Lighting help needed please
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
I'd suggest LEDs. Clams are high lighting critters and LEDs will be able to provide what is needed in an economic way.
I have a 36" Nova Extreme dual bulb t5ho fixture already. I spoke with RapidLED and it was suggested that I would need another 24 LEDs to supplement this fixture for the clam. They also said that 4-6 LEDs would roughly equal one 36" t5ho bulb. So, I would need four more t5ho bulbs over a 40b. Seems like a lot for such a shallow tank. I am very new to salt water so, maybe it isn't a whole lot? Would six t5ho bulbs work? Would it work with 5 or 4?
Rutrag
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think a 6 bulb T5HO would work as long as the bulbs are individually reflected. I have a deresa clam and a long tentacle anemone in a 37 (22" tall) with a 150W 14K metal hailde supplemented by a 24" blue T5HO. The clam has always seemed to do well. I had one spell with the anemone where he went flaccid for a couple of days and pulled his foot out of the sand a month or so ago. I did a 30% water change and he came back around. he looked much browner than before for a week, but has greened back up.
I have a 6 bulb T5HO over my 75 with a couple of SPS that seem to be doing well. I'd have no reservations about moving the nem and clam to that tank if something happened to the 37. I will say that the 37 seems to be a little brighter than the 75, but that could be the color spectrum or the shimmer playing tricks on me.
LEDs are the future between the nice shimmer and energy efficiency as well as durability. It's generally recommended to change halides and fluorescents once a year, where I think the LEDs will last for several years. I think if my either of my fixtures dies, I'll seriously consider the LED route.
I have a 6 bulb T5HO over my 75 with a couple of SPS that seem to be doing well. I'd have no reservations about moving the nem and clam to that tank if something happened to the 37. I will say that the 37 seems to be a little brighter than the 75, but that could be the color spectrum or the shimmer playing tricks on me.
LEDs are the future between the nice shimmer and energy efficiency as well as durability. It's generally recommended to change halides and fluorescents once a year, where I think the LEDs will last for several years. I think if my either of my fixtures dies, I'll seriously consider the LED route.
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