Putting marine lights on a fresh water tank: Not a problem. 8/28/2009
Hello Crew,
<Hi Rochelle>
Everything is fine in my fish world!
<Always a good thing.>
I just have a question... I have replaced my T5 VHO fluorescents on my marine tank with
Metal Halides. Yay me!
<Congratulations.>
However, now I have 9 fluorescent bulbs that were only used for 6 weeks taking up space, over the years I have researched lighting and marine vs. freshwater requirements. Nowhere does it tell me if I can use one or 2 of those bulbs on my freshwater tank, or what will happen if I do.
<Nothing.>
I know marine fish like a blue spectrum and fresh likes pink,
<Actually the fish could care less. For a Marine or Fresh water fish only
system, just use bulbs that look good to you. Photosynthetic marine organisms need blue spectrum light (10000K or above) because blue light is what penetrates the deepest, while red is filtered out in the first few
feet. Fresh water has very few photosynthetic organisms aside from plants, which need lighting closer to the red end of the spectrum.>
but in the wild aren't they all under the same sun light?
<Yes they are, but since we can't replicate the sun in our homes, we use bulbs of the color spectrum our tanks need.>
Can I put 2 of the 54W VHO's over the freshwater? If not why?
<Sure, If you have real plants, they may not do as well, but otherwise, it is fine.>
Thanks much,
<My pleasure.>
Rochelle
<Mike>

Lighting Questions: Generic T-12 8/13/2009
Hello Crew,
<Hi James>
Hope all is going well. I have a lighting question, please. Ever since I have used bulbs in the fixture that came with my aquarium I have used T-12.
I assume that is the diameter of the bulb?
<Yes - the T number indicates the diameter of the bulb in eighths of an inch, so a T-5 is 5\8", a T-8 is 1", and a T-12 is 1.5" in diameter>
Anyway, can I use anything other than a T-12 in the same socket?
<Not likely. There is more to a fixture than just if the bulb will fit, different bulbs have different ballast needs, etc.>
And as far as diameters what is the difference in the light output?
<Diameters have little to do with output, T-5s, are smaller than T-8s, but are much brighter, VO and VHO bulbs are much brighter than a non VO or VHO bulb of the same or larger size. >
As always thanks for your time.
<Do have a read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/lighting/fixtures.htm >
James
<MikeV>

Lighting for Fish Only Aquariums, FW   6/25/09
Hello Crew, hope you are all doing well and not working hard. I need your help and/or opinions about my aquarium lighting, please. I am satisfied with my setup, but after doing some reading on so-called proper lighting there are seeing so many opinions and types of bulbs out there I am starting to doubt what I have as being right. I have a 75 gallon fw fish only (angels, cories and a Pleco) with a couple of java ferns. I have
always used a full spectrum 40 watt 5000K bulb in conjunction with a Colormax 40 watt color color enhancing bulb. Please tell me if you know of anything wrong with this set-up or another set-up that might be more beneficial and/or more vivid.
<Nothing at all wrong. It's not really enough light for plants, but for fish, it's fine. So provided you aren't having algae problems -- which usually requires more light for faster plant growth as part of the solution
-- feel free to stick with what you have.>
Also, please tell me the MINIMUM amount of hours I can leave the lights on without causing problems.
<Zero hours. Your fish couldn't care less; Angels come from shady habitats and Corydoras and Plecs would both be nocturnal in the wild. There's a good argument for having the lights on for at least 8 hours per day simply to keep the fish in a proper diurnal rhythm, but beyond that, it doesn't matter.>
I truly appreciate all you do and the time you have taken with me to help me be better at keeping fish while having more fun doing it.
James
<You're welcome, Neale.>

Re: Lighting for Fish Only Aquariums 6/25/09
Thank you Neale,
So on the algae topic, you are saying that more light prevents algae more than less?
<Tanks with strong lighting have fewer algae problems, because fast-growing plants somehow (this science isn't clear) suppress the growth of algae.
Hair algae, diatoms, and blue-green algae are all characteristic of tanks with few/no plants, and these tend to be tanks with low levels of lighting.>
And do you feel my java ferns will do OK with the current amount I have even thought they won't grow as fast?
<Java ferns do well under almost any conditions, once established. Likewise Anubias. I find Java moss much the most fiddly of the three low-light plants often recommended.>
Thanks again.
James
<Cheers, Neale.>

Lighting enhancement? 6/25/09
Hi, kind and generous aquatics folk. Thanks in advance for any help you can lend with this short inquiry and thanks as well for all the fantastic advice and information you have provided in the past, present and future. I
have a small planted aquarium that is a standard 10 gallon aquarium. It is slightly under lit in my humble estimation, for a moderately lit planted aquarium with only 20 power compact watts.
<The proof is in the pudding: if plants that need moderate to bright light are growing slowly or showing signs of etiolation (long stems, small leaves) then you don't have enough light. In small tanks with limited
potential for lighting, there are low light plant species that do just fine: Java fern, Java moss, Anubias and some of the hardy Crypts such as Cryptocoryne wendtii.>
I am constantly considering enhancements to this lighting, but will probably end up just getting a new fixture at some point. However, there is a new product that has just come out that is geared towards refugiums,
specifically for a type of nanocube aquarium, but I had wondered if it might be a legitimate enhancement to my planted aquarium as well, or if it is too limited to actually lend any real support to the existing lights.
Here is the link to the light and as you can see, it would have to be mounted from the side, which may also affect how much, if at all it will improve my current lighting situation:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~JBJ_Nano_Glo_4_LED_Magnetic_
Refugium_Light_Refugium_Sump_Lighting~vendor~JBJ_Lighting~idProduct~JB9315~i
dCategory~FIRFRL.html
What do you think? Worth a try or not applicable to my situation? Thanks so much once again and I wish you all the best. Peace and Love-Nick Sadaka
<Can't answer this definitively because it's such a new product and I don't know anyone who's used it. But given it is tailored for algae rather than corals, but gut feeling is that it would work rather well for growing
plants. It's inexpensive enough that it might be worth a flutter. That said, I've seen numerous 10 gallon tanks with beautiful plants in them using two clip-on compact lighting units, and you may indeed find that by
choosing the right plants, your 20 watt compact light will do just fine.
Cheers, Neale.>