HagenKB

Salt Water Reef Lighting

Proper lighting for Salt Water Reef - 4 lights

I just bought 80 gal. marine aquarium mainly for fish and some corals. I have a place for four 42 inch aquarium bulbs. Which type of your bulbs would you recommend for that type of aquarium?

Proper lighting for Salt Water Reef - 4 lights

I just bought 80 gal. marine aquarium mainly for fish and some corals. I have a place for four 42 inch aquarium bulbs. Which type of your bulbs would you recommend for that type of aquarium?
As far as proper lighting is concerned, you will hear a hundred different ideas from a hundred different people you ask. I will give you my opinion, and the ones we normally suggest for marine installations. I will also try to offer the reasons behind the suggestions, that way you can use the information to help make your decision.

1) For corals and Invertebrates, the common consensus is that an actinic spectrum is advantageous. For that we have the Marine~Glo bulb. It is not a purely actinic blue, a little less hard on the eyes than that, but designed to provide the kind of lighting found in the reefs 60 feet down. It is close to the UV spectrum and is important for quite a few coral types.

2) Our original coral and marine bulb was, and still is, the Power~Glo. It is designed to offer some actinic lighting, but it is a little less directly in that range. Thus it offers a slightly warmer and easier light to the eye for extended watching. I like it also for growing plants and macro-algae. The added benefit of it being a High Intensity bulb (but does not require a VHO ballast) is also a major advantage in my mind. Since you have four bulb capacity, this would be a bulb I would definitely consider, possibly two with only one Marine~Glo in the center somewhere. The Power~Glo would probably be best placed on the two outside positions.

3) Life~Glo bulbs are also high intensity, and to further focus their power into the aquarium. Life~Glo closely copies the actual spectrum of sunlight, it may not be all that useful for the corals and invertebrates, but it is a nice way to warm up the aquarium lighting and make it much more pleasant to view. It's lower intensity (standard) cousin, the Sun~Glo also does this warming job at a much cheaper price, but both are useful in making the aquarium easier to watch, without having to sacrifice the basic spectrums in the blue ranges for the corals and inverts.

So there you go, faced with your application, four bulbs, my choice would be to go with two Power~Glo on the outside with a Life~Glo and a Marine~Glo in the center to provide the best lighting for the animals and the easiest viewing light for you. If you have separate timers or switches, you might want to simulate nightfall and sunrise by shutting off the center first and then shutting the Power~Glo off about a half hour later. Reverse the procedure for simulated morning, starting the Power~Glo a half hour earlier and then adding the strong actinic Marine~Glo and "actual" sunlight by applying the center lights. There are other ways to do the same - a Power~Glo and Marine~Glo couple with a Power~Glo and Life~Glo as the "bright" sunlights. As I said, the choice will ultimately be yours, but at least there are some suggestions here.

Back To Results

Hagen

Salt Water Reef Lighting

Proper lighting for Salt Water Reef - 4 lightsI just bought 80 gal. marine aquarium mainly for fish and some corals. I have a place for four 42 inch aquarium bulbs. Which type of your bulbs would you recommend for that type of aquarium?

Proper lighting for Salt Water Reef - 4 lightsI just bought 80 gal. marine aquarium mainly for fish and some corals. I have a place for four 42 inch aquarium bulbs. Which type of your bulbs would you recommend for that type of aquarium?

Proper lighting for Salt Water Reef - 4 lights

I just bought 80 gal. marine aquarium mainly for fish and some corals. I have a place for four 42 inch aquarium bulbs. Which type of your bulbs would you recommend for that type of aquarium?

Proper lighting for Salt Water Reef - 4 lights

I just bought 80 gal. marine aquarium mainly for fish and some corals. I have a place for four 42 inch aquarium bulbs. Which type of your bulbs would you recommend for that type of aquarium?