Lighting Question

[Patriot54]

I was at a store and was looking at different lights. On the package it says, "looks like 60 watts" but it is only a 13 watt light blub. Which one do I go by if I want to use these over my tank to house coral?

 

[noboddi]

To start, you need to know what corals you want in your tank. Different species have different lighting needs. Then you need to choose the right system for those corals.

What you describe sounds like a household PC (compact fluorescent) light. That technology works for only the least demanding of corals, and you would need a larger bulb than that light even a refugium.

Choose the corals, then pick a fixture designed for the hobby.

There are plenty of light chopi

 

[Patriot54]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14958658#post14958658 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by noboddi
To start, you need to know what corals you want in your tank. Different species have different lighting needs. Then you need to choose the right system for those corals.

What you describe sounds like a household PC (compact fluorescent) light. That technology works for only the least demanding of corals, and you would need a larger bulb than that light even a refugium.

Choose the corals, then pick a fixture designed for the hobby.

There are plenty of light chopi

It was actually at T5. I'm just not sure what number to go by, the 13 watt or 60 watt that they have on the same package.

 

[Imzadi]

Neither really...

Not all T5 is created equal. Noboddi is dead on. Decide WHAT you want to keep, then decide the lighting. 13 watt T5 Sounds like an 18" single? The depth of the tank makes a difference too, for the ability for the light to penitrate to the bottom where you need it...

And that is the end of my ability to be helpful... One thing, though... Lighting of a tank has the most options and even more opinions over anything else in this hobby. 20 different 50 gallon tanks, will have 20 different ideas as to what is needed... and they are all probably right... for their needs. The thing with lighting is... if its wrong, you wont need it much longer, cuz the things you want feed the light to, wont be around long.

Read lots... and ask often. Dont jump in too fast. Good luck.