need advice on my lighting

[swishyfishies]

The current lighting in my canopy is 4 55 watt compacxt flourescent smart lamps. This is for my 55 gal. When I restart my tank in a month after we move next week my lighting needs to be replaced. I plan on having 2 bulbs on each timer so simulate dawn & dusk. My questions are.......


#1 Should I stick with all 4 bulbs being smart lamps or make 2 actinic blue & 2 daylight & have the 2 blue go on 1st & off last?

#2 I'll be getting my replacement bulbs from pet warehouse & they sell these bulbs in 32, 65 & 96 watts. I'm on a budget so for a FOWLR (hopefully 75 lbs of LR) is it ok if I only get the 32 watt bulbs for now? I figure that when the bulbs need replacing that I can upgrage accordingly if I need to if I decide I need more light . (I want to replace 2 bulbs every 6 months so I always have 2 in at full strength.)

#3 Aside from the wattage effecting growth on my LR does brighter ligting just look better overall on the fish & tank alltogether?

 

[swishyfishies]

one more thing.....instead of say having 4- 65 watt bulbs would it be ok to just have 2 -96 watt bulbs? But then if I did that how would I do dawn & dusk? The bulbs would be side by side, one side of the tank would get a few more hrs of light a day than the other.

 

[reefrunner69]

#1 Should I stick with all 4 bulbs being smart lamps or make 2 actinic blue & 2 daylight & have the 2 blue go on 1st & off last?

I would go 2 actinic and 2 daylight and have the actinics come on then the daylights and the daylights go off then the actinics, simply preference.

#2 I'll be getting my replacement bulbs from pet warehouse & they sell these bulbs in 32, 65 & 96 watts. I'm on a budget so for a FOWLR (hopefully 75 lbs of LR) is it ok if I only get the 32 watt bulbs for now? I figure that when the bulbs need replacing that I can upgrage accordingly if I need to if I decide I need more light . (I want to replace 2 bulbs every 6 months so I always have 2 in at full strength.)

Is your ballasts rated for this low wattage? it is possible it will burn the bulbs out. I would look at www.hellolights.com for 55W or 65W.

#3 Aside from the wattage effecting growth on my LR does brighter ligting just look better overall on the fish & tank alltogether?

IMO, it looks better, but the amount of light you have should be dictated by what your keeping and their requirements. For example, I have a couple of nocturnal predators in my 65, I run no lights on that tank. They get ambient light from the room during the day.

instead of say having 4- 65 watt bulbs would it be ok to just have 2 -96 watt bulbs?

I would go with the 55 or 65 watters, although the 96W will give better penetration. If you went with the 96W, you would not be able to simulate dawn and dusk, but I do not believe it is absolutely necessary.

 

[swishyfishies]

I got it, thanks for your answers.