What Lights?

[Maxmini]

Hi,

I have a AQUASTART 500, which i kept freshwater tropicals in for a few years. I moved house last year and donated all my fish to my brother in laws tank. I am now ready to set up the tank again and have decided to start in Marines. I would like to start small, before i splash out on a larger reef system.

I would like to have few soft corals, along with a pair of common clownfish.

Can you get T5 lighting or marine lighting to fit the Aquastart 500?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Maxmini]

Ok i've just done a bit of digging on the net and found a company that do a marine light for the Aquastart 500.

So my next question is do i get one marine light and keep one tropical light or 2 marine lights?

This is the spec of the marine light: PL11W mix Triphosphor 7.1k & Marine Blue 14k Tube

This is the spec of the standard light: PL11W Triphosphor 7.1k Fluorescent Lighting Tube

TIA for your help.

 

[jeasko]

if your planning on keeping softies in your tank you will need to go 2 t5 if possible one around 14000k and the other a marine blue, do you kow if the lamps switch indipendantly? or do both have to come on at the same time?

 

[Maxmini]

Yes they can be switched on and off independently. I can also get a split tube which has one original tube and one 8k colour enhancer tube! They are twin tubes so technically you have 4 10" tubes.

Just not sure which tubes to be the best to suit my planned set up.

 

[Troppo]

Hi guys,

I've also just bought myself an AquaStart 500. The 11W are pretty much useless if you're doing marine in my opinion. I'm not sure if they are exported but in Australia we have a company called Aqualina which produce light fittings and I purchased a DC18 which has 2x36W PC fittings in it. It is just a little bit smaller than the tank and fits neatly into the plastic grooves on either side but I'm intending to cut into the hood and DIY a mounting system. I'll try post some pics when I'm done... if it doesn't look like a dogs breakfast!
So that's just over 1W/L (65L tank), would that be enough for LPS/SPS? I've gotten 2 50/50 tubes utilising 10000K and 14000K.
Anyway, I digress..
Maybe something similar is worth looking for Max as PC's are generally cheaper than T5's and would probably be plenty of light for a couple of clownies and some soft corals.

Cheers

 

[SkiFletch]

PCs are usually sufficient for LPS corals, and some deper water SPS like montipora capricornis, but most other higher-light SPS, clams, nems, etc will not do well under PCs.

 

[Troppo]

PCs are usually sufficient for LPS corals, and some deper water SPS like montipora capricornis, but most other higher-light SPS, clams, nems, etc will not do well under PCs.

So would it better to add a Metal Halide to get extra bite? A 70W or 150W clip on with 10000K tube, along side the PC's with 14000K tubes? I'm still undecided with the choice of corals yet but basically want to open up all options.
Sorry to hijack the thread a bit but I think Max and I are in the same boat at the moment.

Cheers