FOWLR lighting

by **Ryand639878** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:15 am

First off i want to thank everyone for putting up with my dumb questions! especially jdak, you are always a big help. so wouldn't the water evaporate very fast without a top? and ill be honest, I am on a budget and have not bought anything cheap so far but i do not have the money to buy anything like a t-5 ballast and lights and what not. Is there any lights that would fit my regular hood like a coralife 10000k bulb or marine glo or anything that would be sufficient just for live rock? or do you think I just can't do it with my glass top and bulb set up?

by **jdak702** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:15 am

If you are keeping the lamp, i would recommend a 50/50. They don't seem to make 10,000k 50/50 bulbs in t12.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Coralife-50-50-Aqua ... 4058wt_941

by **Ryand639878** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:50 am

so that will be sufficient enough for live rock? and if not, do you think buying a protein skimmer instead of live rock is a better way to go. since i dont have much money for the new lighting and rocks, i was thinking using my filtration already and adding a protein skimmer. and i also have 40 lbs of live sand already.

by **jdak702** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:14 am

That is a tough call. Once again, my skimmer was purchased used. New is way expensive. To choose between live rock and a protein skimmer. I would say both are a must. Ask your LFS if they sell rubble rock. It is just smaller crumbled live rock from the bottom of the tank. My lfs sells rubble for $1.99 and the bigger live rock between $4.99 and $6.50. You could stack rubble and it would look fine.

by **jdak702** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:35 am

So i have 2 48" t5 on my tank i got from a lfs and they must me real new. Couldn't find many links but i just found one. Very nice, and cheap...

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... #scoring=p

by **Ryand639878** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:48 pm

alright thanks alot jdak. im either gonna break down and by some new lights and ballats and get some live rock or just get a protein skimmer. are there protein skimmers out there that you only have to clean the collection cup and not do much else?

by **jdak702** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:23 pm

Mine never gets dirty. The pump sometimes needs cleaned but pumps always accumulate stuff.

by **Peterkarig3210** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:10 pm

Ryand. I've found almost all my high quality expensive lights in my local fish store's dumpsters. I know the bulbs are old, so I double or triple them up and get many more months out of them.

I've found T-5's, T-8's, T12's of many different lengths.

I live in Los Angeles. If you live in or near a large city I'd check those dumpsters!

by **jdak702** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:42 pm

I remember your dumpster diver thread and i've glanced in the dumpsters but never any good finds. Maybe one day...

FOWLR lighting

19 posts • Page 2 of 2

FOWLR lighting

19 posts • Page 2 of 2