Lighting For Mini Bow 5?

Key Of David · 12-04-2005, 09:16 PM

Hey guys....I have had an all glass mini bow for quite some time now that I've used for various things but the idea never occured to me to make a nano saltwater tank out of it! But now that it has....I'm gonna go for it.

I have just one problem though....the lighting is 25 watt incandescent. This is not good for a reef or even just live rock. I need something much stronger. There is a screw-in compact flourescent you can put in there but its only 10 watts. Its ok for live rock probably but for a reef I was looking for something with at least 20 watts.

Does anyone have any info on what I can do with this particular hood to retrofit better lighting into it?

If I'm out of luck on that and there isn't an easy solution....do you think mushrooms would be good for 2 watts per gallon? If I go reef I'm not going to have it jam packed with every type of coroal anyway.

Here's a link to the tank I have (its purple

)

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aq...minibow5.shtml

Samper · 12-05-2005, 12:30 PM

Lights of America has a 65 watt fixture and bulb that works just fine for my 5 gallon. I keep some shrooms, zoanthids, Xenia and macroalgae in the tank. Do a search for the thread called Diary of my 5 gallon nano and I think there is a pic of the light I'm using in there. Scubadude gave me the fixture but you can buy them new and the bulbs at most hardware stores.

Samper · 12-06-2005, 02:23 PM

Diary of my 5g nano There ya go

Key Of David · 12-07-2005, 08:13 PM

Thanks for the reply and link Samper. I'm thinking I am just going to have to rig something up in the existing hood as anything else wouldn't look so hot. I went to the local Lowe's to try and find a cheap idea and was disappointed at my options. I'll probably wind up ordering something online.

Key Of David · 12-08-2005, 08:02 PM

OK I figured out what I'm going to do. I found this and it looks like a go.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/...id1=1843;pcid2=

If I don't have enough length in my hood all I have to do is drill a hole and move the fixture back a couple inches to fit the bulb. This will give me more than 4 watts per gallon and should be more than enough for what I plan.

Thanks for the help though!

reefrash · 12-09-2005, 11:52 AM

I am currenly using the bulb that, KOD reccomends heck of a deal, it works great (3gal nano). Not a whole lotta light but enough for some shrooms, polyps etc.

12-04-2005, 09:16 PM	#1
Key Of David Tenant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 66	Lighting For Mini Bow 5? Hey guys....I have had an all glass mini bow for quite some time now that I've used for various things but the idea never occured to me to make a nano saltwater tank out of it! But now that it has....I'm gonna go for it. I have just one problem though....the lighting is 25 watt incandescent. This is not good for a reef or even just live rock. I need something much stronger. There is a screw-in compact flourescent you can put in there but its only 10 watts. Its ok for live rock probably but for a reef I was looking for something with at least 20 watts. Does anyone have any info on what I can do with this particular hood to retrofit better lighting into it? If I'm out of luck on that and there isn't an easy solution....do you think mushrooms would be good for 2 watts per gallon? If I go reef I'm not going to have it jam packed with every type of coroal anyway. Here's a link to the tank I have (its purple ) http://www.all-glass.com/products/aq...minibow5.shtml

12-05-2005, 12:30 PM	#2
Samper Contributing Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,761	Lights of America has a 65 watt fixture and bulb that works just fine for my 5 gallon. I keep some shrooms, zoanthids, Xenia and macroalgae in the tank. Do a search for the thread called Diary of my 5 gallon nano and I think there is a pic of the light I'm using in there. Scubadude gave me the fixture but you can buy them new and the bulbs at most hardware stores. __________________ Keep your heart pure conceive your own dreams Respect your fellow man the earth and the trees.

12-06-2005, 02:23 PM	#3
Samper Contributing Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,761	Diary of my 5g nano There ya go __________________ Keep your heart pure conceive your own dreams Respect your fellow man the earth and the trees.

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12-07-2005, 08:13 PM	#4
Key Of David Tenant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 66	Thanks for the reply and link Samper. I'm thinking I am just going to have to rig something up in the existing hood as anything else wouldn't look so hot. I went to the local Lowe's to try and find a cheap idea and was disappointed at my options. I'll probably wind up ordering something online.

12-08-2005, 08:02 PM	#5
Key Of David Tenant Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 66	OK I figured out what I'm going to do. I found this and it looks like a go. http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/...id1=1843;pcid2= If I don't have enough length in my hood all I have to do is drill a hole and move the fixture back a couple inches to fit the bulb. This will give me more than 4 watts per gallon and should be more than enough for what I plan. Thanks for the help though!

12-09-2005, 11:52 AM	#6
reefrash Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: stuck to my bio-wheel Posts: 7	I am currenly using the bulb that, KOD reccomends heck of a deal, it works great (3gal nano). Not a whole lotta light but enough for some shrooms, polyps etc.

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