lighting question

[macawmagic]

i've got an icecap 660 ballast with 4 sets of endcaps but only have 2 vho bulbs

i know i could easily only use the 2 bulbs...but I was wondering...

can i put a normal flaurescent bulb in there or will something bad happen?

aka. have 2 vho's and 2 normal 40 watt flaurescent's

thanks very much,
Keith

 

[rreynell]

Watch the bulb temp on the 40watts.... but yes you can do it..
Just make sure it doesnt end up looking brown...
I read an article quite a while back that talked about doing the
same thing your talking about...

 

[cristhiam]

Yes you can I use 4 40W from HD 6500K and 2 URI actinics, I'm using 2 icecaps 660. the 40W get changed every 6 months. Heat is not any higher than the 110's but I do have 4 computer fans built in the canopy.

 

[cristhiam]

Here is a pic of my old 55 with 3 40W and 1 110W actinic. You can keep a lot of different corals. run for 2 years.

 

[markandkristen]

i run 4 40s on my 660 pushes them to 80 a piece.

 

[macawmagic]

well i finally hooked it all up...works perfectly...can't wait till I can afford the other 2 vho bulbs to make it that much brighter...it made a HUGE diffarence in the lighting of my tank...I can't wait to get some new coral now!
thanks for the help!!!

cristhiam...what are those hard corals in your tank? I thought hard corals needed a lot more light than that...guess not ehy?

 

[Me No Nemo]

You can do digitata and montipora under VHO...they usually do well. There are several others that do well also...actually some LPS do better under less light. Glad the lights worked out...I know you were anxious to get them going.

 

[cristhiam]

That's a purple tip acropora it was 1" frag, digitata was about the same, birdnest, orange caps a crocea, maxima, derasa and a gigas , everything is in a 125 now with 6 buls, 4 40Ws and 2 110W superactinics going strong most of the corals are over 2 years old.