Protein Skimmer Selection
Awesome site! Thanks for taking the time to answer so many questions. I just set up a 75 gallon tank and would like your advice on 2 things. What high quality (hang on) protein skimmer would you recommend?
<Please see our extensive coverage of the topic on www.WetWebMedia.com.>
I have been looking at a Berlin Turbo, Prism Pro, Remora, Turboflotor, & EuroReef. Which does the best job and what makes it the best?
<When evaluating a good skimmer, the things we look for our performance, ease of cleaning, ease of installation, and ease of adjustment.>
Also, do you recommend a VHO unit with 4 bulbs or (2) sets of 65 watt (total 4 bulbs) PowerCompact Smartlights and why?
<To me, VHO or PC is pretty much a toss up. Equal wattages of either should give similar results.>
I will be doing a fish, invert. & soft coral tank. I've got a 4" bed of live sand and approximately 100 lbs of live rock.
Respectfully, Frank
<Have a nice day! -Steven Pro>

Re: Lighting Question
Anthony, Many thanks for the quick/informative reply.
<my great pleasure>
I have now however, created a new dilemma. It's amazing how addictive this hobby can be, such  is evident by my recent relentless fabrication of a new hood, and lighting system. I just finished it a few hours ago, and it has taken me a better part of a week to complete. However, after looking at it in action, it really didn't look that much different then the way the tank came with one singular 30 watt bulb. Currently I have 2 Coralife 50/50 30 watt florescent bulbs and the 1 30 watt that came with my tank.
<hmmm... please don't gauge life supporting illumination by what your eye sees... we see light different than cnidarians use/need it. What is visible to us is less useful to them. And what does not appear much brighter to you now is still triple what you had before, yes?>
After all of this work, I then found power compact ballasts for $30 (2x55 watt) and PC bulbs for the same price (some were actually cheaper) as my NO fluorescents from the pet store.
<ouch... that hurts <G>>
My question is: Is PC really worth it?
<that depends entirely on the lamp color, its intensity and the needs of the corals and anemones under it. As a rule though, NO lights are extremely weak and limiting to invertebrate culture. Corals and anemones need to be 6-8" under such bulbs from surface and said lights cannot be any higher than 3" off the water. This is not even a subjective opinion... a Lux or PAR meter will make this all VERY clear to you when compared to VHO and Metal Halide respectively>
Is there that much of a visual difference?
<hmmm... visual appeal cannot be your primary purpose if corals and anemones are involved... lamp color (6500-10K) is the goal instead>
Ideally I would like to have surface ripple effects and nice white lite, but I am understanding that these can only be achieved by using metal halide,
<correct... called glitter lines>
which are way too expensive for me.
<hmm... I disagree here for several reasons. A) you are handy and a cap and coil ballast and ceramic socket for MH only costs about$50. Add a bulb for another 50-90 and you have MH. And B) MH light gives more bang for the buck than any other light (again... refer to the PAR meter, bulb life, light quality, etc. With your NO lights, you will need to change them every 6 months while keeping corals and anemones (efficacy of NO lamps is around 70% at six months... but MH is over 90% still at 3 years old!!!)>
Would PC better achieve this? I have a 40 gallon tank, which is only 18" deep. I have live rock and sand, a Condy anemone and 3 damsels. But I want to add more anemones,
<all Condys please... cannot mix anemone species>
some clowns, and maybe (seem kind of pricey) some coral.
<you should never mix any motile anemones with sessile corals>
Will 3 NO fluorescents work,
<if you keep hardy species of either in the top 8" of water>
or should I try and take back everything I have worked my butt of for, and go  for the PC for a little more money? Had I of known PC's weren't much more than NO, I would have opted for them in the beginning, but after putting in all of this work, I really am not excited about starting all over again. Many Thanks--Bob Benson-
<your best bet if you intend to keep corals or anemones is a simple, single 150 watt or 175 watt MH bulb. It will save you money (lamp life, bulb changes, usable light per watt, etc) give you glitter lines and keep healthier cnidarians. Best regards, Anthony>

At a Lighting crossroads, need input
Bob et. al.., Real quick question, I have a 55 reef with several sps (just got a monstrous yellow Acro from Tonga! intent is to propagate), I have a 175 10k halide (bulb year old), 2 110watt VHOs. I have been looking into replacement of the VHO's
with 96w (2-3) pc's, the VHOs are end of life and instead of dumping more money into them I figured now was a time to get out, I was thinking two dark actinics and one 10k, I have had tremendous success with 10k+ temp, not to mention I
would be improving reflectivity as I currently do not have reflectors for the VHO's, what do you think?
<I don't see any significant advantage to PC's over VHO... all fluorescents are only good for about 6-10 months. When halide is an option (lamps last 2-3 years easily), the fluorescents are merely aesthetic. Halide is a much better quality light and is more economical (bang for your buck on PAR produced versus watts consumed). Your call on which fluorescents to buy or simply adding another halide (better). Best regards, Anthony>

Lighting and heat.
Hello,
<Hi, Don here tonight>
     I have a 55 gal tank which IM converting over too a reef tank. I have live rock and sand. I will have a couple of fish and want to add some corals. I have to upgrade the lighting. I want to get either 2x96 watt pc or 4x65 watt pc (will be retrofit). The light will be about 7" to 8" off the surface of water but IM concerned about the heat from the light's. I have no ac in the house and there are a couple of week's in summer that get pretty hot. (can't afford a chiller)! IM I over thinking this? Just put the light's in and see what happens? What lights would you go with? IM thinking lower wattage for heat concerns. Can get both for about the same price. Also can I take 1 bulb out of the 4x65 in summer time. Is that a silly question?
<Never a silly question. Fluorescent light needs to be as close to the surface as possible. 2 or 3" at most. If heat becomes a problem, use a small desk fan to blow across the surface of the tank or sump if you have one. Many choices in lighting, open www.wetwebmedia.com and click on the Marine Aquarium Articles and follow to Lighting info and FAQs. The determining factor is what you want to keep. Good luck, Don>
           Thanks for your help

Light Output of Power Compacts VS NO Fluorescents 4/13/04 
Good Morning WWW Crew.... Happy Easter! Hope the Easter Bunny was good to you!! 
<Indeed he was! Season three of "The Family Guy" on DVD. Much sweeter than any chocolate!> 
I had a question posted on one of the boards I moderate, to date there have been no replies that actually answer the question. I did do a good bit of research, including searching through your articles and FAQs, before bothering you guys with the question but have been unable to find anything that actually provides the information requested. I was hoping one of you could help me out. 
<Hmmm... I will do my best.> 
Their question was..... Why do PC bulbs the same wattage and length of NO fluorescent bulbs have a higher light output? Many of the internet sources & LFS simply state PCs provide much more light for the same # of watts as NO fluorescents do. I cannot find an explanation of how and why this is, just lists of the many advantages of PCs. 
<This is not really true. Watt for Watt, no widely used light source significantly outperforms another. PC, VHO and T-5 pack more wattage into the same or smaller package, so the look brighter, and can produce more intense lighting over the same space, but watt for watt they produce very close to the same quantity of light. More intense light in a smaller area does penetrate better through water, but at the expense of even distribution. Another way to look at it is in terms of the energy efficiency. All light sources turn some of the electricity into heat and some into light. A regular incandescent light bulb converts less than 10% of it's wattage to light, with the rest going to heat. All florescent technologies convert about 30% of their wattage to light, and Metal halide can convert up to about 60% of it's wattage to light. 
FWIW, I am not a big PC fan. The lamps are expensive to replace and the fact that their are several standard bases makes choosing the correct lamp quite confounding. Also, because the lamps are always "folded over", a large amount of the light is lost by simply shining onto the adjacent part of the tube.> 
Would one of you be able to enlighten :) me, so I can pass the info on to other inquiring minds. 
<Hey! We don't appreciate bad puns around here. That comment wasn't very BRIGHT of you.... Oh never mind.> 
Thanks so much as always, Leslie 
<Glad to. I hope I helped clarify this muddy issue. Adam>

T-5's... yes - seeing the light 4/28/04
Hey guys,
<Hiya>
I currently run power compacts on my 100 gal tank. My question is are the t-5 light setups worth the money for my reef?
<they are a much better quality and value IMO... yes>
Lighting now is 260 watts the t-5 I want are 440. Erik Lobe
<yes... likely to make a tremendous difference. Even with the 440 watts of t-5, you are just beginning to approach the average light needed for most inverts (4-5 watts per gallon). Your 260 watts at present is modest/too low for most corals. Anthony>

- VHO vs. PC Lighting -
Hello knowledgeable person answering questions today,
<Hello, not so sure about the knowledgeable part, but I'll do my best.>
I have a lighting question pertaining to the setup of a new 55-gallon marine tank.  The tank will start off as a LR only tank for 1-2 months after cycling to let everything grow without too much nibbling by fish, then fish will be added, followed by some hardy inverts.  Ultimately, I'd like to graduate to some sponges, macroalgae and soft corals, but initially I will focus on growing nice coralline algae on the live rock, etc. <Sounds like a good plan.>
My lighting concern regards the choice of a VHO system or a PC system. My plan is to build a DIY 48" lighting hood, and I would ultimately like to arrive at 220W of lighting.  Logical choices seem to be either two 2x55W PC retro kits from AH supply, or a 2x110W VHO from either IceCap or PFO.  Also, cost is something of a factor.  With the power compacts, I could start with a single 2x55W set, and then add a second one when the animals require it and budget permits.  However, if this is ultimately going to prove more expensive (four lamps to replace instead of two) or less good in terms of quality than going with VHO's, I'd rather just spend the money and get the right product. As it stands now, here are my thoughts about pros/cons of the two systems:
Power compacts: good things might be flexibility in terms of cost, four lamps means I can mix and match spectra with more flexibility, plus I am essentially assured two separate circuits so that I can achieve dawn/dusk lighting to some degree.  Bad things may be that I end up paying more money for more replacement lamps in the long run. <Perhaps.> Also, a number of discussions both on WWM and the WWM forums suggest that the PC's have a less pleasing color rendition than some VHO's. <Is highly subjective - try to get out and see both, see which pleases your eye more.>
VHO's: good things are fewer lamps to replace, although they seem to be a bit more expensive per lamp than PC's. <Hmm... just quickly checked an online retailer - $20/bulb for VHO, $24/bulb for PC.> Color rendition is (purportedly) better, although I have no first-hand experience with this. <All the more reason to get out there and try to see these.> Possible downsides are a higher startup cost (although identical in cost to the final 4x55W PC system I have in mind), less flexibility with spectra since I only have two lamps to play with.  Also, I'm leaning more toward the PFO retro units than the IceCap due to the PFO unit having two switches.
I guess what I need here is the benefit of your considerable experience in terms of quality of lighting, maintenance costs, heat generation (DIY hood will have at least one ball-bearing muffin fan installed), and which is likely to lead to greater overall happiness on my part. <Not much to say here - is really a bit of a coin toss in benefit. Also, as you've noted, color produced by the bulbs is different, but you need to determine for yourself which is best for you - beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. Do own and use both systems... think the PC bulb design was not originally for use around saltwater so I find that they don't last as long, although there is much debate about the 'when' of decline in output spectrum in the VHO bulbs. Think for the better or for ill both these lighting choices come out even in the pro/con analysis and again would suggest you get out there and look at both running to form your opinion.>
Thanks so much in advance,
Andrew
<Cheers, J -- >

PC/VHO lighting
Hello, I am currently setting up a reef tank and looking into what type of lights to put on it. I have a 55G tank right now with about 20 lbs of live rock and about 20 lbs of CaribSea base rock, one 50/50 NO lights (as of now), 2 Yellow tail damsels, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Percula Clown, 1 Scooter Blenny and several Blue legged Hermit Crabs, can not keep snails alive?,
<The hermits are most likely killing them.>
29G sump (DIY) with Macro algae 10lbs live rock and sand (hoping
to turn into live sand. I plan on putting a few Anemones and Coral in the tank in the near future.
<Anemones and corals aren't always good together (anemones may wander and sting corals).>
I (or my wife) is not prepared to spend the money on MH yet!!
<Do consider that you will spend money on one system now (which will be nearly worthless later) and then start over. It is cheaper in the long run to get what you want up front.>
So I am looking at either getting VHO or PC. I was told by a LFS in VA not to get PC because they are not a true Actinic light and that I would be better off getting VHO. Is this true?
<This is not true. True actinic PC's are now available. You will have to research what brands offer these and be sure to get a compatible fixture.>
If it is, why are PC still so popular
<It's not, but I am still at a loss as to why PC's are so popular. They offer a cheap initial investment, but multiple lamp standards and a market full of cheaply made lamps make PC's quite a hassle.>
what is the damage done to inverts?
<None. The difference is aesthetic. As long as they get enough total light, inverts don't need actinic light, it just looks nice to us.>
One more question, while looking for some lights I say on EBay some one selling a 48" 4X65 PC hood. He said he had a 55G tank and the lights were too much for him and was downgrading to 2X65 in stead. Which should I get? a 4X65 or 2X65 for my 55G tank?
<If you do go with PC's, I would go with 4x65. I really can't think of any corals that this would be too much light for.>
You have a great site and I have learned a lot from it. Thanks a lot. Geoff
<Good to hear! Best Regards, Adam> 

PC or VHO 5/10/04
Hello Bob and Crew!
<cheers>
Currently running 2 ea -  2x96w (384w total ) PC's on a 125 reef.     Looking to add either 2 - 160w VHO's (URI) or another set of 2 ea 2x96w PC's.     Total PC   8x96 = 768w      or     (4) PC's + (2) VHO's  = 704w.
<either way... go more white/daylight than blue actinic for optimal coral growth>    
I've got Coralife pc bulbs now
<sorry to hear it <G>>
(4 pin square) and in 4 months, two of the actinics are failing which leads to some concern of costly bulb replacement.  Who makes good pc bulbs?  
<a matter of some (consumer) perspective in the absence of watchdog data in our industry. Do visit the big message boards and post a query for a consensus here>
or any links to research on the PC bulbs or manufacturers?  I've seen a lot of praise for URI VHO bulbs but little on PC bulbs.
<correct and agreed... URI is outstanding>
Space wise, I'm leaning to the VHO's, but bulb replacement would be spendy at 2 bulbs every 4-6 months.  Is this an accurate assumption.  
<10 months on URI bulbs IMO>
Either addition would be a retro kit.  
To summarize:    1)   Any information on PC bulb ratings or manufacturers?
<nope>
2)   Sure would appreciate ANY recommendations ;  PC or VHO.   
RJShudes,  Redding, California.
<halides will be the best value long term re: lamp life (2-4 years) and value (amount of light produced per watt consumed). Between fluorescent choices here I favor VHO, and suggest that you research the better option of T5 fluorescents. Anthony>

Adding one more strip light....
Even after reading until my eyes glaze over, I'm not quite sure I can answer my question:  I have a 65 gal, 24" deep tank, w/2x96 watt 50/50 and actinic PC.  I have a handful of mostly soft and a few SPS corals which all seem to be doing alright, but I realize my lighting may be marginal.  Because it's an in-the-wall installation, I only have about 4" of width over tank for another light. A friend gave me his 36", single bulb strip, which just fits the 4" space, and it has a 30 watt T8 Aqua Ray bulb.  I want to at least get a new bulb, not sure what would work best.  Actinic, white, 6500K or 10000K? << Well I would go with 10k just because I don't think any other bulb will really "look bright" to you. >>  Or am I wasting my time with this limited strip fluorescent?? << I wouldn't say wasting time.  However, in a little space like that a HQI metal halide fixture would do wonders.  They are only 5 inches long, and about 1.5 inches in diameter.  I love my halides, and on a 65 gal tank, I think it would really help you out. >>  Thanks again for your always informed responses......Barry
<<  Adam Blundell  >>

Lighting
Bob, 
I need to switch gears here for a minute. I know, don't add anything until my "problems are solved" but this has been bothering me. All my mushrooms look great, as do my colt, anchors, crystal, and umbrella. I have attempted to keep a cat's paw, a bird's nest and a breadcrumb sponge. All met the same fate. They became covered in algae and perished. Heck, even the Caulerpa I have in my tank has algae growing on it. After reading your WetWebMedia article on lighting, I wonder if this is my problem. My 75 has 4x96 PC that my wife turns on around 8:30am, and they stay on until 10:30 pm. This is the Hamilton fixture where one switch controls the left side, and the other switch controls the right side. I have a 6700, and 7100 on each side. 
Should I rewire so that I can turn on one left and one right bulb with each switch? 
If I do rewire, which ones 6700/7100 go on first, go off last?
How many hours a day do you think I should run these lamps?
Thanks, Marty
>>
I would rewire these fixtures... the lower Kelvin rated lamps should come on first, go off last, and twelve hours of these a day max. please... if you want them on late at night have a hiatus mid-day... via timers...
Bob Fenner

Reef Lighting
Hi Bob,
I have a 125 gallon tank that I'm currently setting up into a reef tank (later adding certain reef friendly fish). The dimensions are: Length - 5ft, Width - 18in, Height - 2ft. I have been looking at different light fixtures and have decided to go with power compacts, mostly because of financial matters and heat build up with the halides. I was told that 2 daylights and 2 blue actinics at 55watts each would be sufficient, but that I could also step up to a 96 watt. What do you think????? 
<Hmm, two feet deep... and what sorts of light-needing life do you intend to keep... Well, whatever mode of lighting, this is way too little intensity... you should plan on at least the 96 watters... maybe even more lamps...>
Also I was browsing websites on lights and came across an article about Slim Line Lighting. This is how the article read: The latest state of the art type lighting using tubes about the same diameter as a pencil. Very powerful lights said to be equal to metal halides with no heat.......full depth 24" penetration and very low running costs. Bulbs give an average 8,000 hours use and the ballasts are guaranteed for three years. Unfortunately, the website gave no contact info what-so-ever :( Do you know anything about these lights available wattages, lengths, where to get them, etc)??????? Any info about this would be a great help because I am very curious about them.
<Me too... have heard of the technology... yet to see it in use... or results shall I state... I would go with the CF T-8's in the here and now>
You don't have to place this in on your web page or anything like that, but I would appreciate an answer as thorough as possible (Slim Line Lighting). Thank you so much for your time!!!!!!
James >>
<Do get around to previewing, then moving around the Q and A's of perceived interest on the WWM site... Bob Fenner>

Reef Lighting Choices
I have a 110 gallon reef tank with two 175 watt 10,000K metal halides and two 7,100K blue actinic power compacts. I have both fish and the following corals: finger leather, mushrooms, xenia, frogspawn, Montipora digitata and a pink Stylophora.
I have seen new power compact light bulbs advertised that are rated at 10,000K. Would there be any benefit to swapping the 7,100K actinics for these new bulbs?
>>
In my opinion, not enough to warrant the change, functionally or for looks. The mix of spectra you have now is fine on both counts. What is remarkable (so I'll mention it) is the effects of "other" influences on light transmission, absorption in your system that you can influence, notably "color" and dissolved organic compounds, and the depth/placement of your corals. These factors can exert a very large effect on the quality and quantity of light reaching your photosynthetic livestock... 
Color and DOCs are best dealt with by way of a regular regimen of partial (half let's say per period) gravel vacuuming in concert with partial water changes, efficient protein skimming, and the use of activated carbon (once a month let's say) in your filter flow path.
Placement is a huge subject, but basically concerns the raising/lowering of livestock nearer the surface and proximity of your light source to provide more red-end and higher intensity light. Individual specimens and species are seen to do better at different placement... and can be moved, but not too frequently (once again, let's say once a month maximum) in attempts to find their best positioning in a system.
To sum up, I would consider the above factors and engage in efforts to maximize your success via their manipulation, but wouldn't change the lamps out (to something bluer) if it were me.
Bob Fenner

Re: Lighting 2
hi,
Do you recommend this set up I got it from www.garf.org To light my tank I know the hobby is very expensive I just want to save money:) This set up uses regular shop ballast to light VHO bulbs....................
....From a standard, two bulb, non-electronic, P class, shop-light ballast there are 4 pairs of wires. One pair of wires (white and black) go to the outlet, another pair (yellow) go to one pair of end caps, and the other two pairs (one red pair and one blue pair) go to the other two end caps (blue to one, red to the other) in the standard setup. When using the standard setup with the standard ballast it is possible to run most if not all normal output (NO) 48" 40 watt bulbs; it will be difficult if not impossible to run two VHOs in this setup unless the ballast is no longer functioning properly. However if the end caps attached to the yellow wires are not used and the red end-cap is put on one end of a VHO and the blue on the other a VHO will operate as will a NO bulb, but it will look as intense as a VHO. Crossing the end caps of different ballasts (particularly single bulb 40 watt ballasts) can allow for a mixture of VHO and NO bulbs with fewer wires being left unused. 
please let me know thanks again...you are very helpful.
>>
This arrangement may, repeat may apparently "work" for now... but is an example of "false economy" in my view... By using electronic ballasts designated for VHO lamps you will get more light, and your lamps will last longer... a better arrangement in the true cost for what you're getting...
I would definitely NOT re-wire a shop lite ballast as per the above description.
Save up and buy electronic ballasting... this is the route to go.
Bob Fenner

Bob,
Looking into CF lighting. Is there a hard and fast rule for how many watts you need?
<Some, a couple/three watts per gallon on up... to several depending on depth of tank, types of livestock (SPS, Clams for more for instance), and desire (boosting metabolism say vs. maintenance) and pairing other gear, activities (supplying sufficient biomineral, alkalinity...)>
I have a 225 gallon tank that is 6foot long X 2foot wide X 2 1/2 foot deep.
<More for you... 3,4 w/g...>
Thanks, Derek
P.S. Still working on cooling issues!! Installed some fans today that I think helped. >>
<Hotay! Bob Fenner>

Lights< Smart, Dura...
Bob
I have been reading all of your posts on the subject of lighting and learning a lot. But I have a few questions that I most likely have read about but I am not understanding. I am new to salt water, I have had fresh for over 3 years and wanted a new challenge(?) or new fish not sure which?
<There are many...>
But I/we have switched our 55 gal tank to salt water. Right now we are going with a fish tank but my helpers are informing me that they like the anemones and I think some of the soft corals. So what ever I buy to upgrade my system I want to make sure I meet those future needs. Which leads me to lights. Like I said I have been reading your articles and FAQ on different web pages and I think I understand what I need. But I was wanting to know about the new smart lamps that have both blue and white lights in one. Is this a good package or should I get a system that I can put 4 bulbs in 3 white and 1 blue or 2/2 or .... 
<One blue out of four is best>
The smart lamps look like a nice match and are reasonably priced. If you don't think this is a good product. What do you recommend. 
<These are very worthy products>
I read one article that you stated that you liked Dura-Light.
But I have been unable to find these on the web or locally.
<Yes... older technology...>
At least I don't think I can, I found the bulbs at a store do they also carry the fixture? 
<The Dura-Light products (Vitalites, etc.) are/were Normal Output fluorescents... regular fixtures fit them... But do go with the Smart Lites, other power/compact fluorescent technology.>
The store I found the bulbs at didn't have a fixture. I also keep reading that you like the 4 bulb systems does this mean you run two fixtures or do they make a 4 bulb fixture? 
<Mainly two doubles...>
I also have a canopy so I am using glass below my existing lights is this ok? 
<Should be... do add washing, wiping them down weekly to your task list>
My boss/wife like the canopy so :-):-)
any advise would be great. 
<I understand>
Thanks for all of the great articles and time you seem to spend on this topic. Lou Feagans
<Thank you for your kind words, and intelligent involvement in our hobby. Bob Fenner>

Marine Aquarium Lighting... help
greetings to the aquarium guru!! (that's you) hahaha. I was hoping that you might be able to give me some suggestions as to how I can improve on my tank, and what changes im going to need, or if im heading in the right direction for my reef tank...
(Perhaps)
I currently have a 37Gal tank 30"Lx12.5Wx23"T. I have an eclipse hood on it and I have a 55W power compact retrofit on it for the moment. my sandbed is about 3-4" deep and I only have about 15lbs of LR in it will soon have 40lbs more). I have a tiny air-driven protein skimmer in it at the moment, but I just bought a red sea Berlin hang on, I just built a new hood for my tank and will add a 175W 14K MH bulb, w 2 fans to cool it down, and add 2 standard 24" florescent actinic bulbs. 
(Yikes... a shame to have not started with a larger tank...)
I have a small maroon clown and a tiny yellow tang at the moment in my tank. I had some green button polyps in my tank & a coral frag (which I believe might be some purple xenia?)
(Hmm, likely not... Xeniids are soft corals... typically 'pulsing'... and not purple...)
both seem to be doing somewhat okay, at the moment, but the polyps aren't as good as when I bought them(2 weeks ago).. do you think the MH lighting setup im going to do is good enough? too much? could do better? 
(You will soon see... need to ´grade into this{ amount of lighting... screen part with aluminum foil... to avoid burning your livestock... the type-amount will work out eventually... in a few weeks to a couple of months)
what do you recommend I do? please help me, I came across your website and it seems you can help me a lot more than a lot of other places.. all the stores just want to make money off of me, but I haven't fallen into that trap at least not yet) any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. thanks!!
(I will gladly help you... Please do read-reread the sections on light, lighting on the Marine Index on the www.WetWebMedia.com site. Bob Fenner)

Lighting Fixture Question
I recently bought myself a little gift a 46 gallon Bow Front. The problem I am having is working with lighting. The tank came with 2 light fixtures that have 2 Fluorescent bulbs in each unit I think there 18 inch bulbs. The question I have is that these fixtures are long enough to house a 96w PC and since it came with 2 of them I was thinking of installing 1 PC in each one (1 White/1 Actinic). What do you think? Do you think that the fixture would hold these as far as heat? The light fixtures are oak colored and are made by Perfecto. Thanks, John
<Perfecto even provides CF lighting in these fixtures... you may have to modify the end caps to vent some heat with the 96 watt sizes though, but yes, a good plan otherwise. Bob Fenner>

Lighting
Hello Bob!
I hope you are enjoying Hawaii Mr. Laptop, sand and surf. I do not know if you are aware of this or not but Dura is out of business. No more Vitalites.
<Yes, I do know, thanks... it's a shame... their gear supposedly is still sitting in their closed factories in NJ...><<Actually, they're baaaaack!!>>
On to my questions. I am going to make my 55 into a full blown reef tank. I am going to get 4-65watt PC's in a custom hood with fan. My concern is that from all I have read on these type lights are that none really are true full spectrum lights.
<This is so... but with use of some actinic, not much of a problem>
I have looked at the spectral curves from most every manufacturer of these lamps and all seem completely deficient in the red spectrum or just a smidgen at best. Don't many species of corals need some red spectrum to thrive?
<Hmm, not really... what is considered "red" gets filtered out very quickly (almost all gone in top four inches of water)>
If there are some could you give us salties out here a heads up?
You recommend putting the lights as close to the surface as possible with nothing in between the water and the lights. How do you keep those occasional jumpers (fish) in the tank?
<Ideally a lip arrangement of some sort... a surrounding mini-wall of glass or acrylic... over and around any openings>
I want some Actinic lighting in the tank to give off that pretty blue coloration and the glow that some corals and fish give off but I don't want it too blue if you know what I mean. I was thinking two smart lamps and two 6700K daylight types. I have never seen these lights burn in person so I am unsure of the look.
<They're very nice>
I will keep mostly species of coral that are hardy and fairly easily propagated. I will sell off extra's to a LFS dealer in town and some friends upon occasion and share my experiences with them. Soft corals Large polyp stony etc.. Will this light be sufficient?
<Yes, good choices>
Zimmy
P.S. Jason Kim at Aqua C is one heck of a nice man and has helped me out tremendously! I love spray injection skimmers. Plug it in a let it do its job. Great product and great company.
<Yes, a fine person. I will relate your comments to him. Bob Fenner>

VHO compared with CF lighting
hey Bob. I have a few questions...I have a 55 gallon reef tank (standard size 55 gal.) right now, I have 2 - 55 watt power compacts on the right side of the tank and 2 - 35 watt power compacts on the left...is this sufficient lighting???
<For? What sorts of organisms, desired results?>
..it is a homemade hanging hood, so I was considering putting all of the power compacts on one side and getting one metal halide for the other, does this sound better??
<Perhaps, with the MH lighting over more light-needy/using life>
... also, I have a Acropora coral that completed lost, or should I say, shed its color of green and is now completed white...did it die??,
<Possibly. Or has just lost all its zooxanthellae... should have algae growing over its skeleton if gone>
why would this happen???
<A few possibilities... could be the lack of adequate lighting, lack of biomineral, lack of alkalinity, infectious or parasitic disease...>
will this process have any effect on the other corals???
<Depends on the cause/s>
I have a calcium reactor and add strontium and iodine on a weekly basis, I do weekly 5 gallon water changes (with ro/di water), all other parameters are fine...thanks, Jeff
<Time to re-read (leisurely) through your reef aquarium reference books, the gamut of material on marine set-up and maintenance posted on our site: www.WetWebMedia.com in search for "things that click" here. Bob Fenner>
 

Lighting dear rob, I have another question. I have just read your lighting articles and so I checked the lighting on my eclipse1 FOWLR tank and it only has one florescent tube. good thing I read the articles because I would have never worried about it. I am wondering if I could just order the twin lamp base assembly or is there another way to provide more lighting? <There are retrofit kits sold (compact fluorescent) that will fit this hood. Contact the various manufacturers, resellers (a bunch are listed on the WWM Links Pages) and state what you have. They will tell you what your options are... or go to the fine folks on our Chatforum: http://talk.wetwebfotos.com/ and ask them what they use. I would definitely add more light. Bob Fenner> thanks, dear rob thanks for the quick reply I didn't think I would get one so soon. you have the most informative site. ill be asking more about the sump design once I know what I want. since I found this site I don't even ask questions at the LFS because it seems like they are just trying to make a sale. <Ah, glad to be of help, but do always gather information, insight from other, diverse sources. Understanding baseline motivations in this world is highly desirable... but data is more so. Bob Fenner>

Best Mix for Daylight/Actinic Fluorescents
Bob,
<<Not Bob, but JasonC filling while Bob is away diving.>>
Enjoy your site, book and everything that you do. You been a great reference source for me. Without getting to gushy, I have a couple questions on lighting reef tanks.
<<He will be happy to read/hear this...>>
First, I have a 125 gal reef tank loaded with corals both hard and soft with 384 watt power compact lights two 96 watt daylight and two 96 watt actinic. Would it be beneficial or create more light to run the two daylight bulbs and two 50/50 daylight/actinic bulbs instead of my current setup. Just want to maximize the brightness for the corals to help them thrive. Would that make any difference at all?
<<No, best with fluorescents to go half and half actinic/daylight.>>
Similar setup in my 40 gallon tank. I have 4 32 watts bulbs split between daylight and actinic. Would 3 daylight and 1 actinic help anything? <<same as before.>>
Or don't mess with it. <<I guess that's a yes.>>
Lastly, I'm considering setting up a small 20 gallon hex tank for Sea Horses. What kind of lighting requirements would they need if I stayed away from most corals except maybe low light varieties like mushrooms?
<<Not much, you could get away with perhaps small dual 9 watt PC tubes, same deal 50/50 actinic/daylight.>>
I appreciate your help.
<<No problem.>>
Dan Hutchings
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Scottish marine tank
Hello Robert, I have had a Copperband butterfly for 4 months, are these easy fish to keep long term.
<Mmm, most die within a week of capture. Ones that live a month or more can/do sometimes live for years...>
Mine is feeding great and getting larger. The tank also houses 2 damsels 1 coral beauty 1 watchman goby 1 pajama cardinal. The tank is 50 gallon with 17 various soft corals, mushroom corals, tube anemones. I am thinking about getting metal halide lamps, for optimum coral growth, and hopefully get rid of hair algae. The tubes I have at present are 2 lifeglo,s 1 triton 1 marine Glo 1 marine white. I have had the tank running 1year , all occupants came out of a similar tank I had running for 3 years ,same type of lights etc .
<Mmm, do take care in "grading in" the new lighting...>
the filtration is external, with 1 internal with carbon and 3 powerheads for water movement. 1 external protein skimmer. tank conditions are 0 nitrate 0 phosphates 8.4 ph 1. 22 SG temp 82.but I still have to manually remove the algae every couple of days as well as cleaning the glass front, is it the tubes I have they are on for 11 hours. 
<Seems like a "small price" to pay for such overall success>
the corals are all doing fine with the exception of one or two, witch I feel don't open as good as they should, but are still okay bearing in mind they are all over 3 years of age. Should I replace my tubes with different tubes, or go for the metal halide. any help would be much appreciated,
<I would switch your lighting on a regular schedule, replacing the "white lights" the Triton product and an actinic... If I were to invest money in new fixturing I would upgrade to compact fluorescents of about the same mix of white/03. Bob Fenner>

Lighting a 50 Gallon
Hi Bob-   My father & I have just set up a 50 gal tank in his home office (Boy, is his productivity going to drop!).  The dimensions are 36"w x 18"d x 18"h.  He has purchased two single fluorescent fixtures (made by AGA - incl. a NO 30w 9300deg.K bulb each).  There is nothing in the tank yet except salt water, soon to be LR as well.   My question has to do with lighting the live rock.  My feeling is that this one-watt-per-gallon might not be enough to keep the LR healthy (?).  He could add a 2x96w CF fixture (he had planned to do this eventually...is now the time?) which then, added to the pair he has now, would net 5w/gal. Does he need to do this soon, or can he wait until he wants higher-Lux needing inhabitants?  In other words, will the LR benefit greatly from higher intensity lighting?
<Yes, your growths of coralline algae and any macroalgae with definitely benefit by the increase in lighting.  But, if you really want to see the live part of you liverock take off, hold off on putting fish in for a couple of months.  I know it will probably kill you to wait, but you will see worms, copepods, amphipods, and a myriad of other life forms populating your tank.  This allows these small creature's populations to get a jump start before the predators (fish) are added.>
With this additional fixture, what is your opinion as to the ideal color combinations of these bulbs?  My thought is to replace the two NO 9300K's w/ actinics, and use daylight spectrums in the CF's.  Will 60w of NO actinic be sufficient for this tank?  Or would you include a 50/50 CF as well?
<I agree with your initial idea, two 30 watt Actinic 03 normal output lamps and two 55 watt full spectrum compact fluorescent lamps.>
Thank you very much!  Erik Nelson
<You are welcome.  -Steven Pro>

PC's or T-5's
Hello Crew,
I have a 55 gal.  tank with a pair of  false Perculas, a pair of Firefish and some basic corals (mush, polyps leathers). The  tank is currently lit with 4 - 55 Watt PC's.  The lights will need replacing soon and I would like to get a bubble tip anemone for the clowns.  I do not want to get into MH's for various reasons and have seen conflicting info about the feasibility of keeping anemone's without them. Question is  as I need to replace the bulbs soon anyway (cost about 100$) would it be worthwhile to convert to T5 lighting? << Only if you can fit more bulbs in there.  Otherwise, I don't really see an advantage to this. >> Cost for retrofit kit w/ 4 54 watt bulbs is 329$ I looked for Q & A onT5's earlier and could not find anything.  
<< Well if not halides, you may consider VHO.  But since you already have ballasts and a fixture, I'd go with replacing the pc's. >>
Thanks again - Kevin H.
<<  Blundell  >>

Replacing Bulbs 3/12/08
Hi, I'm looking for replacement bulbs for (2) 36" Corallife Deluxe Lunar Aqualights (53404) 10,000K Daylight LED's and (2) of the same in 10,000K blues. I checked your website but could not find them.
Thanks in advance!
Monica
<These units use compact fluorescents. We are not a retail site, you can find the bulbs at many Etailers, check the links page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/general_links_pg.htm or many of the sponsor links for the bulbs. Welcome, Scott V.>

Re: PC to Halide Upgrade 2/12/08
Hey Scott,
<Hello Carl.>
I really appreciate your quick response since I was in such a hurry to find the best option. I was able to rule out the outer orbit fixture fairly easily after you solidified some doubts I had about it. It was what I wanted but just not practical for my set up. I thought about a 4x 96 watt fixture but ultimately didn’t want to spend roughly $150 every six months on bulbs, so I decide to go with the SunPod. I've been wanting to try metal halides for quite some time.
<Halides are my personal favorite.>
I think it should work well and I do like the idea of having that many LED lights as well. I figure that if I really am not happy after 6 months or so, I can take a small hit and revert back to a 4 x 96 watt PC fixture. As far as the extra heat, I’m hoping it shouldn’t be too much of a problem since I plan to have it much further off the water and it’s not too warm out nowadays. Its torment to see all the extra chillers and other expensive equipment just lying in a storage closet at work that will probably never be used....Aaaah!
<I used to think the same thing, now that is my closet, give this addiction time!>
Anyway, thanks again for the prompt
advice.
Carl
<Welcome, have fun, Scott V.>

Compact Lighting 1/4/08
Hello,
<Hello Kevin.>
I'm new to reef tanks and have a question about lighting requirements. I have a 150 gal tank and was hoping to use power compact lighting but I'm unsure how much I need.
<OK>
My neighbor has two 72" light set ups with four 96 watt bulbs each. He says he will give me a deal. I guess my question is, if I use these lights, what category of lighting would this be? Low or moderate?
<Actually, with eight 96W bulbs, towards the high end.>
I'm sure it would support mushrooms and other softies but would it support LPS or maybe even SPS?
<Yes, I believe it will.>
I want to stay away from MH because of the heat. I've looked all over and everyone seems to contradict each other. Maybe you could shed some light? Thanks! Kevin
<You will be able to keep SPS with these, especially in the upper parts of the tank. Do find out how old the bulbs in the fixture are and replace if needed. Also consider the amount of “usable” light. These fixtures are typically one daylight per each actinic. With eight bulbs you will likely be better off with two actinics and six daylights. Welcome, have fun with your new setup, Scott V.>

PC Bulb Replacement 1/2/08
Hi guys and gals,
<Hello Scott.>
It's time to replace the bulbs over my 38-gal (36" long, 20" deep) marine tank. This is the first time I've had to do this, and I'm all confused. The fixture has a 96-watt 10K and a 96-watt actinic. I have 4 Euphyllia specimens growing nicely, a trach, and a Sinularia (I know, I know -- LFS said mixing LPS and leathers was not a problem. That was before I started reading here). Anyway, I'm wondering about light spectrum -- 10000K, 6500K, dual daylight, dual actinic -- what do I want for this mix?
<Exactly what you have, maybe the 50/50 bulb you mention instead of the straight actinic for the reasons you listed.>
Also, I get the impression that actinic lighting is largely for aesthetics, <Yes>
so should I replace that bulb with a 50/50 to increase the amount of "daylight" I have?
Thanks,
Scott
<Welcome, have fun, Scott V.>

PC lighting 12/24/07
I have a 54 gallon corner reef tank. The lighting is a 24" Current fixture with 2 x 65 Watt bulbs (1 dual daylight & 1 dual actinic) as well as a 20" dual T5 (2 x 14 watt). I was wondering if changing the dual actinic bulb in the PC to another dual daylight would be better lighting for the corals.
<This will give them more usable light, but will change the look of the tank. Perhaps consider changing it to a 50/50 daylight/actinic bulb.>
I have a mix of yellow stars, leather, frogspawn, zoanthids, bubble, & tongue coral. I was thinking of adding a small crocea clam.
<This clam will need more light.>
I'd appreciate your comments.
Mitch
<Welcome, happy reefing, Scott V.>

Re: PC lighting 12/24/07
I was considering replacing the PC with a SunPod 250 Watt Metal Halide. Would that lighting be good.
<Yes, perfect. Just realize there will be an increased amount of heat produced. Scott V.>

PC Lighting Fixture Problem...Repairable? – 09/13/07
I have a Custom Sea Life Smart Lamp fixture, 72 inches, holding two 96-watt bulbs. The light on one half is noticeably brighter than the other half. If I swap the bulbs from one side to the other, results are the same so I know the bulbs are fine.
<<Okay>>
I assume there's something wrong with either the socket or ballast on the darker side.
<<Mmm, yes...possibly a loose or corroded connection causing a voltage drop. Usually when one of these fluorescent ballasts goes bad it does so very quickly (i.e.- it just “quits”), in my experience...but this is not a certainty>>
Is that a replaceable part?
<<Most any part of the fixture would be “replaceable”...assuming you can obtain the part>>
Easy to do?
<<A simple procedure, yes...if you have a basic understanding of electricity and are a little bit “handy”...otherwise, obtain help from a qualified individual as improperly wiring the fixture can prove disastrous>>
Where can I find the part and instructions?
<<Before replacing anything I would first disassemble the unit (do be sure to unplug it first) and check/clean/tighten the connections and then give the unit another test to confirm this is not the issue. If you decide you need to replace components, a keyword search of the NET for the parts should give ample leads. If you determine you need a new ballast, you may even be able to find a suitable replacement at a home center or hardware store. As for instructions...a new ballast should come with such...if replacing a lamp socket, well, this is fairly intuitive... And once again...if any of this is bewildering in the least, do seek out a qualified individual to assist you. Regards, EricR>>

Lighting... Small wattage CFs repackaged for aquarium use    8/9/07
Good Morning,
<And to you>
I have a (hopefully) quick question. After reading many FAQ's and articles, I have yet to find an answer about this. What are your feelings in regard to the "Mini-Compact" lighting, shown in the following pictures:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441809765&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030061&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1186575121740&itemNo=32&Nao=24&In=Fish&N=2030061&Ne=2
<Mmm, such small wattage CFs can work in tiny volumes... given they're of sufficient color temperature, CRI... and intensity for the setting>
My idea is to utilize a (free) incandescent fixture to hold 2 of these for a 30 gal (or a 20gal high) FOWLR (for now) tank. If I used them on my 30, I could also use a 20watt 10,000k bulb, and have both going, if necessary.
The box at the store says they're OK for "upgrading your incandescent lighting" but it almost sounds too good to be true.
Will this be sufficient for zoo's and polyps eventually?
<Not really>
I don't want any high light or "difficult" corals, just the few that I mentioned.
Thank you in advance.
Eric
<This will not be enough light for your enjoyment even... too dim. I'd keep investigating. Bob Fenner>

Re: Quick Lighting Question 8/10/07
Good Morning,
<Trying...>
I have a (hopefully) quick question. After reading many FAQ's and articles, I have yet to find an answer about this. What are your feelings in regard to the "Mini-Compact" lighting, shown in the following pictures:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441809765&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030061&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1186575121740&itemNo=32&Nao=24&In=Fish&N=2030061&Ne=2
<I responded to this... yesterday>
My idea is to utilize a (free) incandescent fixture to hold 2 of these for a 30 gal (or a 20gal high) FOWLR (for now) tank. If I used them on my 30, I could also use a 20watt 10,000k bulb, and have both going, if necessary.
The box at the store says they're OK for "upgrading your incandescent lighting" but it almost sounds too good to be true.
Will this be sufficient for zoo's and polyps eventually? I don't want any high light or "difficult" corals, just the few that I mentioned.
<Not sufficient... see WWM re lighting for such life>
Also, will these lights improve the aesthetics of my tank if I decide to keep it fish only?
Thank you in advance.
Eric
<Will be too dim for FO as well. BobF>

Re: Quick Lighting Question 8/10/07
Sorry Bob,
The other email wasn't going through, so I assumed it wasn't being sent, so I tried this email address hoping it would work. I sent this email before your response was received. You know what they say about "assume".. it makes an...
Thanks for all the help!
Eric
<Ahh, thank you for clearing up this mystery... Bob, passing in the night, Fenner>

Some Light Conversation! – 07/22/07
How's it going?
<Goin' well! Scott F. in tonight!>
Quick question. I have a 75 gallon tank I want to convert into a reef tank. I am looking at 2 36'' Coralife Aqualight 2x96W w/10,000K and True Actinic 03 Blue. First off what types of corals can I successfully keep with this lighting and should I center both lights or off set them so at least one light reaches each end?
Thanks for your help,
Jared
<Well, Jared, PC lighting is good for many types of less demanding corals, such as Anthelia, Xenia, perhaps some Montipora, etc. In reality, you can keep just about any coral in an aquarium with PC lighting, as long as other factors, such as flow and feeding are addressed. Sure, in a deep aquarium, you'd really have to compensate for the lower intensity lighting by feeding more, but in theory it could work. BTW, I'd forgo the actinics, because most of your corals will not need them for growth. They are really best for their aesthetics, IMO. Personally, I'd use all 10,000ks for their useful spectrum and nice appearance. As far as placement of the lighting, I like it centered, myself, but as long as it's reaching the corals and providing useful light where it's needed, it's your call! Best of luck! Regards, Scott F.

CF Lighting, RBTA and the mini-reef   7/10/07
Hello,
<Saludo>
Thanks to you all for such a resource as you offer, it is a credit to the hobby!
My question deals with very specific "in's and out's" of lighting a mini reef. I apologize to the poor soul who answers these questions, but perhaps it would help clear up confusion to many other people.
<Well, okay!>
I find the 3 to 5 watts per gallon rule to be terribly out-dated as that is too little light for very tall tanks, and a needless expense for very shallow tanks. My last lighting fixture just blew, and I'm in the market for a new one ASAP. Before I buy, I wanted to ask a few questions...
1) Has a system been developed that uses the measurement of inches of water depth to the amount of watts required?
<Mmm, no... too many other factors involved... e.g. the distance of lamps from the water surface, the use of useful reflectors, reflecting material in the hood... These alone can negate the utility...>
Loosely running the numbers, it seems that 8 to 10 watts per inch of water depth would be a better measurement of wattage needed( but then again, I'm the one asking for advice, so please don't take mine!) These are numbers I've derived by reading the suggestions on this site and others.
<Okay>
2) I have a 30g long tank with a DSB which means I have a water depth of 12 inches. I have a tank of soft corals right now, but I have the opportunity to have an RBTA
<... problematical to mix with other Classes, Orders of Cnidarians...>
( my tank is very stable, has been running for 4 years, has a 10g refugium with a 6 inch DSB, a good skimmer and this would be the only anemone I keep. All test parameters have been excellent for a year or two without incident). Would 6 watts per gallon of CF lighting at a maximum depth of 12 inches be enough for the RBTA? (back in 1987 I had a large long tentacle anemone I kept alive over a year until I had to move, not a small feat with the lighting of the time)
<... let's finish this right here... Your system is too small, the mix of present livestock trouble...>
3) (Most Important question) Does Kelvin rating play a huge role in the care of RBTAs/Soft Corals husbandry?
<Can, yes>
I've seen varying suggestions from 6500K all the way up to 20,000K for the RBTA, while many agree that soft corals adjust and thrive under most lighting situations.
<I agree>
4) And finally, please correct me if my thinking is in error, but higher wattage Compact Fluorescent Lighting doesn't mean more light intensity, it only means it's a longer bulb.
<Uhh, no. Get a PAR or other light measuring meter and see for yourself>
Roughly, I see that CF lighting provides 3 watts per linear inch per bulb (34 inch bulbs are 96 watt, 21 inch bulbs are 65 watts and 18 inch bulbs are 55 watts) Given that the light would be positioned directly above the coral/anemone in any scenario, a 192 watt, double bulb fixture and a 130 watt double bulb fixture would provide the animal with virtually the same light intensity?
<No>
Sorry for that question, it's splitting hairs I realize, but I see people offer advice on 23 inch high tanks with 220 watts of CF and call it good, where as 130 watts of CF on a tank of 13 inches in height is seen as lacking. If you crunch the numbers you see that the 130 watt, 13 inch high tank is actually slightly better illuminated. Just an observation from a guy on his day off with nothing better to do....
I would kind of understand if you chose not to answer these questions, but I hope you will. I searched the site and couldn't find the answers. Thank you so much for your time!
Mike
<Mmm, please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

75 Gallon Reef, Cfluor. lamp sel.    3/14/07
Hello Crew:
I hope this email finds everyone doing well.  I have a question regarding P/C lighting on my 75 Gallon Reef.  I currently have 260 Watts of P/C lighting.  I am love Leathers and Soft coral so I am pretty sure that this is enough light.  It is the time of year that I need to replace the bulbs and wanted to know what you think the best type bulbs to get would be for my tank with 4 65 watt bulbs?  They are currently 4 50/50 (10k,460actinic).  Would you suggest the best possible configuration for various Leathers, Mushrooms, Zoanthids, and one pulsing Xenia?  I was thinking 3 Actinic and 1 10K based on some reading of prior post but am not sure if this would be the best bet.
Thank you so much for the help,
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i4/fluorescent_lamps/fluorescent_lamps.htm
and the linked files at the bottom... I would go with all "white" lamps... Bob Fenner>

Coralife PC bulbs vs. Current PC Bulbs  3/10/07
I am having a big debate on what to replace the bulbs in my Current orbit with. I have heard from various sources and need info. I have a 46g bow front with 2 96w pc's running. So this measures at about 4.17 watts per gallon. I am trying to decide whether the CoraLife or the current bulbs are better? I have heard from different people that each is better.
One says that Coralife is better and that is why it is more expensive, another says that Current is actually better and still a third says that it is all personal preference and for aesthetics.
<I am more amenable to this statement... And am leery of siding on/with one company/brand over the other... as neither actually makes their lamps/bulbs... and the source may well change, switch to some other product... in time. For now, both will work... and I slightly prefer the Orbit>
I do currently only have softies etc but do want one or 2 LPSs way up high. I am just trying to decide between the bulbs, mainly the actinic since that is where the biggest debate comes in with the blue vs. purple spectrum. Thanks in advance for your excellent guidance!
<I would be directing this question to either of the "lighting gurus" in our interest currently: Sanjay Joshi, Dana Riddle... or availing yourself of test gear (some clubs have this to loan)... PAR meters, other means of measuring CRI, Intensity... to make your own comparisons, between and within these lines. Bob Fenner>

Coralline Algae 2/9/07
Hi Crew,
<Hi Sam>
I have a 10 gallon with fish, mushrooms and candy cane with a 65w Power compact 50/50. I have some rock with very little coralline algae on but some of my glass had a thick cover that you could not see through and I had to scrape the front glass to keep it clean. Over the past month the algae on the glass has thinned out by around 60% or more. Does this mean my bulbs need replacing. I can not remember when I bought these lights but I think it was May. Should I replace it with the same bulb or would I be better off with 65w 12,000k.
<Effective bulb life is usually a year with PC lamps depending on the photo period. The higher Kelvin temperature lamps are more favorable for growing
coralline.  Your reduction in coralline growth may be due to a lack of calcium and/or other elements naturally found in sea water.  Also read FAQ's here on
this subject.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corlinepropfaqs.htm>
Thanks
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>

PC Lighting 12/29/06
I have just a quick question. I have been looking for a pc fixture that holds 6 96 watt pc lights... I love soft corals and that's what i intend to keep in my 75 gallon tank... thanks
<I suggest a Google search, same as I would have to do.  Try www.premiumaquatics.com for starters.  James (Salty Dog)>

Fish tank shocking me   12/1/06
<Hi Kevin, Mich here tonight.>  I'm sorry to bother you two times in one month, but I have a problem. I'm getting shocked when I touch the tank lamps.  <Ahh Houston, yes, you do have a problem, and a dangerous one at that!>  It's hard to explain, but I have a 48" current Satellite power compact lighting fixture.  If I touch the black casing or even the legs on my fixture, I get shocked.  Or if I touch the fixture with one hand and  hit the glass canopy  or even the top of the tank where the top border goes around I get zapped.  <Uhh, stop touching it.>  I totally took my light apart tonight to see if I found any loose wires, but nothing.  I believe the one ballast is bad, and that was the reason for my prior email, but that's been blown for months, and I just got this shocking problem today.  Its definitely the light cause when I unplug it I don't get shocked.  As of right now its going to stay unplugged until I hear back from you.  <Good, remove it from your system before you are seriously injured.>
  First of all are my fish in danger or are they getting shocked?  <You and your fish are in danger.>  Everyone seems pretty much normal, with the exception of my maroon clown hiding out behind the rocks lately, but he's still feeding.  Second what could be wrong with the lighting fixture?  <I honestly do not know, but it is not worth risking you life!>  Honestly I'm ready to throw the whole thing in the garbage, so hopefully you can help.  <Please do not use this fixture.>  Thank you so much for your time. It's greatly appreciated.  <You are welcome, also, in the future please use proper capitalization.>  
Kevin

PC bulb replacement suggestion  11/20/06
Dear WWM crew,
<Craig>
I have a situation where I have a  260Wattt PC light system.  It has 2 65W 10K's and  2 65W Actinic.  The other day, one of my Actinic shorted out.  I am asking for your opinion on a replacement bulb.  I am thinking about replacing the burned out actinic along with the other actinic (still functioning one!) with a 65W 50/50 bulb (half 10K half Actinic).
<A good choice>
Therefore, I would now have more 10K output and less actinic.  Does this sound like a good plan, or am I better off just replacing it with an actinic or perhaps go the other way and replace them with another set of 10K's.
<Is definitely a better choice... for function and, IMO, looks>
I have a 75G tank with some mushrooms, Xenia, star polyps, and I have a Hammer coral place very high up on the live rock.  I do not plan on getting light hungry animals in the near future and I plan to upgrade to Metal Halide in the next 6 mos.
Thank you for any thoughts you may have, an outstanding web site!
Thanks,
Craig
<I think you'll be pleased with this change. Bob Fenner>

Replacing Ballast In A Current (TM) Fixture 11/20/06
Good evening.
<Hello Kevin>
First of all I'd <I'd> like to thank you for having such an excellent and informative <informative> site.  Im <I'm>  on it all the time, always learning something new.  My problem is, I have Current Orbit Power Compact Lighting Fixture.    48 in.  4 65 watt bulbs.  I had the fixture for about six months and then my actinic bulbs wouldn't turn on.  I switched the bulbs around and I assumed it was my ballast.
<Did the actinics work plugged in to the other sockets?>
I lost my receipt so the store wouldn't help me (keep those receipts).  Is it possible to replace an internal ballast for it, and if so, how do I go about finding one.  I've tried Current's website and left an email, but no response.  I hope I don't have to totally replace it.  Thank you for your time.  
<Yes, they can be replaced, they did have to put one in there, correct?  I've had good luck getting responses from Current.  I suggest you email them again, they may even give you another ballast.  I would also ask them for information on replacing this.  Keep those fan intakes clean, they do collect dust/lint that will cause a partial blockage of the air flow which can cause premature failure of the system due to excessive heat.  
If you are using this fixture on a tank that is covered with a wood canopy, I'm quite sure then, that the failure was caused by excessive heat.  There is not much room between the fan intake and the side of the wood canopy to properly ventilate the light fixture.  If this is your case, you will have to install an exhaust fan into the side of the canopy to draw out the warm air coming out of the light fixture.  This exhaust fan should be placed directly in front of the
exhaust of the light fixture.  James (Salty Dog)>  
  Kevin

Re: PC or MH? - 09/07/06
Thank you for your advice...
<<My pleasure to share>>
I have one last question...  If I went with 2 150w HQI bulbs at the 14k range, would I be able to leave those on for 8 hrs?
<<Mm