question about some do it yourself lighting

amf82380

New Member
I was wondering if I used a regent 500w flood light that has a pretty white spectrum in conjunction with the PC's I am currently running if that would be ok being the flood light would just be giving more light and the Pc's would be giving off the benifical light that the corals need? I know I couldnt use the flood to replace the Pc's though.

Aaron
 

skipm

Moderator
Staff member
Most floodlights are the wrong color spectrum and will be more beneficial to nuisance algaes. There may be some floods that use PC bulbs that would help some but IMO they are also better suited for growing algaes.
 

amf82380

New Member
yeah thats what I was afraid of. how about if I used the flood and only left it on for like 3-4 hrs in the middle of the lighting cycle ? I found some of the floods that you mentioned using the compact floruestant blubs but there design are big and bulky and I looked closly at it and there was no way to remove the ballast and stuff to use just that its kinda like a molded unit. although have you ever heard of a new type light out its supose to be using floruex its supose to be more towards the end of the spectrum of the blue. and also its supose to be super bright?

Aaron
 

skipm

Moderator
Staff member
I personally have heard of any bulbs coming out that are in the bluer spectrum. If you can tell me a manufacturer and get a better description I have a friend that works in the lighting dept. at Lowes and I could get him to look into it. I don't think I would try to use one of these lights on a tank even for a little while during the day because they could help a nuisnace algae get started during that time. I would stick with proven lighting on my reef. You could set up a test tank to see how it would do but like I said I wouldn't use my reef for this purpose.
 

amf82380

New Member
no the one I was talking about was a full blown flood light 500 w regent but i put it over the tank to just see how it looks and it had to much light spillage so I am going to hang on it and see if i can get my hands on a used metal halide ballast and do a DIY metal halide but i dont want to spend a fourtune on a used ballast is all and jesse i will try to find the specs on that new flood that i was talking about just to see .

Aaron
 
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