New PC light, what should I expect???

[Fish R.Ph.]

I've just ordered a new light for my 20 Gallon tall FOWLR aquarium. It should arive in a day or two.

My tank has been up and running for about 3 months. I have about 20 pounds of live rock (I plan to add more), but a very weak single actinic bulb is all I have had up until now.

My question is this: When I add the new 96W Coralife PC 50/50 light, should I expect any type of algae outbreak or other changes? Do I need to beef up my cleanup crew?

Can I expect anything else to start growing on the rock?

How long should I run this light every day?

You guys have all been very helpful to me as I am just beginning down the road of this hobby! Thanks!!

-Jason

[charlie]

I've just ordered a new light for my 20 Gallon tall FOWLR aquarium. It should arive in a day or two.

My tank has been up and running for about 3 months. I have about 20 pounds of live rock (I plan to add more), but a very weak single actinic bulb is all I have had up until now.

My question is this: When I add the new 96W Coralife PC 50/50 light, should I expect any type of algae outbreak or other changes? Do I need to beef up my cleanup crew?

Can I expect anything else to start growing on the rock?

How long should I run this light every day?

You guys have all been very helpful to me as I am just beginning down the road of this hobby! Thanks!!

-Jason

Jason,
It is entirely possible that you will experience some type of algae outbreak, but if youstart out at say 5 hours of intense lite then gradually increase it, say by an hour a week, you may alright. Do you have any critters in the tank now?

If you don't already have coralline, you should start to see some growth in a while. It took about a month and a half for me to see any spots of coralline at all. Once it starts, if you keep your conditions good, it will really take off.

Just crank your skimmer up, and let er go my friend. Be patient if you do start to see algae, it's part of the cycle. Just keep your husbandry techniques up, sit back and enjoy.

[Fish R.Ph.]

Jason,
It is entirely possible that you will experience some type of algae outbreak, but if youstart out at say 5 hours of intense lite then gradually increase it, say by an hour a week, you may alright.

If I run the new light just 5 hours per day, then increase, can I run my other lamp (just actinic) the other 12-14 hours?

Do you have any critters in the tank now?

I've got 1 Amphirion ocellaris, a yellow coral goby (Gobiodon okinawae), and a Coral Beauty who just loves swimming up and down and through the LR. I've got 3 turbo snails and a half dozen other snails. No crabs.

If you don't already have coralline, you should start to see some growth in a while. It took about a month and a half for me to see any spots of coralline at all. Once it starts, if you keep your conditions good, it will really take off.

Just crank your skimmer up, and let er go my friend. Be patient if you do start to see algae, it's part of the cycle. Just keep your husbandry techniques up, sit back and enjoy.

No coraline either (unless there is any on the fully cured rock that I bought). I'm actually not sure I could identify coraline if I saw it. I'm hoping the new light will help that along.

Thanks again!!
-Jason

[charlie]

Yeah, you could go ahead and leave your actinics on the full time. Your fish would appreciate that. The coralline will appear as pink or purple spots on your rock

[Fish R.Ph.]

Thanks Charlie!

The light arrived yesterday...but the bulb broke during shipping! Argghh!

Now I need to work out a deal with the guy I bought it from on Ebay. Hopefully he will give me a partial refund to help defer the cost of the new bulb.

Appreciate all your help and advice!!

-Jason

[Poseidon]

bummer! PC bulbs aren't all that expensive though, so its not that big of a problem. If he offers you 10-15 credit that should be pretty fair. As a new bulb should only be around 20 bux or so...

[Reefland]

That stinks, got to be pretty excited to add some new lighting and then get delayed because a broken bulb.

[charlie]

Thanks Charlie!

The light arrived yesterday...but the bulb broke during shipping! Argghh!

Now I need to work out a deal with the guy I bought it from on Ebay. Hopefully he will give me a partial refund to help defer the cost of the new bulb.

Appreciate all your help and advice!!

-Jason

AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH. Good luck, hope you can work things out.

[Fish R.Ph.]

bummer! PC bulbs aren't all that expensive though, so its not that big of a problem. If he offers you 10-15 credit that should be pretty fair. As a new bulb should only be around 20 bux or so...

We worked out a fair solution....$20 refund. The Coralife aqualight 96W PC 50/50 quad tube goes for about 39 bux (though I found a LFS that was willing to charge me $69! ). However after doing some research and viewing some pics I decided I liked the look of the Smartpaq 50/50 bulb and ordered this one instead. And this one is just $29!! Hopefully it won't disappoint. I ordered the mounting legs too. They were only another 8 bux...and I was already paying for shipping anyway...so why not??

Do I need to dispose of a broken 96W PC 50/50 bulb in any special way???


Finally, I know this isn't really a "light" question, but do any of you guys have an opinion on a good way to "feed" my fish while I'm away for a week? I've asked this question before and the responses seemed to suggest that the fish will easily survive a week with no feeding. BUT my tank is relatively new (4 months) and doesn't have much growth on the rocks for the fish to nibble on. 3 fish, 20 pounds LR, 20 gallon tank.

Take it easy all!
-Jason

[charlie]

We worked out a fair solution....$20 refund. The Coralife aqualight 96W PC 50/50 quad tube goes for about 39 bux (though I found a LFS that was willing to charge me $69! ). However after doing some research and viewing some pics I decided I liked the look of the Smartpaq 50/50 bulb and ordered this one instead. And this one is just $29!! Hopefully it won't disappoint. I ordered the mounting legs too. They were only another 8 bux...and I was already paying for shipping anyway...so why not??

Do I need to dispose of a broken 96W PC 50/50 bulb in any special way???


Finally, I know this isn't really a "light" question, but do any of you guys have an opinion on a good way to "feed" my fish while I'm away for a week? I've asked this question before and the responses seemed to suggest that the fish will easily survive a week with no feeding. BUT my tank is relatively new (4 months) and doesn't have much growth on the rocks for the fish to nibble on. 3 fish, 20 pounds LR, 20 gallon tank.

Take it easy all!
-Jason

Sounds ok. The only thing I don't like about those bulbs, and forgive me if I'm wrong, But I don't think you can control the actinic and daylite bulb individually. For a fish only , it's ok, but if you want to get into corals, you'll probably be changing lites again.
As for feeding your fish while you are away, do you have a GOOD friend you can trust to follow some very simple instructions?

[Poseidon]

I agree with Charlie on the feeding. I was gone 3 days and did not bother to feed, all was fine. A week is a little to long for me to let them go. THe other thing to remember is evaporation replacement water, my tank goes thru 1.5 gallons a day, in a week the last chamber of my sump would be dry and I would burn up a pump if someone didn't add make up water for me! I'll bet you don't go thru 1.5 gallons, but the amount you do lose will be significant I am sure.

[Fish R.Ph.]

...But I don't think you can control the actinic and daylite bulb individually. For a fish only , it's ok, but if you want to get into corals, you'll probably be changing lites again.

You are correct about the lights. No individual control. This is my "starter" tank in the hobby. I thought this light might allow me to experiment with 1 or 2 very forgiving corals...but nothing more. Any suggestions?

As for feeding your fish while you are away, do you have a GOOD friend you can trust to follow some very simple instructions?

I found out that my mother-in-law (forget all the jokes, she is actually very cool ) will be visiting our home a couple times while we are gone to take care of the cat. I'll leave her some labeled Dixie cups (e.g. "Feed Monday", "Feed Wednesday").

THe other thing to remember is evaporation replacement water....

That is something I just learned the other day! I never realised how, in a 20 gallon tank (with 25 pounds of LR), just a little evaporation makes a HUGE difference in salinity. I won't even tell you how high the SG ran, and the water was only down about 1/4-1/2 inch. I'll leave a jug of my RO water sitting out for her to top it off with.

[charlie]

You could probably get going with some mushrooms, (discosoma), or some zooanthid polyps. Both are very forgiving, but they can make the tank look pretty darn good. Do you have any books, Like Eric Bornemans "Aquarium Corals", that you could do some research with. They would really help you make some good choices.
I would leave some very detailed instructions about the top off and feeding. I have found that no matter how "cool " they are, they won't mind the instructions at all, and it might make you feel better too, knowing that you did all you could have done. HTH

[Poseidon]

That is something I just learned the other day! I never realised how, in a 20 gallon tank (with 25 pounds of LR), just a little evaporation makes a HUGE difference in salinity. I won't even tell you how high the SG ran, and the water was only down about 1/4-1/2 inch. I'll leave a jug of my RO water sitting out for her to top it off with.

That is exactly the reason why BIGGER is BETTER in this hobby. It takes more time to make a large change with more water volume.

[Fish R.Ph.]

Do you have any books, Like Eric Bornemans "Aquarium Corals", that you could do some research with. They would really help you make some good choices

The only book I have with a decent section on corals is "Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook" by Dr. Robert J. Goldstein. Not much to work with. I keep my open whenever I'm in used book stores, etc. to add to my library.

Thanks for the suggestion!!!!

I would leave some very detailed instructions about the top off and feeding

Good point. The peace of mind will be well worth the extra time of making everything clear!

That is exactly the reason why BIGGER is BETTER in this hobby. It takes more time to make a large change with more water volume.

Yeah...I wonder if my wife would let me turn our 65 gallon whirlpool tub into a sump . For now, I'll just have to wait.

Once the bulb arrives early this week I'll throw a before/after picture up. Not that my tank can really hold a candle to you guys...but it might be good for a laugh.

As usual, thanks for all the thoughts and advice!

-Jason

[charlie]

Don't worry about holding candles up Jason. We all started the same place you are at now!!!! That's why we are certifiably crazy, you are just getting there.

[Poseidon]

Don't worry about holding candles up Jason. We all started the same place you are at now!!!! That's why we are certifiably crazy, you are just getting there.

Ya What HE Said!!!

My fish tank has AC (chiller) I am sitting here ROASTING! Talk about priorities!

[Fish R.Ph.]

Ya What HE Said!!!

My fish tank has AC (chiller) I am sitting here ROASTING! Talk about priorities!

Hey Guys!

My bulb came the other day. WOW is it bright!!!!!!!! 96W over a 20 gallon is pretty intense! Lots of little life on the rocks that I had never really noticed before.

2 Quick Questions:

1) With the light positioned on top of the tank, with the mounting legs attached, I lose easy access through the canopy into the tank for testing, feeding, etc.

Any thoughts or suggestions? I suppose I could build a wooden canopy for the light, and possibly suspend it from the ceiling...eliminating the legs. Or I could just quit being so lazy and remove the light for feeding and testing.

2) Since this is going to be my only light for this tank, and, as mentioned above, there aren't separate controls for the daylight and actinics...I had a thought. Could I get a piece of tinted plexi glass to slide under the light when it first comes on in the morning, then remove it for 5-6 hours, then replace it to reduce the light intensity again for the rest of the day? Is there an effective tinting approach to accomplish this?? Does this quesion make any sense??

Stay cool everyone!

-Jason

[Poseidon]

Well for question 1, it is up to you... I think moving the light and putting it back is the easiest option!

For 2 I wouldn't bother. Dusk till dawn effect is cool, but I don't think it is absolutely mandatory. My Halides come on rather quickly, 3-4 minutes and they are ON!