Newbie needs advice on lighting a 20L...

[melev]

If you'll look on my Hidden Treasures page, you can review all the pages related to the 29g reef, most especially the Tank Progression page. That one will show you the variety of livestock I kept with PC lighting and B-Ionic. If I were you, I'd go that route. I did have a small fan blowing on my sump, to cool the tank. However, the fixtures you linked will stand off the top of the tank so heat won't be a problem. Do not use the glass top - it traps heat and inhibits oxygen exchange.

 

[Billy1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6720498#post6720498 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
bcoons, here's my opinion. It is a 20g Long, thus quite shallow. PC lights will work just fine, and are good for 12 months. Since you plan to upgrade within a year, why add the extra expense? Almost anything will live fine under PCs. I had 165w (3 x 55w) over my 29g for three years, and my tank did great with SPS, a clam, and a BTA, along with the rest of my corals and fish.

For calcium & alkalinity, I'd recommend you buy a gallon of B-Ionic (2 part solution) to keep up with the needs of your tank. It will maintain Ca, Alk, and pH daily, and a gallon should dose that tank for a year.

The new lights and the B-Ionic will run you roughly $200. Not bad at all.

I do agree with Marc, to some degree. The 20L is shallow, and I'm sure he's right that PC lights will work fine. However, my opinion is if budget allows you, you should go with the halide. It's has a nice 14k color which gives it a little blue-ish glow to it, making it look as if you had actinics. It has 12 lunar lights, with a seperate switch for each, built in which, at night, looks really good beacuse it makes everything glow. If you plan to upgrade within a year, you can always sell it and get back most of the money you spent. What PC light are you looking for anyway?

This is a pic of the small GSP I have taken under the lunar lights:

-Billy

 

[bcoons]

Billy - Thanks for the pic and the further input. The color issue is one that I had been concerned about.

Couple of detailed questions on your MH SunPod.

1. Did you mount it using the legs that came with it and did it fit over the tank with no problems?

2. Do you have any heat issues? If the fan noise is comparable to the BakPak noise, I can live with that. (Boy, the BakPak 2R is another whole story. I was pretty disapointed in it's performance. I had to add a wooden airstone to it to get it to work at all.)

I do like the idea of the two colored separately controlled LEDs.

The PCs I'm looking at are the Coralife and the Current USA models I've linked to up in my original post.

I'm still torn between the two modes. Budget is not a big issue. I'm thinking the PCs will do the job, but I'm leaning toward the MH just because it seems like more/better light. It may boil down to heat and convienience issues.

I'm probably only the bazillionth new reefer that has had to go through this decision.:mixed:

 

[JHipkin]

How about a 70 watt MH combined w/ four T5 bulbs w/ reflectors. Check out the following:

http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotuners/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=223

and

http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotuners/product_info.php?cPath=30&products_id=165

It would be a little pricey at approximately $350, but this combination, w/ a little adjustment, would fit nicely over your tank, not create to much heat, and provide both the shimmer of HM and the efficiency of the T5s. You can also stagger the firing of the lights to create sunrise / sunset scenarios.

 

[Billy1234]

1. Did you mount it using the legs that came with it and did it fit over the tank with no problems?

- Yes, I used the legs it came with, and you just slide the legs in and it fits right on top.

Do you have any heat issues? If the fan noise is comparable to the BakPak noise, I can live with that. (Boy, the BakPak 2R is another whole story. I was pretty disapointed in it's performance. I had to add a wooden airstone to it to get it to work at all.)

- No heat issues.. the glass halide cover sits about 4" above my water level and my temperature stays stable at 81*. I don't even hear the fan over the noise of my skimmer.

In person the sides are more lit up... it doesn't show it too well here as I do not have the best camera. If budget is not an issue.. I would definitely get this halide.

- Billy

 

[bcoons]

JHipkin - Thanks for your input. I'll take a look at those.

Billy - Thanks for the pic. Your tank looks a lot like mine. The light fixture is just a bit bigger than I mentally pictured it, which is probably a good thing. I was wondering about that one MH light covering the whole tank. I think I'm leaning toward the MH. Hope to make a decision tomorrow.

 

[Billy1234]

I wouldn't worry about the coverage.. it does a good job of covering all areas. Going with the halide is a wise choice, IMO.

 

[Naperville Reef]

i have a 20L and use a Sunlight Supply Reef Optix 3 DE 150W HQI with the Blue Wave 3 ballast. i run a phoenix 14k and there is no need for actinic supplementaion. the Reef Optix 3 is a GREAT reflector so i have zero dead spots in my tank.

 

[bcoons]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6724482#post6724482 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Naperville Reef
i have a 20L and use a Sunlight Supply Reef Optix 3 DE 150W HQI with the Blue Wave 3 ballast. i run a phoenix 14k and there is no need for actinic supplementaion. the Reef Optix 3 is a GREAT reflector so i have zero dead spots in my tank.

Thanks. I'm just about convinced! Looks like the MH is the way to go.

BTW, I know your area a little. I have family in Wheaton and Lombard. I've never lived there, but visit now and then.

Regards,
Bruce

 

[Naperville Reef]

i know Wheaton and Lombard very well, i grew up in Glen Ellyn which is between the two. if you are ever visiting and need to know of a few LFS to visit let me know.......

 

[bcoons]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6725797#post6725797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Naperville Reef
i know Wheaton and Lombard very well, i grew up in Glen Ellyn which is between the two. if you are ever visiting and need to know of a few LFS to visit let me know.......

Will do! I'll probably be up there sometime in the next few months. I'd love to check out some of the LFS, and maybe have a cup of java with you and see your tank!

 

[Billy1234]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6725635#post6725635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bcoons
Thanks. I'm just about convinced! Looks like the MH is the way to go.

Good choice, good choice.. )

 

[jeep4x4greg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6725797#post6725797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Naperville Reef
i know Wheaton and Lombard very well, i grew up in Glen Ellyn which is between the two. if you are ever visiting and need to know of a few LFS to visit let me know.......

i grew up in wheaton/glen ellyn/naperville/and aurora....

check out the glen ellyn pet shop on roosevelt rd, just east of Park Blvd.......(unless they moved or changed) they used to have a ton of great salt water tanks in thier fish room!

 

[Billy1234]

Make sure you post some pics of the tank when you get the light, and let me know how you like it..

 

[bcoons]

To Billy and all the others who helped me on this thread - I received my Current USA SunPod 150W MH w/ LED fixture. I like it! Here's some pics of it on my 20L tank.

Yeah, I know I have a lot of crap in the tank, but I don't have a sump yet. I'm workin' on it!

Now to get my calcium levels up and I'll be ready for some corals.

Thanks to all for the help! :beer:

 

[jasutton]

nice, i am thnking about getting that light...it comes with timers right??

 

[bcoons]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6826242#post6826242 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jasutton
nice, i am thnking about getting that light...it comes with timers right??

Yes, it comes with a timer for the MH light, but I'm not using it. I am controlling the light with a ReefKeeper controller. I have a ReefKeeper II due in shortly that will allow me to control the MH and the LEDs time.

The timer that comes with the SunPod is a nice heavy duty 3 wire unit. I'm sure I'll use it for something else.

 

[Dudester]

Tank's looking good, man. I'm pretty sure you can use your current ReefKeeper to control everything for your system. You can change each input as you see fit for different lights, heaters, etc. The only thing you can't do with version I is control the pH. By the way, what will become of your 'not yet old' ReefKeeper when the ReefKeeper II comes along?

 

[bcoons]

Welcome back, Mike.

Yes the RK I will control everything, but there are some limitations. Like if I have the 'fuge light on at night it won't go into the "night mode" and a few other little things. The LEDs on the fixture use separate wall warts for the power, and they won't fit in the RK I outlet strip without a short extension cord, which I don't like.

The new RK II, in addition to the pH control, will allow for night lights and still have a night mode for the powerheads. It will also shut off the MH light when the temp hits a high temp set point. I like that as the last two days have been warm and even though I turned the house AC back on, the tank heated up to 83F in the late afternoon and I had to manually turm off the 150W MH.

My RK II will hopefully be here next week. The power strip layout is different and allows for a couple of wall warts, so I will be able to control all I want with it. I'll still need a couple of outlets off another power strip for the ATO system and a few other things.

I think I'll use my RK I on my 55 gal FW tank for lights and pumps, heaters, etc.

On a downer note, my Royal Gramma died on Tuesday for the old NO Apparent Reason (NAR) syndrome. I'm not having much luck with Royal Grammas. This was the third one. They're supposed to be relatively hardy fish, but this one lasted the longest in my tank at five weeks. I don't have a clue what did it in, the Clown and the Green Chromis (which has been in the tank from day one) showed no distress. The Royal gramma just stopped eating and hid out in the rocks until it died. I hate it when that happens.

See you on the other threads.

Bruce

 

[Clownfish11790]

On your hood, you have a black strip which holds the two pieces of glass together, if you get coral with that black strip still on, the corals located under the coral will not get enough light. This happened to me and the coral almost died.

So I'll I did was I separated the two pieces with my hands. The black strip will just come right off. The con is that there is a little gap and it doesnt cover the tank completely, but in the long run its a better thing to do.