need help with lighting problems, Please!

[AnnnetteM]

I currently have a Jalli A18 46.5" PC lighting hood w/2 55 watt act bulbs and 2 10000K 55 watt bulbs. I am having a hard time replacing these bulbs. I can not find them. I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get them or where I can find a whole new PC setup that is 46.5" PC with the same quality or better. I can't fit a 48" and a 36" is too small. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions please let me know. Also, with this setup currently I am seeing the green coralline growing at top speed while my red and purple is just little not taking off after almost 9 months. Could this be my lighting setup? Any suggestions on bulbs or new light hood please let me know. Oh, my tank is a 110 tall. Thanks for any info.

 

[powderbluetang]

iu would just look online for replacements or get a few reeflight pc they are what my store uses on our 300 display reff tank and what are you nitrates reading that could be the problem for no red algae. you dont want a lot of gree because it is cyanobacteria that is bad bad bad stuff

 

[AnnnetteM]

nitrates are around 10ppm, but I do use nitrate sponge in a bag in the sump. I was told that with wet/dry-bioballs that I cound never expect 0 reading. Sinc day 1 my tank has never gone below 5ppm in nitrates no matter how many water changes. and you say a few reeflight pc, where and what size? Do you mean getting maybe 2? My wood top doesn't allow for anything even a centimeter above 46.5". Maybe you cound be more specific, thanks. The green on the rocks is just that "green" not fuzzy or anything, just alot of green rocks. I added a few new pieces and took out some of the old ones to rearrange the tank and the new ones stay really pretty, it's just the old ones that the LFS guy stup in my tank when he did the setup. They were really barren rocks when I got them with only polyps of red and purple, but the rest just rock colored and now they turned green and now the red and purple can't overgrow the green on the rocks. I have tried, but I thought maybe my lights, no? If not then what? Thanks for the info

 

[loganj]

To start with, you are at the very low end of the curve for lighting on your tank. A 110 is a very deep tank and a 4x55w PC isn't going to penetrate very deep. Is this a FOWLR tank? Even if it is, I'd look into adding some more light. Although I'm not familiar with the Jali fixtures, I'm guessing these bulbs are the straight pin or German design? 4 pins straight in a row? If so, there are several places you can get these. I can get them and I'm sure Darin at Captive Reefs can get them for you as well. AFAIK, nitrates at the levels in your tank, will not adversely affect coraline growth. I would be looking at calcium and alkalinity first. Coraline is a calcifying algae and if the calcium levels aren't where they should be, it won't do as well. Possibly you can check these levels and get back to us?
Also, FWIW, you can get VHO bulbs in a 46.5" length although they do require a special ballast to run them. 4 of these bulbs would give you 440 watts.

 

[AnnnetteM]

Thanks for the info, I knew I was at a bare minimum as far as lighting. When I had the tank setup I had told the LFS that I wanted corals and I do have a few and they are fine so far. I have a brain, plate coral, star polyps, and a pink leather. The only one that I have a hard time with is the plate coral as far as the orange not staying as bright as it was in the place where I bought it. As far as the alk is concerned it reads at the high range on my test kit(this test kit doesn't give but low normal and high readings) so I don't see that as the prob. The calcium is at a solid 450-500 as I dose for this with b-ionic, liquid cal from kent, liquid reactor, and daily with coral vital from mark weiss. Of course I rotate all but the coral vital. My predetermined cal seems to be 450 naturally, but I try to keep it around 500 and dose the liquid cal or liquid reactor when the reading seems to go back to 450. I do the b-ionic 1x a week. As far as VHO bulbs I thought that they were not as good as PC's and I was told by someone at a LFS that wattage is not as important as 7100k compared to 10,000k and 10,000k being better. I don't want MH because of the heat factor and I have a wood custom cover on the tank and it would get too hot ven with my chiller as the PC's keep my chiller on ALOT! I also don't have but maybe 4 -5 inches between the top of the tank and the hood so any recommendations wound be great with a brand or specifics where I can fit the lighting. Also if I am wrong somehow on the watt vs the amount of K's please et me know I may just be uninformed by someone else. Thanks

 

[loganj]

OK...I'll try to explain this so it makes sense. First, there is nothing wrong with the lighting fixture you have...I would just add some more to it...at least another 110w. As for the heat problem, fans in the hood will help with that a lot.
A 10,000k bulb is white light. A 7,100k light is blue. Then you have actinic light which is also blue, but unlike the 7,100k bulb, the actinic peaks at about 420nm. It simulates sunlight in the ocean at a depth of about 30'. Whether actinic lighting is needed is somewhat controversial although most people use it because it makes the tank more attractive. Anyway, the common setup is a 50/50 mix of actinic and 10k.
Since you have a wooden canopy over your tank, I would look into a PC retro kit. Here you get the reflector, bulbs, and ballast. You mount the reflector inside your canopy. Check with www.ahsupply.com for good retro kits...I can get them, but I can't match their prices. One other thing...do you have a glass top on your tank? If so, I would get rid of it. It's a heat trap. If you have fish that might jump out, cover the tank with eggcrate from Lowes or Home Depot.

 

[AnnnetteM]

Ahhhh! Thank you!!! This is the answer I was looking for. In the books I've read it tells you what is recommended lighting, but not why! I get it! What about moonlights? And so basically you are saying I should get a pc retro kit to mount inside my wood top and maybe push my current light fixture towards the back to make room for the retro kit toward the front? And get rid of the glass top and replace with egg crate? Wow my tank would be bright! Now what about the fact that if I mount the retro kit to the wood hood then it would be about four inches off the water whereas my current light fixture sits only a 1/2 inch above water and that is why I have the glass top still there. And can I put any 55 watt bulbs in my current light fixture because it is 55 watt currently or do they have to be Jalli? I know obviously the pins have to fit but other wise what are a couple of great brands of bubs? Am I better with 7100K rather than 10000K from what you said because I crrently have the 10000k 2 bulbs and the act 03 2 bulbs? I want to do this right. But now what about corals I have toward the top of the tank, wouldn't they get too hot now? My current lighting has a fan in the light hood, but it doesn't help much with the wood hood trappig the heat. There is only the back of the hood open 4" and it is only about 6 inches from the wall so not much air flow and my side fans on the light piece are butted up against the wood hood sides. I swear I have to get a digital camara! Thanks for clearing up some of this confusion I have!

 

[loganj]

What about moonlights?

I think moonlights are a nice touch. They are not necessary though. I think you'd like the way they look on your tank.

And so basically you are saying I should get a pc retro kit to mount inside my wood top and maybe push my current light fixture towards the back to make room for the retro kit toward the front? And get rid of the glass top and replace with egg crate?

Yes.

Wow my tank would be bright! Now what about the fact that if I mount the retro kit to the wood hood then it would be about four inches off the water whereas my current light fixture sits only a 1/2 inch above water and that is why I have the glass top still there.

The extra 3.5" or so won't make any difference and it'll help with the heat issues by adding some air space between the lights and the water surface.

And can I put any 55 watt bulbs in my current light fixture because it is 55 watt currently or do they have to be Jalli?

Yes, I believe that is correct.

I know obviously the pins have to fit but other wise what are a couple of great brands of bubs?

I always liked the CSL bulbs best, but they have been replaced by Currents bulbs. I would expect them to be about the same. Also, although I have never used them, I have heard good things about Hamilton bulbs.

Am I better with 7100K rather than 10000K from what you said because I crrently have the 10000k 2 bulbs and the act 03 2 bulbs? I want to do this right.

No, don't even bother with the 7100k bulbs. They are just blue bulbs...nothing more. I would stick with the 10k/actinic combo like you have now. Make sure when you buy bulbs that they say "actinic" and not just blue.

But now what about corals I have toward the top of the tank, wouldn't they get too hot now?

They will need to be acclimated to the new lights slowly. Adding some fans should correct the heat problem.

My current lighting has a fan in the light hood, but it doesn't help much with the wood hood trappig the heat. There is only the back of the hood open 4" and it is only about 6 inches from the wall so not much air flow and my side fans on the light piece are butted up against the wood hood sides. I swear I have to get a digital camara!

You could put a couple of fans in the back...4" is plenty of room. You might also incorporate some fans into the top of the canopy. Also, you might think about drilling some holes in the sides of the canopy so the integral fans in the Jali unit can get outside air. You might be able to cut out a hole there and put in some small vents instead...that might look better. Getting rid of the glass tops will help more than anything with the heat. The glass traps the heat inside the tank. You could leave a piece of glass under the lights if you want to, but I would have at least 1/3 of the tank open or covered with eggcrate. Drawing air across the surface of the water will make more difference than you would believe.

Thanks for clearing up some of this confusion I have!

You're quite welcome

 

[AnnnetteM]

Thank you for everything, I have had the tank awhile, but will always be learning something from you more experienced reefers, again thank you!