Lighting Help Needed.

[Gumby]

Hello,
I have a Current USA Extreme light set for a 75g tank. Or used to have.......yesteday, i learned that evaporation has to go somewhere and my lights fizzled. I am not on the lookout for an inexpensive way to get light into my tank. I have mostly easy corals, like zoos and shroms with exception to a frogspawn that is about the size of my fist and a few branchses of hammers.

I am running thin on the cash at the moment. So can I get away with somethign from Home Depot in the lighting department in the T12 range of 40 watts-would get 2 bulbs (because they are readily available in the 40watt range...T5 are only in 32 watts) and then just buy some bulbs from a Petsmart?

Or, can i mix and match bulbs on the same ballast? Like a 40watt T5 and a 32 watt T12 or ....

Much appreicate the help.
Gumby

 

[BLAKEJOHN]

Hello,
I have a Current USA Extreme light set for a 75g tank. Or used to have.......yesteday, i learned that evaporation has to go somewhere and my lights fizzled. I am not on the lookout for an inexpensive way to get light into my tank. I have mostly easy corals, like zoos and shroms with exception to a frogspawn that is about the size of my fist and a few branchses of hammers.

I am running thin on the cash at the moment. So can I get away with somethign from Home Depot in the lighting department in the T12 range of 40 watts-would get 2 bulbs (because they are readily available in the 40watt range...T5 are only in 32 watts) and then just buy some bulbs from a Petsmart?

I guess so. This is how it was done years ago but the success rate was low.

Or, can i mix and match bulbs on the same ballast? Like a 40watt T5 and a 32 watt T12 or ...

No..

I would just fork over the cash and do it right. Its gonna cost you more to do it twice.

 

[DaveK]

You may be able to retrofit a new ballast into your existing fixture.

If you can't do this, and your really stuck, you can go with the idea of using 40w T12 bulbs. It's not considered ideal today, but at least it would keep your system going.

I would recommend getting two "shoplight" type fixtures, where each one ran two 40w bulbs.

Bulb selection is similar to other fluorescent lighting.

 

[BigAl07]

Or, can i mix and match bulbs on the same ballast? Like a 40watt T5 and a 32 watt T12 or ....

T12 & T5 are wholly different animals and "fire" differently. I don't think one will even light correctly on the other.

I am running thin on the cash at the moment. So can I get away with somethign from Home Depot in the lighting department in the T12 range of 40 watts-would get 2 bulbs (because they are readily available in the 40watt range...T5 are only in 32 watts) and then just buy some bulbs from a Petsmart?

I'm of the mind-set that even though these fixtures aren't very expensive you're tossing GOOD money out the window that should go to a decent fixture. I think that if I were in your shoes I'd take this route:

• A) Check your LFS see if they have a LOANER light fixture. Many do.
  
  
• B) Save your $$ and get a quality fixture that will give you years of performance and not compromise your live-stock.

 

[Gumby]

Thanks for the thoughts.

I have been given loaner lights from a buddy of mine at work who also has a tank....they are not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but at least i will have lights. Which saves me from having to go buy lights that are not quite what i am looking for.

 

[BigAl07]

Which saves me from having to go buy lights that are not quite what i am looking for.

Excellent news

 

[Eric]

Sometimes we have to forgo pretty for functional glad to hear you have something to hold you over till you get the funds to purchase the lights you want.

 

[Gumby]

I got the the lights and they were about the oldest reef lights I have ever seen. I do appreciate his help, but wow. the ballasts were separate from the lights and the wires were long enough to sit on the floor.

I have a 1 1/2 yr old box who like to chew on evertyhing so these were not an option I wnted to continue to explore since there was no place for em to put hte ballasts.

I ended up purchasing the shop light anyways and also purchased 18k bulb and a actinic. $85 for all 80 watts i guess for emergency lighting is not that bad....besides. I can always hang the shop lights in my garage after I fix my Current Light.