5 gallon reef- lighting

[CARM]

How much lighting (flourescent) is needed for a 5G reef tank about 9 inches deep? The hood can only hold 1 lightbulb is that a problem?

 

[BeanPets]

That size tank is perfect for LED lighting.

Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[JOMA]

leds would work but they are pricey.

 

[CARM]

what is an LED? could I use a pc?

 

[JOMA]

what is an LED? could I use a pc?

they are light emitting diods (led for short) and they are these tiny little lights that give off a lot of light! i dont personaly have any but here are some online pics:

leds last WAY longer and use a fraction of the power as do other types of bulbs

 

[CARM]

ohh ok thanks for the info
from the pics it almost looks like a mimic of actual sunlight
I don't think led lighting could be used in the hood tho...it just holds a typical lightbulb, that's why I was hoping a pc would work lol

 

[JOMA]

ohh ok thanks for the info
from the pics it almost looks like a mimic of actual sunlight
I don't think led lighting could be used in the hood tho...it just holds a typical lightbulb, that's why I was hoping a pc would work lol

anything with the right light spectrum will work, i have a bluish fluorescent over my new 2 gallon and i have coraline algae spreading like a wildfire on prairie in the middle of august

 

[Purevil21]

Small tanks are good candidates for LED lighting because you can get the light intensity you need and not mess with your temperature. Halides and PC are going to make the temperature is such a small tank rise fairly quickly if you don't use a chiller. As far as one fluorescent bulb being enough, what do you want to do with the tank?

 

[Purevil21]

anything with the right light spectrum will work, i have a bluish fluorescent over my new 2 gallon and i have coraline algae spreading like a wildfire on prairie in the middle of august

The blue bulb you have is an actinic bulb you should also have a spectrum bulb to offset the color. The purpose of the actinic bulb is to provide light deeper in your tank. When light hits water red light gets filters at the top, then yellow and orange and so on, blue penetrates water the best. What you plan to stock will vastly determine what kind of lighting you need, i.e. corals and anemones need more intense lighting where as a FOWLR system wouldn't call for much of a setup. I am not familiar with small tanks, but in larger tanks you need both daylight and actinic bulbs.

Google aquarium lighting and read up, fun stuff. lol

 

[JOMA]

The blue bulb you have is an actinic bulb you should also have a spectrum bulb to offset the color. The purpose of the actinic bulb is to provide light deeper in your tank. When light hits water red light gets filters at the top, then yellow and orange and so on, blue penetrates water the best. What you plan to stock will vastly determine what kind of lighting you need, i.e. corals and anemones need more intense lighting where as a FOWLR system wouldn't call for much of a setup. I am not familiar with small tanks, but in larger tanks you need both daylight and actinic bulbs.

Google aquarium lighting and read up, fun stuff. lol

i know its not a great light, once i want to get corals im getting a 50/50 light, i just had this fluorescent from one of my older freshwater tank so i threw it in and its working great.