Coralife Freshwater lights

[Screwylui]

hey just wanted a quick opinion on what you guys think about this light?
it's for a 21 gallon planted tank. 1x65w.. the price is pretty decent to.
i guess the 2x65 would be over kill. here's the link

http://www.hellolights.com/241xcofraq1x.html

 

[hforney]

I am no expert, but the 1x65 should be fine. I have a coralife freshwater light on my 55g. It is an excellent light fixture. I also got mine from Hellolights.com. At the time they were giving away free inside digital thermometers. If the offer is still on don't miss out on it even if you have a thermometer.

 

[Screwylui]

now i'm kind of worried about my fish jumping out of the tank if it's not going to be covered..
what do you do to cover the rest of the top of your tank?

 

[TankGirl]

With any light you need glass tops to cover the tank. Get the tops manufactured by the maker of your tank, as they don't always cross-fit (Perfecto to All-Glass, and vice versa).

I have the Coralife 4x65W and it is a wonderful light, but I paid WAY too much!

Check out our sponsor, http://www.captivereefs.com/captivereefs/index.asp as they have excellent prices on Coralife fixtures.

 

[penpitt]

You should be able to buy a glass top for most, if not all, tanks. If your tank is not standard and you cant find one at a lps/lfs, you can go to Home Depot,Lowes or Ace Hardware with your dimensions and have them cut the glass for you in the dimensions you need.

Also I believe the aqualights should not be directly above the tank with no cover. I checked at www.drsfostersmith.com and ity said they are not to be used directly over water.

 

[hforney]

You might also want to consider ordering the optional legs for the coralife light fixture.

 

[malkore]

If you used the mounting legs, you could technically run the tank with no glass top. However, that opens a change for jumping fish, as well as wicked evaporation.

You can look for egg crate too...you'll find it at Home Depot type places, back with the office-type fluorescent lighting. They come in like 2'x4' pieces...basically just a plastic grid.

Some people like this, but it seems lke you'd lose some light intensity. Just another idea tho.

 

[Guest]

With any light you need glass tops to cover the tank.

Says who? my 90 (440 watts vho), 45 high (175 watts metal halide), and my 20 long (60 watts pc, oddball set-up), None of these have a glass top, and I've never had a single problem. I know for sure that these bulbs have been splashed with water occasionaly, no harm done.

Sorry TG, but why do you say a glass top is required?

Glass tops get condensation and other stuff built up on them. I think this cuts down on your light, sometimes a LOT, depending on how dirty it gets. My 20 long has a 2x65 pc set up With a glass top. I have to clean the glass too often for my lazy personality! If I had that tank to do over, I'd go with 1x65, and a light designed to sit on the tank edges, not one like I currently have which is just short enough to require a glass top to sit on.
Theoretically, I like the various lights I see these days that have legs, designed to sit on the aquarium frame. I don't see me buying any new lights any time soon, or I'd give them a try.

 

[TankGirl]

Okay - this is just me who is slightly nervous about electricity and water - but I do think you ought to have glass tops between the plugged-in light and the water. When I maintain my tanks I slide the light fixture back to allow me access and if you slide it a little sideways it can go right in the water. I guess I have had a few instances where I was glad I had glass covers there. I remove the hinges on them (very dark, light-blocking material) and remove a single glass panel to work on the tanks.

If you have a box hood with the light fixture mounted in it, that is a different story, but in my own house evaporation is a major issue, both summer and winter due to heating and AC drying out the air, so the tops are important for that reason as well.

 

[Guest]

OK, gotcha now. All my setups mentioned without glass tops have the lights either built into the hood, or hanging from the ceiling. No danger of the light falling in the tank. If you have that danger, by all means, glass top or lights with legs.

I do have massive evaporation, but particularly int the winter, if I didn't have tank evaporation, I'd be running humidifiers all over the house anyway. Can't stand the dry air caused by heating system.

 

[TankGirl]

Can't stand the dry air caused by heating system.

I can't either! This was our first winter in a house with forced air heat and I hate it. I miss those good old clanking radiators and a boiler like we had in the old place.

 

[malkore]

The coralife mounting legs (purchased separately from the fixture for around $7) only allow you to slide it front to back. You'd have to lift up over 3/4 of an inch to be able to slide it left or right.

I agree that without the mounting legs, the little guides on either side aren't enough prevention to safely run an open top tank. You MUST use the legs.

 

[aquazen]

You can probably find some pc lighting at bigalsonline. You have to remember that the price changes with shipping.