So as far as the underwater hardware, I think im set. Now i am trying to decide if i should just pickup a basic $10 10g aquarium from the LFS, but if I do that, my question is: what should i do about lighting/hood. I live in Colorado, which is really dry and evaporation might be bad if i did something like just a PC light bar hovering above the tank... but I am not sure about where to get a hood for a standard 10g aquarium or what kind (bulb wise) to buy... any suggestions?
Lighting/Hood Help
- Thread starter cadeucsb
- Start date
The easiest way to determine the lights you want is by looking at all the corals at the LFS, or the online vendors, and determine which ones you like. Then you can figure out what they're lighting needs are, and plan your setup. Unless you know what type of corals you want to keep, there's no way to tell you what type of lighting you'll need.cadeucsb said:
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Different bulbs are not interchangeable with the same fixture.cadeucsb said:
If you want to keep corals in a nano. You basically have 3 choices when it comes to light.
PC - Power Compact Fluorescent. These are small high-output
fluroescent lamps.
T5 - Another type of small fluorescent, you generally want the HO, or
high-output ones.
MH - Metal Halide. Usually these are not kept in a hood over a nano
because they are brighter/hotter so they're usually suspended over
an open-top tank.
Again. The types of coral you want to keep will determine the kind of lighting you'll need. By far the majority of nano tanks use PC lamps.
All of the types come in different sizes, and different wattages. So a 32w PC light fixture will not run a 65w PC lamp, and vice-versa.
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Phischy
New Member
Conn, I'm confused as to how exactly wood is going to melt? Cheap plastic, yes, wood....maybe you're using something I'm not.
As for lights...go look at what you want and figure out what it's requirements for lighting/flow are. Like incysor suggests.
Also consider this: these tanks tend not to be very cheap. Your hardware, in the long run, is going to be a drop in the bucket. If you know what you want you may want to look at classifieds for people selling their setups, this is by far the cheapest way to go and the route I've taken to get my hardware when possible.
I'd check out the denver listing of craigslist and search for a local reefers forum to find stuff that way.
For evaporation, you could also just use a dripline tomaintain water levels. It's not perfect but it does cut down on tons of water maintence and both doesn't use electricty and won't fail and flood your tank. It sounds like you need to do more research. For me, from the time I decided I was going to build a tank to when I first filled it was over a year of research and waiting. Now it's known i take my time but I'd do more thinking about what you want.
As for lights...go look at what you want and figure out what it's requirements for lighting/flow are. Like incysor suggests.
Also consider this: these tanks tend not to be very cheap. Your hardware, in the long run, is going to be a drop in the bucket. If you know what you want you may want to look at classifieds for people selling their setups, this is by far the cheapest way to go and the route I've taken to get my hardware when possible.
I'd check out the denver listing of craigslist and search for a local reefers forum to find stuff that way.
For evaporation, you could also just use a dripline tomaintain water levels. It's not perfect but it does cut down on tons of water maintence and both doesn't use electricty and won't fail and flood your tank. It sounds like you need to do more research. For me, from the time I decided I was going to build a tank to when I first filled it was over a year of research and waiting. Now it's known i take my time but I'd do more thinking about what you want.
ha ha, yah, I must have been confused with something else. I did read some stuff on T3 lighting though, although it was different from anything being discussed here.
I did confirm the lighting types at nanocustoms, but they use the abbreviations of "PL" I'm guessing like Power light or something. I looked in that category and saw Jali, Helio, and JBJ PC
I did confirm the lighting types at nanocustoms, but they use the abbreviations of "PL" I'm guessing like Power light or something. I looked in that category and saw Jali, Helio, and JBJ PC
ok, so i just bought me a cheapy glass 10g tank from petsmart.. no hood etc...
i think i will do a light like this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9871&N=2004+113345
any suggestions for a 10gal variety?
i think i will do a light like this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9871&N=2004+113345
any suggestions for a 10gal variety?
Phischy
New Member
Again, they type of light you want is dependant solely on what you want to put in the tank. Just want fish? Then get a normal output flourescent.
Want soft corals, bump it up to PC 30-55w dual (10k & atinic).
Want LPS, maybe even more lighting, want SPS? then even more plus more flow.
So you need to determine what you want to put into the tank first to make sure you build it right before adding corals.
Want soft corals, bump it up to PC 30-55w dual (10k & atinic).
Want LPS, maybe even more lighting, want SPS? then even more plus more flow.
So you need to determine what you want to put into the tank first to make sure you build it right before adding corals.
None of the ones listed on that page will fit over a 10g. The shortest they have listed is 24". A standard 10g tank is 20".cadeucsb said:
This is what lots of folks use. You will want the mounting legs.
http://hellolights.com/201xcoaqpcho.html
If you want to do a canopy, you can get this and mount it inside the canopy.
http://hellolights.com/185cfquadret.html
I'm using one of each. I bought the first one from hellolights, and it's sitting over my wife's 10g.
The second one is one I bought used, and installed in the canopy/hood of my 40g cube.
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djconn
New Member
I would go with the first one as well. Nice, clean look to it. You will def. need the mounting legs but you can wait on the moonlight.
Phischy, I was assuming that he was referring to the plastic 'fake' wood hoods that you see at all the places metioned such as petco, etc. Those will melt in a heartbeat. Petco does not carry any true wood canopies that would be suitable for our type of systems to my knowledge.
Phischy, I was assuming that he was referring to the plastic 'fake' wood hoods that you see at all the places metioned such as petco, etc. Those will melt in a heartbeat. Petco does not carry any true wood canopies that would be suitable for our type of systems to my knowledge.