Thinking of buying one of these :

[Rich]

Now my nano is up and running, I'm after changing the lighting system to something more appropiate and something a lot tidier !!

At present I'm using one 80 watt pendant m/v lamp and one 24" 40 actinic 03, all balanced over the tank on blocks...not very safe at all, and not the best of lighting.
I've just found this : http://www.arcadia-uk.com/en/180overtank.html and I'd like your comments please, before I flex my plastic bank manager again!!

Thanks,

Rich

 

[incysor]

Now my nano is up and running, I'm after changing the lighting system to something more appropiate and something a lot tidier !!

At present I'm using one 80 watt pendant m/v lamp and one 24" 40 actinic 03, all balanced over the tank on blocks...not very safe at all, and not the best of lighting.
I've just found this : http://www.arcadia-uk.com/en/180overtank.html and I'd like your comments please, before I flex my plastic bank manager again!!

Thanks,

Rich

It depends on how much it is, and if arcadia is a well known/respected brand in the UK. I've never heard of them, but then I'd never heard of the company that makes your substrate either.

If you decide to get one of these go with the t-5 high output model of course, and I'd go with the 4 bulb, not the 2 bulb.

These are similar, have a hqi, pc, and moonlights in them, and you can run the dawn/dusk affect since all three systems have seperate switches.

http://hellolights.com/24aqpr1x15hq.html

B

 

[Rich]

Hi Brian,

I think we are getting confused here what with UK and US terms for different lighting...m/v is mercury vapour to me, it's what I have at present and what I want to change. Ideal for planted freshwater tanks, not much good for reef tanks and just about OK for fish only systems.
M/H is the same stateside and here...metal halide.

Arcadia are a good, well known manufacturer in the UK...these light systems seem to me to be very value for money..24" twin unit as in the diagram with T8 tubes works out at just under £80 [whatever that is in US dollars I don't know..? ]. The four tube T5 units are only available in 36" and 48" sizes, but presumably I could change the T8 tubes to T5's ? Or I could keep my 03 actinics as well ?

Going back to my post in the General forum...the tank lights were on in the pics because :
I needed to see what I was doing
I needed them on so you could see the pics
I needed them on to help the green algae on my rocks grow
I needed them on....'cos I liked the effect !!!!

Rich

 

[Trogdor]

Looks a lot like the CurrentUSA Orbit hoods. The only thing that I don't like is that it looks like it sits on the inside of the aquarium. Maybe it's just the photos but if that is the case then you can't put down any type of glass top to prevent splashing onto the hood.

Edit: Nevermind...I looked at them again and realized that's not the case.

 

[incysor]

Hi Brian,

I think we are getting confused here what with UK and US terms for different lighting...m/v is mercury vapour to me, it's what I have at present and what I want to change. Ideal for planted freshwater tanks, not much good for reef tanks and just about OK for fish only systems.
M/H is the same stateside and here...metal halide.

Arcadia are a good, well known manufacturer in the UK...these light systems seem to me to be very value for money..24" twin unit as in the diagram with T8 tubes works out at just under £80 [whatever that is in US dollars I don't know..? ]. The four tube T5 units are only available in 36" and 48" sizes, but presumably I could change the T8 tubes to T5's ? Or I could keep my 03 actinics as well ?

Going back to my post in the General forum...the tank lights were on in the pics because :
I needed to see what I was doing
I needed them on so you could see the pics
I needed them on to help the green algae on my rocks grow
I needed them on....'cos I liked the effect !!!!

Rich

£80 comes to nearly $160....From what I can see from other sites selling t5-HO 24" retro setups you're getting a pretty good deal with this fixture. In fact you're getting it for nearly half what they're going for on ebay.

What type of green algae are you trying to grow? As far as I know unless it's a macro algae all the green types are nuisance algaes.

B

 

[Rich]

Sounds like my flexible plastic friend is due to bent tomorrow...again !!

One algae is like this..

, and the other is good old caluerpa taxiflora...left over bits and pieces that came with the live rock.

Rich

 

[incysor]

I see. I've only seen a few tanks that had macro in the display. For most of them it was intentional, to give tangs something to graze on. These were large tanks of course. It might be cool to have macro in a small tank. Almost like having a planted FW tank.

B