spamreefnew
New member
hi guys, i am thinking about using a combo. of solatubes and 6500k lamps on my new reef for that natural look,and to save money. i mean most corals are found in only a few feet of water under direct sunlight(6500k) RIGHT????
does anybody run 6500k or daylight bulbs?
- Thread starter spamreefnew
- Start date
Ditto about the $$, ditto about over macro. 6500 makes macro grow like weeds, but it doesn't look so well in your main tank. 10000k should give you good noonday sun growth, with good balance of color.
Another thought would be to go 6500 in your display and overpower it with actinics.
spamreefnew
New member
the sola tubes would be my MAIN light source and the supps. would be 6 screw-in type compact florescents,up to 85 watts each(for the long dark winter days). its a softie and lps only tank.
gaspasser1
New member
Use the 6500s in the sump. I think it would be a shame to have a nice tank and light it up like a sump! IMO.
stony_corals
New member
Re: does anybody run 6500k or daylight bulbs?
This is where you are wrong
Most corals found in the hobby are not found in a few feet of water. Most are 60+ feet deep where the spectra is much different than at the surface. It's no problem keeping corals under 6500K bulbs.
This is where you are wrong
Most corals found in the hobby are not found in a few feet of water. Most are 60+ feet deep where the spectra is much different than at the surface. It's no problem keeping corals under 6500K bulbs.Joe Pusdesris
New member
Many people grow coral in greenhouses and the lighting in such a building is of a similar spectrum to what is emitted by 6500k bulbs. I know first hand that xenia grow great under 6500k bulbs, but xenia grow great anywhere.
Joe Pusdesris
New member
madadi, t5 typically emit 93 lumens per watt, where compact fluorescent typically emits about 62 lumins per watt. Compact fluorescents are much cheaper initially, and they do not need special endcaps or a ballast. I do not know about the differences in PAR though. I also really don't know how many coral actually need the high concentration of blue. I know acans love the blue, but that is the only one I can think of.
I am not disagreeing with you, just offering more information. I run very blue t5s on most of my tanks, so they look just like 20k MH.
I am not disagreeing with you, just offering more information. I run very blue t5s on most of my tanks, so they look just like 20k MH.
spamreefnew
New member
i guess t-5 would be an option,,,it just kills me to pay something like $300.00 for a 2-lamp t5 retro system when i know they are manufacturing it for pennies on the dollar. i did a job in a factory where they made fancy indirect florescent lights once. it was costing them about $10 per foot to build the lights ,,,,,they sold for $80 per foot
my plan was to build a sofet over the tank that houses 6 /4" recessed cans and 2/13" solatubes. this would bring the lighting down to 10" over the waters surface. i can buy the 6 cans,lamps,and mirrored trims for about $250. AND it will all be to code and UL listed! so it will be safe. one of my biggest fears is a fishtank light causing a fire that the insurance co. wont cover.
my plan was to build a sofet over the tank that houses 6 /4" recessed cans and 2/13" solatubes. this would bring the lighting down to 10" over the waters surface. i can buy the 6 cans,lamps,and mirrored trims for about $250. AND it will all be to code and UL listed! so it will be safe. one of my biggest fears is a fishtank light causing a fire that the insurance co. wont cover.
cubsFAN
Active member
on my tank i run 6 t5s front to back is
ati blue plus
ge 6500k
ati blue plus
ati pro color
ati blue plus
ati aqua blue special
the 6500k bulb is very yellow, but i think with all the other color i have going it suits the tank nicely. i would use some actinic or blue bulbs or your tank will be very yellow, but i think 6500k bulbs are great for growth of macro and coral.
ati blue plus
ge 6500k
ati blue plus
ati pro color
ati blue plus
ati aqua blue special
the 6500k bulb is very yellow, but i think with all the other color i have going it suits the tank nicely. i would use some actinic or blue bulbs or your tank will be very yellow, but i think 6500k bulbs are great for growth of macro and coral.
cubsFAN
Active member
This is where you are wrong Most corals found in the hobby are not found in a few feet of water. Most are 60+ feet deep where the spectra is much different than at the surface. It's no problem keeping corals under 6500K bulbs.
Could you elaborate on this and maybe give us a source. I was under the impression that corals were collected from a varietiy of depths. i think that the corals in my mixed reef are not all from 60 ft or below. i think some of the sps are from close to the surface. i am also curious to how frequently corals are collected and who does it and how cuz going down 60 ft isnt just whistleing dixie. could you suggest a source where i could learn more about coral collection. Dont mean to get off topic, but since i have never actually been on a reef it is hard to picture.
Could you elaborate on this and maybe give us a source. I was under the impression that corals were collected from a varietiy of depths. i think that the corals in my mixed reef are not all from 60 ft or below. i think some of the sps are from close to the surface. i am also curious to how frequently corals are collected and who does it and how cuz going down 60 ft isnt just whistleing dixie. could you suggest a source where i could learn more about coral collection. Dont mean to get off topic, but since i have never actually been on a reef it is hard to picture.
Joe Pusdesris
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14592755#post14592755 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spamreefnew
i guess t-5 would be an option,,,it just kills me to pay something like $300.00 for a 2-lamp t5 retro system when i know they are manufacturing it for pennies on the dollar. i did a job in a factory where they made fancy indirect florescent lights once. it was costing them about $10 per foot to build the lights ,,,,,they sold for $80 per foot
There is no way it will cost you 300 dollars for two bulbs. I remember my fixture being much, much, cheaper than that. Try pricing each component separately. Type the following in google: Workhorse ballast, water resistant t5 endcaps, parabolic t5 reflector, and giesemann t5 HO.
Henry Bowman
Reefing since '87
I use T5's and use a 6500K lamp in the mix too. I have 6 tubes. One of them is a 6500K. And according to Calfo, Fenner and Sprung, most acros and clams are harvested between 2'-20' . If you will look at the SPS forum, there are deepwater acros, and that's what they are called, are harvested from 40' and below.
If you read through all the lighting info in the equipment forum, the 400W Iwasaki 6500K MH is reported by Dr Joshi as having the greatest par and color closest to the sun, this info may be dated regarding the greatest par but his statement holds true regarding color. The reason they arent used as much in home / personal tanks is the color. Makes the tank look yellow. Most frag companies / farms use 6500K's and supplement them since they cause the corals go grow very quickly. Their color temp is great for the symbiotic algae that grows in the flesh of most light loving corals (soft, hard and otherwise)
My .02 cents fwiw.
If you read through all the lighting info in the equipment forum, the 400W Iwasaki 6500K MH is reported by Dr Joshi as having the greatest par and color closest to the sun, this info may be dated regarding the greatest par but his statement holds true regarding color. The reason they arent used as much in home / personal tanks is the color. Makes the tank look yellow. Most frag companies / farms use 6500K's and supplement them since they cause the corals go grow very quickly. Their color temp is great for the symbiotic algae that grows in the flesh of most light loving corals (soft, hard and otherwise)
My .02 cents fwiw.
Jeff
Premium Member
Solatubes used in Rhode Island will most likely not give you the amount of light you need to consider them the MAIN source of light anyway. Maybe if you were in a sunnier state. Maybe they can be used as suppliments but I really think that T5's and/or halides will yeild better results in creating enough light to make all kinds of corals thrive.
