absolutely nothing to do with reef... decorating tip needed.

[davidandliz]

for some reason no matter how many lights i have in my living room it still looks dark... does anyone know the optimal placing of lights and/or wattage?

when i turn off my tanks it looks like a dungeon in here.

 

[icy1155]

Hah... you mean you use lights other than your tank? My tank is set to go off at midnight so that I know its time to go to bed Other than that I dont use any lights at all in here most of the time so I cant be much help

 

[cdangel0]

Depending on the size of the room, I like a nice 3 way bulb in at least 3 corners. This way you can alter the lighting to emphasize one area over another, or illuminate the whole room equally.

Halogen floor lamps with dimmer switches are certainly an option, but I have yet to find any that don't look like they belong in a dorm room.


Of course, you could always just add a few more aquariums and run them on alteernate light schedules.

 

[a1amap]

I like hot hats. In my living room even with the lights on the 3 corners there seems to be dark spots. The Hot hat give that something extra that fills the voids between the floor/table lamps. I also have mine on a dimmer so they don't always have to be on full.

 

[kaptken]

Well, when you are talking lighting, think tank science. The color of the light makes a big difference. If you use regular incandescent bulbs, they are dimm,, yell-ooww. Not good for vision. Try spiral PCs in the 5000K to 5500K color temp range. the 6500K they sell at HD and places are just a bit too blue, and stark. but 5500s are more comfortable to the eye and a bit brighter. Thats what I use.

Oh, you might buy new lamp shades, too. They get dirty brown after while. Or, turn out all the lights and just watch the Lava Lamp go... Ga-loop!!

 

[a1amap]

I don't care for the CF as a light fixture. They flicker a bit and they take time to get up to full brightness

Hey Ken At the hospital they had Cf lights that were dimable, are they availabe to the rest of us or do they require a special dimmer?

 

[Gordonious]

I agree with Craig, need more tanks. Could run some so that they are on all night and off all day, so you always have some on. :-D
Other then that I wouldn't know. The master bedroom in our apartment aka "the fish room" is really dark once the computer turns the lights off.

 

[kaptken]

they might take 30 seconds to reach full light. but if its a livingroom light that will be on for the next 5 hours.... so?
heres a place for home lights, ballasts, and stuff. including dimmable CFs. I have CFs all over the house.
http://www.1000bulbs.com/Screw-In-Compact-Fluorescents/
even outside for the motion detector spot light. but i use one 45 halogen to go on fast, and one CF parabolic for longer periods.
they are better light for your eyes and color representation.

 

[a1amap]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12039036#post12039036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaptken
they might take 30 seconds to reach full light. but if its a livingroom light that will be on for the next 5 hours.... so?
heres a place for home lights, ballasts, and stuff. including dimmable CFs. I have CFs all over the house.
http://www.1000bulbs.com/Screw-In-Compact-Fluorescents/
even outside for the motion detector spot light. but i use one 45 halogen to go on fast, and one CF parabolic for longer periods.
they are better light for your eyes and color representation.

Some of their bulbs are described as "Litetronics Microbrite Reflector Cold Cathode Fluorescent" Is that just a variation of the Cf? The only Cold Cathode I know of are the computer lights.

 

[cdangel0]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12038969#post12038969 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gordonious
once the computer turns the lights off.

Geez..you can get Steph to top off the aquarium but she won't get out of bed to turn the lights off?

Must be a female thing, Lynn won't either. :mad2:

 

[davidandliz]

thanks alot guys.... im surprised no "ladies of the house" responded to this question