coralife retro kit

[rbarb1111]

Darin,

If i purchase the coralife 36" [acronym:424b41c5a5="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:424b41c5a5] retro kit can i mount this in a canopy over the open tank or do i need to use a glass cover. I really don't like the glass covers. The fixture would be 3" from the water surface.

Thanks
Richard

[captivereefs]

You can run it over an open tank with no problems. I run mine over open water. Only drawback is salt creep on the bulbs. I wipe mine off bi weekly.

[rbarb1111]

Does this fixture give off a lot of heat ? I will be putting it into a new canopy that is only open in the back but no fans. Do you think it will raise the temp in the tank?

Richard

[rbarb1111]

will i need fans in the canopy

[rbarb1111]

Darin
i was looking at the coralvue t5 retro kit but am a bit confused i have a 30 gallon tank. Woulds i use the two bulb fixture or the four. I am concerned about heat under the new canopy. How far off the water do t5 need to be mounted. Would i be better off in the long run with the t5 or the [acronym:fa1a714661="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:fa1a714661]. Am not quite sure what to do.

Richard

[captivereefs]

I would use the 4 bulb. It will give the most light and should not generate anymore heat then a 2-65 watt [acronym:13e60f7f42="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:13e60f7f42] hood. I would mount the lights at least 5" off the water minimum. They hang down about 1" so you would need a 6" canopy. Fans really should not be needed. The nice thing about t-5's is the bulbs spectrum lasts alot longer the [acronym:13e60f7f42="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:13e60f7f42].

[rbarb1111]

Darin

Does the ballast get mounted on the canopy or can i put it in the cabinet under the tank(is the wire long enough)? what type of bulbs does it come with and is there only one switch? Is the light of the t5 (156 watts) equal or better than the 192 watts of the [acronym:89501ed5de="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:89501ed5de] light. The canopy measures inside 36 1/2 long, 12 1/2 wide, 6 1/2 high so i think the t5 will fit

Richard

[captivereefs]

The ballasts can be mounted anywhere. THere are 2 of them one for the actinics and one for the daylights. So you can do the dusk/dawn affect. T-5's actually have a little more punch to them then the [acronym:1e99a77fef="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:1e99a77fef]'S so the wwattage may be a little lower but the lumen output is higher making them a brighter bulb. T-5 will also hold its spectrum longer then a [acronym:1e99a77fef="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:1e99a77fef] by about 2 months. THe reflector is exactly 36" long and the bulbs are just a touch shorter with the endcaps in place. It is 9" wide.

[rbarb1111]

Just about ready to order i think it will fit into my canopy with no problems. just a few more questions. If i understand there is enough wire to mount ballasts away from the canopy( 3 or 4 feet)? Do i have to wire or does it come all wired? How do you disconect if you want to remove the canopy from the tank? Also do i have to worry about my corals by increasing the light all at once. Can i run two bulbs and then add one at a time or do all bulbs have to be present inorder for them to light? I am just afraid i may have too much light?

Sorry for all the questions
Richard

[captivereefs]

It comes with a fair amount of wire so 3 to 4 feet should not be a problem. You have to wire it up but it is pretty easy; there is a diagram on the ballast. To disconnect it you can pop the wires out from the ballst pretty easy, they have quick disconnects.Also you could just un plug the ballsts and set them on top of the canopy and move the whole unit with no un wiring. I would run all 4 for aboutr 4 hours a day to start and just slowly increase the photo period an hour every other day.