Lighting Upgrade?

[dileggi]

I currently have the stock lights in my BC. 1 36W 10,000K coralife PC and 1 36W actinic03 PC.

I was thinking of ordering the retro fit kit. It would double my lighting, bringing it to 2 36W 10,000K and 2 36W actinic03.

Does anyone know if this is a waste of time since it's still PC lighting? Or, if it could possibly cause me heating issues?

I've had suggestions to change to MH or T5's, but:

a) I want to keep the hood
b) I believe the MH or t5's would give me a heat issue.

I wanted to get the retro upgrade on the PC's, but I'm not sure if the PC upgrade would enable me to be able to keep anything that I presently cannot keep.

Any help or suggestions that I may not be aware of are greatly appreciated.

I should also note that everything I presently have are doing completely fine under the existing light.

Thanks again!

 

[James11]

Why not switch to T5, the bulbs are better and more efficient.

 

[dileggi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11658625#post11658625 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by James11
Why not switch to T5, the bulbs are better and more efficient.

I don't believe that there's a T5 kit available for the biocube that would allow me to still use the hood.

Secondly, won't I have a heat issue with t5's on a closed tank?

 

[dileggi]

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks again!

 

[dileggi]

Still no one?

 

[bertoni]

I don't know much about that hood. Adding more wattage will produce more heat. Adding a T5 setup would be fine if the wattage is the same, although you'd want to have a reflector per bulb to accomplish anything.

Adding more bulbs might help with some of the more light-demanding animals, and the corals likely will grow more rapidly.

 

[dileggi]

Thanks bertoni. So, it's basically not a complete waste of time if I upgrade and stay with PC's. That's what I was looking for!

The MH & T5's aren't available, to my knowledge as a retro fit to my hood, which I why I believe I can only upgrade the wattage, but not upgrade from PC's to MH or T5's.

Thanks again!

 

[bertoni]

You're welcome! Good luck!

 

[rustybucket145]

How big is that hood? You check these out? I've got some of them on one of my breeder tanks, corals look VERY similar to those grown under halides in the same system. Sure cost ALOT less than my halide and uses a hundred times less electricity.

http://www.petsolutions.com/Nova-T-5-Retrofit-Kits+I42901102+C33.aspx

 

[dileggi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11660960#post11660960 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rustybucket145
How big is that hood? You check these out? I've got some of them on one of my breeder tanks, corals look VERY similar to those grown under halides in the same system. Sure cost ALOT less than my halide and uses a hundred times less electricity.

http://www.petsolutions.com/Nova-T-5-Retrofit-Kits+I42901102+C33.aspx

Hey Rusty...thank you! Maybe this is where I'm getting confused, or completely lost!

My hood is the stock hood of the BioCube29. When I was looking for a lighting upgrade, all I found was something from NanoTuners, which was a retro fit kit for the BC29.

From the link you sent from PetSolutions, is it as simple as just removing my PC light bulb...they're straight pins...and replacing the actual bulb with a T5 bulb?

If so, could a T5 give me a heat problem with a closed system? I'm just not familiar with them.

 

[rustybucket145]

That link is for the entire light strip, ballast and all.

I don't think you can just switch bulbs but don't quote me on that....

I don't think I'd want any hood to be completely closed, you gotta have some ventilation in there. I think just a little puter fan would keep it cool enough.

 

[dileggi]

Gotcha! Thanks again rusty. So, you think it would really be a waste to just upgrade the wattage on the PC's then? Meaning if I can't fit the actual T5's, just stick with my current PC's the way the are?