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RE: Lighting advice
Thanks to all the readers for advice on new lighting.
It sounds like we are going to experiment. The 100g discus tank currently
has some Triton "Enhancer" reflectors and end caps with 40w NO FL bulbs. I
think we'll change that to T-8s with new ballasts (keep the reflectors, they
work OK). We'll have to look around town for a source for T-8 bulbs. Are
there any recommendations for bulbs in the 6500K range?
The other 100g tank has cruddy 20 year old Sears shop light fixtures with
external tar ballasts. Surprisingly enough, the white Sears shop light
reflectors produce almost exactly the same lux as the costly, chromed (?)
Enhancers, given the same bulbs. But they are ugly and heavy and hang down
more than the Enhancers, so we will switch to AH Supply Brite Kits. The
Brite Kits sound good on the AHS web site and I think people have been
pleased with them. Right?
Since our tank is 60" long (150 cm), it sounds like we would want 4 36/40/55
kits. Two 22" reflectors could be centered nicely in both the front and in
the back halves of the hood. It looks like the 55w bulbs have the best color
choices. But given the "better efficiency" of CF (true?) and the wonderful
reflectors AH Supply touts, I'm wondering if 220 watts may cause us trouble.
We have been very content with 160 watts of "better" bulbs (Ultra TriLux and
Triton). Any thoughts on how 220 watts from AH Supply kits would compare to
160 watts of Ultra Tri-Lux/Triton light with OK reflectors? Mea culpa, I
was ignoring the lighting threads until just recently.
Has anyone noticed any interference on the TV from the electronic ballasts?
We have these two tanks in the living room with the TV and would just hate
to mess up our reception, especially after spending a few hundred bucks on
"modern" lights. We still get "free" TV from an antenna and wouldn't want to
have to add monthly cable TV bills to our aqaurium expenses.
George Booth in Ft.Collins, CO (booth at frii_com)
The website for Aquatic Gardeners by Aquatic Gardeners
http://www.frii.com/~booth/AquaticConcepts/