Halogen Light question(s)!

[herpencounter]

I want to get one (or two what ever works) halogen light fixture but they are expensive and so are the bulbs $50 for a bulb give me a brake. :roll: :|
Well here is my question a Halogen lamps from Lowes they range 10 to $30 and the bulbs 5 to $10 (I would think they are in the 10000k range) and are 150 watts (for the small kind).



OK! So tell me why this wont work
What’s your opinions....
Thanks much :!:

 

[Brian5000]

Lighting in the fish tank world seems to be a lot like lighting in the medical world. At my work we have the same thing as far as needing lights with specific wavelength outputs at specific intensities. Narrower the output spectrums require more refined materials and cost a lot more.

A cheaper bulb may produce the same wavelength peak, but it's overall spectrum will be much wider and the intensity of the peak wavelengths will be a little less. That's ok for Lowes lighting, it's only designed to light rooms. They may be ok for aquariums, but I don't know. As I've been reading about wavelength requirements for cyanobacteria n' such, you might end up with not enough light for corals and plenty of light for some other things.

Bottom line, research it well before you attempt it.
_________________
Honda L700

 

[herpencounter]

Bump!

Len and/or Sanjay can you please post in this thread (I have noticed you guys are good with lighting) .

 

[Anonymous]

(I would think they are in the 10000k range)

Why on gods earth would you think that? Most all are 2900k.

 

[Anonymous]

halogen is a incandescent bulb, very low in kelvin temperature.

Metal halide (MH) is a discharge bulb, very different technology here.

 

[reefman225gal]

agreed^ herp if they were the same i sure would not of spent the the bread i did to light my tank :wink:

 

[herpencounter]

Wo... sorry only reason I said that is because of how white they are :? .

 

[ChrisRD]

The halogen lamp won't be nearly as efficient as halide (ie. they produce a lot of heat and use lots of power for the amount of light you get). Not good for our application.

 

[Anonymous]

Wo... sorry only reason I said that is because of how white they are :? .

No need to feel sorry. I think many of us thought the same thing at one point or another.

 

[herpencounter]

Yeah I found some sites and I think I’m just going to go with a third compact florescent so that’s 195 watts for a 29 gall (that’s not bad :wink: ).
Each bulb has 2 bulbs that add up to 65 watts so that would be 3 10000k and 3 420 or 460nm actinic (idk what one to get).
What would you rate this light (Moderate, Moderate-High, High etc.)?

Also corals like Tube Corals they have low light needs but putting it on the bottom I don’t think would work (compact florescent don’t lose there intensity till about 16in of water mine is 18 in :? )?

Is it better to have to much light on a coral then not enough?
I know they have something in them that protects them from the light, (if there is to much not enough it changes there color or something like that) do I really have to worry about to much light on a coral?

I should start another thread but I figured I would put this in while I’m here .

 

[Anonymous]

Too much light leads to a shutdown in photosynthesis. Kind of like plants that need to be placed in the shade, ie hostas. The tube coral needs to be target fed (if we are using the same common name), please use the scientific name so we can be sure. It is best to have enough light for teh coral to grow. IMO, they all need to be fed.

 

[herpencounter]

"(Tubastrea aurea)"
All the corals that I have picked out that I like (good beginer corals) are all moderate light but would like to have the light for sps, clams and any other light loving animal .

So if I was going to get Tubastrea aurea (other low light animals) how would I "shade" it from the light.

I am going to target feed all or almost all my corals. :wink: