I have looked everywhere for that light and can't find it. I am not allowed to order things off the internet (parents)...so I need something else that I can use. All I would need is just a standard Compact Fluorescent, it doesn't have to be 50/50 does it?

[gem]

Do you have a petco near you? They usually carry it. And if they don't, they can order it for you if you ask them. For that matter, most lfs will. And yes, you do want the actinics.

[squirt_12]

Do you have a petco near you? They usually carry it. And if they don't, they can order it for you if you ask them. For that matter, most lfs will. And yes, you do want the actinics.
No I don't have a petco near me. I have a Petsmart and they used to carry the bulb but when I went to get one they were all out and then I came to know that they don't carry them anymore which really sucks. I will talk to my other LFS and see if they can order in something like that for me.

Just a questions....what does the actinics actually do?

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Just a questions....what does the actinics actually do?
Makes the tank look blue. Not much else really.

[squirt_12]

Makes the tank look blue. Not much else really.
Oh ok. Well I know this might sound dumb...but I typed in compact fluorescent bulbs into google and this (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/01/03/2003507701.jpg) came up. Now it wouldn't work would it?? It wouldn't have the correct light spectrum? Just a thought....

EDIT - or something like this (http://ablamp.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/cfl_all2.jpg)

[cocoa_pleco]

actinics help photosynthetic corals feed, actinics are usually needed on tanks 10g+, because smaller tanks arent shallow

[squirt_12]

actinics help photosynthetic corals feed, actinics are usually needed on tanks 10g+, because smaller tanks arent shallow
oh ok...

So is there a light that I can fit?? Other than the one already suggested?

[unleashed]

actually, actinics are designed to more be aesthetically pleasing for viewers of our aquariums. While 6700K bulbs are suitable for photosynthetic organisms, they are not conducive to making bright colours. For example, a coral which looks pink under "normal" lighting (being the usual 10K plus) will look brown under 6700K. 6700K will make your tank look extremely dirty, however, it is actually better for your photosynthetic organisms than 10K+ lighting.

[coachfraley]

Target sells a 6500k bulb in 15 watt and 10 watt that would work in that fixture. The problem with the bulb (like Unleashed stated), is that it will make your tank look very brown. I use a 6500k bulb in my fuge, and I have GSP and some button polyps growing in there. GSP is normally very pretty, but it just looks brown under the light.

Here is a pic. of the bulb packaging. IMO, this is THE BEST fuge bulb around. 15watts of 6500k for $5.

http://www.cshm.org/images/fraley/bulb.jpg

[squirt_12]

Thanks coach! So, that light would help support coral but the coral wouldn't give off as a good look/colour as it would with actinics in the tank??

[cocoa_pleco]

i was wondering if daylight PC's would work on a reef too, when i had my 5g, and on another forum a guy asked the exact same thing and everyone replied even though theres good wattage, you could only keep mushroom corals. i would try to get the actinics

[NickFish]

I would personally never set up a reef tank with anything under 10000K or a little actinic. It isn't completely mandatory, far from it, but it is beneficial and doesn't really cost much more depending on the hood you have.

The actinics do help out the corals. It is true that 6700K light is the best for photosynthetic corals, however the corals we keep are usually at a depth and therefore the 6700K light from the sun is modified by the water to be more blue, around 12000K plus some actinic respectively depending on the area, however many argue that exact accuracy of that point and the exact relative rating of the actinic can not be fully determined. If you go scuba diving in a lake and then in the reefs you'll notice a difference at how much more blue the reef water is.

Corals have adapted to this but of blue lighting, and as a result usually grow faster, and have much more color in partial actinic than if they were in daylight.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Corals have adapted to this but of blue lighting, and as a result usually grow faster,
No offense Nick, but this is pure conjecture and not accurate conjecture either. The simple fact is that algae is a photosynthetic organism and photosynthesis occurs best at 6700K. The light is not "altered" to be blue, the blue spectrum just happens to be the wavelengths that penetrates deeper than any other. There was a theory floating around for a while that said that if you wanted faster growth and a less blue look you would go with 10000K lighting and if you wanted slower growth but more brilliant colors you would go with 20000K lighting. There is a bit of truth to that. The SPS corals and many of the Triconda clams are found in very shallow water where all colors of the spectrum penetrate, they naturally grow in natural daylight. Head to parts of Indonesia and you will find reefs that have their crests out of the water on the spring tides, those reefs are growing and flourish in natural daylight. Unleashed is dead on, actintics do nothing but make the colors pop, they don't really have any beneficial value other than their asthetics.

[unleashed]

I actually know several importers here in NZ. Most of whom with place ALL corals and clams under 6700K lighting while they are in government quarantine for three weeks. This helps ensure the health of the organisms by effectively turbocharging photosynthesis and also helps with growth.

When I was diving in Thailand, many of the SPS and clams were in very shallow water, with only a few SPS (mainly staghorns) in deep water (very blue @ 10m+)

[EDIT] Also, if you have every been diving on a reef, you will notice how very few corals have brilliant colours to them. This is because of the "white" light they are receiving. There is a zone of about 1-2 metres thick where some colours do occur. I personally believe that the natural light has an "actinic" effect on these corals

[NickFish]

The light is not "altered" to be blue, the blue spectrum just happens to be the wavelengths that penetrates deeper than any other.

I would call that alteration. The light that "penetrates" into the area where the corals thrive is a different color than the surface. Don't you think replicating the coral's natural environment is the best thing to do?

I'm not saying that there isn't truth in what you are saying, just that in my opinion it is best to give the kind of light that the corals would recieve in their natural environment, rather than a cheap fluorescent bulb from Target. I am also not saying that all your corals would suddenly explode if they were in lower K lighting. It can work, but I think there are better options.

I have also noticed that there is more algae in the lower kelvin ratings.

[cocoa_pleco]

I have also noticed that there is more algae in the lower kelvin ratings.

thats true, apparently coraline needs 6500k

[squirt_12]

HHmmm....well I guess I should get a 50/50 bulb with all of this talk.....

[coachfraley]

If you can afford it, you really should try to get a fixture designed for SW use. The tank just looks SOOOOOO much better under nice lighting. Those screw-in 50/50 bulbs just don't put out very much light. I used one of the 10watt 50/50 bulbs over my 2.5g pico, and it wasn't even enough light for that application. Half the tank looked like it was in a shadow.

There are some reasonable fixtures out there, you just have to look for them.

[kaybee]

...actintics do nothing but make the colors pop, they don't really have any beneficial value other than their asthetics.

Not entirely accurate.

Factors which haven't been taken into consideration are photosyntheticially available radiation (PAR) and the fact that light within the wavelengths between (approx) 420-500nm is ideal for zooxanthellae photosynthesis.

While other types of bulbs (6500K, 6700K, 10000K, etc) emit light covering a wide range of spectrums, which includes light within the wavelengths of 420-500nm, actinic lighting is dedicated to emitting light in the ideal wavelength band optimal for photosynthesis.

Additionally, actinics, while emitting less PAR than other types of bulbs, are emitting PAR. The beneficial values of actinics can't be dismissed as being purely asthetics.

With that said, since tank depth in most aquariums isn't that deep (deep meaning tens of feet), the 'depth piercing' properties of actinic lighting doesn't really come into play (which means actinic lighting is not 'required' per se since other bulbs, as previously mentioned, are also emitting light in optimal photosynthesis wavelengths (~420-500nm). Because of this actinics are probably best considered supplemental lighting rather than for asethetics purposes only.

[squirt_12]

Alright then, what are some options of lighting that I can use on my tank? Doesn't have to be a bulb, just options.
Once again the dimensions are: 11" x 6.5" x 11" (L x W x H)

[coachfraley]

The coralife mini aqualite is probably your best bet at 9".

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~ES53120~idCatego ry~FILTFIPCNI~category~Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies-Lighting-Fixtures-Power_Compact-9in_Units~vendor~.html

Those lights do not have legs, so you will have to figure out how to mount it above your tank.

[kaybee]

Great choice there, coach. :thumb:

[squirt_12]

The coralife mini aqualite is probably your best bet at 9".

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~ES53120~idCatego ry~FILTFIPCNI~category~Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies-Lighting-Fixtures-Power_Compact-9in_Units~vendor~.html

Those lights do not have legs, so you will have to figure out how to mount it above your tank.
Wow, that is a very nice light. Thanks for the link!

[squirt_12]

First of all, sorry about the double post.

The fixture that coach recommended, the actinic and 10,000K lamp each produce 9w each right?? What does it mean with the actinic producing 9w??

EDIT - How exactly do you say actinic??

[kaybee]

I'm not sure if I understand the "what does it mean with the actinic producing 9w?" question, but basically a watt is a measurement of energy.

Both the 10000K and actinic bulb emit 9watts of energy (though different types of light, light intensity, & PAR, etc).

'ack-tin-nick' is how I pronounce actinic.

[squirt_12]

I'm not sure if I understand the "what does it mean with the actinic producing 9w?" question, but basically a watt is a measurement of energy.

Both the 10000K and actinic bulb emit 9watts of energy (though different types of light, light intensity, & PAR, etc).

'ack-tin-nick' is how I pronounce actinic.
Well, like I know what it means by producing 9w of energy...but like it doesn't work the same as the lamp does it?? I am just confused about the whole actinic thing still. Sorry.

Ok thanks, I have always wondered how to pronounce it.

[cocoa_pleco]

bit of a price tag, but a good light

http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp17952/si1315972/cl0/coralifeaqualightdoublelinearstrippowercompact12

[coachfraley]

The actinic bulb is just like any other bulb...it just emits a different spectrum of light. Actinic is usually either 420 or 460 nm and it is either blue or purplish.

[squirt_12]

The actinic bulb is just like any other bulb...it just emits a different spectrum of light. Actinic is usually either 420 or 460 nm and it is either blue or purplish.
Ok, thanks. I understand more now.

Cocoa, that light is really nice but it is a small tank and that is alot of wpg for such a small tank. lol. Thanks for the suggestion!

EDIT - I was at Home Depot today so I grabbed a 2-pack of those lights that coach suggested and I have one on the tank now. It is a 13w with 6500k. IMO it will work until I get a light with actinics on it.