Thanks Ben! I keep the chaeto lit 24/7 just to prevent ph spikes and to keep my temperature constant. I do not plan on upgrading the lights because even one bulb is enough light that the chaeto reqularily outgrows the media compartment and has to be pruned. I am trying to replace the burned out bulb but it is proving to be a bit of a pain. I bought some 5w 12v halogen bulbs off of ebay that look exactly like the ones I am using. The problem is, the one I tried yesterday wouldn't fire. The original bulb works fine in either fixture but the replacement works in neither. Your tank is looking great Ben. I wouldn't worry about going to halide unless you really wanted to. The canopy makes it all look neat and tidy and the color from your pc is amazing. The only real benfit I could see would be the shimmer effect. Cheers.
Does any one else know why the new bulb might not be working? Is there another quality besides wattage and voltage that would affect whether or not a light bulb works? They are both halogen lights, look identical, and the filiment on the new one looks intact. I will try another one of the new bulbs today but any input that people have would be appreciated! Thanks,
- Chad