truly confused about lighting

[dianeww]

I am QUITE confused. What exactly is a VHO fluorescent tube? There is only one lfs store around here that has any marine fish. They say I should get the Zoo Med reef sun 50/50 tube. Is that good enough? Is it VHO? I only have the original bulb which came with my tank 15 years ago. I am trying to get this 75 gallon tank set up in salt water FOWLR Do I need a whole new hood? My current hood measures 48x18 inches and has one 48 inch regular fluorescent tube. Is there a VHO to fit this? The hood has a glass area where it looks like I could also put another 48 inch fixture, or maybe two 24 inch fixtures of some kind.

Help!! Please!! And thank you all so much!!

Diane

 

[malkore]

VHO - Very High Output

a Normal Output 4 foot fluorescent tube will be 40 watts. A 4 foot VHO is 110watts.

NO and VHO are not interchanagble. NO light fixtures that 'come with the tank' are always cheap magnetic ballasts that can only run NO bulbs.
VHO uses electronic ballasts.

If a bulb is VHO, it'll very obviously state its VHO. Otherwise assume it's NO.

 

[Jermz79]

I will try to answer this since I know how confusing this portion is!

For a FOWLR tank, NO Florescents will work fine. VHO will require a new hood or a retrofit kit as the ballasts will need to support more wattage (someone correct me if I am wrong)!
If you plan on keeping any corals that require higher lighting, i.e. Anemones, SPS, Clams ... then you will need to check into PC or MH lighting and then your looking at BIG $$$$.
I have a NO fixture that houses 2-24" bulbs and I went to www.hellolights.com and found an 8W 24" 10,000k bulb and a 8W 24" Blue Actnic bulb for my setup. I have read about the Zoo-med 50/50 and their are pro's and con's .... I've heard that they need to be replaced more often and they don't offer the full color spectrum running 1 Blue Actinic bulb and 1 10,000k would (again someone correct me if I am wrong)!

Defintely check out the site I listed above, they have some good information and prices!!!

HTH

 

[Jermz79]

dang malkore ... I finally get a little knowledge under my belt and try to answer some questions and BAM your right there! HaHa ... j/k!

 

[malkore]

I type fast

 

[dianeww]

Thanks, OK. That at least tells me I can't put a VHO bulb into my current hood. So are those 50/50 NO bulbs the places like petco and petsmart sell of no use at all?

What's the best NO lighting I could get into my "came with the tank" hood? I don't see doing corals in my future.

Would this item be of any use to me? I could fit two on my hood next to my 48 inch tube.

http://www.hellolights.com/esuslsafiwi5.html

Thanks for that site reference, by the way, jermz79.

 

[Jermz79]

I don't know what size tubes you have now, but I'm going to assume 48" .... these are more along the lines of what your looking for

this is the Blue Actinic

http://www.hellolights.com/4812acblu03f.html

and the 10,000k

http://www.hellolights.com/4812mm10fluo.html


These are the same lights I just ordered for my 24" "came with tank hood" and I don't have my tank setup yet, but I put the lights in and WOW 8O are they bright!!!!

As for that other item, I'm not sure what that is! I would just get you some bulbs for now (a couple extra for when they go out) and you should be good for a FOWLR setup!

HTH


*****EDIT
I'm not real positive on the 50/50 bulbs, but if you do a google search on them you will come up with varying opinions!

 

[dianeww]

Making a little progress here. Yes, I currently have ONE 48 inch tube with space for two 24 inch ones.

The item I linked you to in my last post is an 18 inch, 4 inch wide fixture which takes a NO bulb. Comes with a Coralife 50/50 T8 lamp. It's 50% 6500K, 50% actinic. What if I use two of these for actinic and add the 10,000K 48 inch bulb you linked me to? Am I making any sense? Also if anybody else has a different thought, please help! (Still confused) :?

 

[Jermz79]

Yeah I looked over that little fixture you had linked in your post. If you have the space on your hood for these you could go that route and it would work.

I don't know if I am completely understanding though how your hood is setup? :? Does your hood have space for 2 - 48" bulbs or 1 - 48" bulb and then extra room behind it? If it has the space for 2 bulbs I would just go with the 2 48" as it will save you a little money and also clear up some dangling wires from those other devices!
Sorry if I'm getting confusing! I'm in the learning mode right now and doing my best!

HTH

Jermz

 

[dianeww]

So here we are, two confused beginners, good luck to us!

My hood has two glass strips in it, each the length of the hood, 48 inches, and divided in the middle at 24 inches by a half inch plastic strip. So I actually have four 24 inch glass spaces, two of which are currently covered by a 48 inch bulb in a fixture! Yes? :?

I just haven't seen any narrow (has to be 4 inches wide or less) fixtures for an ordinary fluorescent bulb. Even at hellolights, that 18 inch size seems to be the only option for that type fixture. Seems strange to me.

There's a whole hood system there also, which seems affordable for an upgrade. Is there anyone, experienced or otherwise, who has an opinion on this: http://www.hellolights.com/484xcoraqpch.html

Am I right that if you use a unit like this one, which is only 7 something inches wide, that the rest of the aquarium remains uncovered?

 

[Jermz79]

So here we are, two confused beginners, good luck to us!

Ahhhhh yes the classic Blind leading the Blind scenario!!!! HaHa

There's a whole hood system there also, which seems affordable for an upgrade. Is there anyone, experienced or otherwise, who has an opinion on this: http://www.hellolights.com/484xcoraqpch.html

That would be a very nice upgrade, I believe this is a form of PC lighting and would give you more options on keeping corals!

Am I right that if you use a unit like this one, which is only 7 something inches wide, that the rest of the aquarium remains uncovered?

Remains uncovered yes, but unlit no. I believe you would have to go with a glass canopy or some eggcrate covering! If you have the means to get that light I would recommend it, that is an unbeliveble price!

 

[dianeww]

Yes, the price does seem great. Which is why I wonder: is this a decent unit? We need an old-timer here to rate this for us! Maybe I'll have to start a new thread .

How do you highlight what I said in order to respond to it?

 

[Jermz79]

you gotta hit the quote reply on my post .... then when you get to the reply screen you'll see my post! There will be a little format in there at the beginning and at the end of my post! if you want to break it apart just make sure that format is at the start and end of every part you want seperate!!!!



(edit)
it will not let me do the format without quoting myself!!!!! HaHaHa

 

[Jermz79]

nope .... will not let me do it!!!! sorry, you'll see what I'm talking about!

 

[dianeww]

you gotta hit the quote reply on my post .... then when you get to the reply screen you'll see my post! There will be a little format in there at the beginning and at the end of my post! if you want to break it apart just make sure that format is at the start and end of every part you want seperate!!!!



(edit)
it will not let me do the format without quoting myself!!!!! HaHaHa

I do see your post, but don't get what to do with it!

Are we getting off-topic here? Oh well, it was my post in the first place!

 

[Jermz79]

Oh well, you got the jist of it anyway!

Anyway I hope someone will chime in on that light setup you found, it looks like I might have to make an investment!