| Aquarium Lighting Index Page 2 | < previous page | Other FAQS > | T5 Lighting | MH/HPS Grow Light FAQS | Technical Support |
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- About Lighting for Reef Aquariums
- Choosing the Right Kelvin "K" Temperature & CRI for Reef Aquariums
- What kind of light should I use for my Freshwater Plant Aquarium?
- Why Use Metal Halide for Reef Aquariums?
- What is the Difference between Mogul Base Metal Halides and Double Ended HQI Metal Halide bulbs?
- Where can I find Ushio's Aquarium Lamp specifications?
- Do I need a Pulse Start Metal Halide Ballast?
- What are Electronic Ballasts and what Aquarium bulbs can they be used with?
- Can I mix my Metal Halide Ballast wattage and Bulb wattage?
- Do I need a cover or shield between my Metal Halide Lighting System and Aquarium?
- What Components make up a Remote Ballast Metal Halide or Electronic Lighting Kit?
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- What is a Metal Halide Dual Ballast or MH Dual Ballast Kit?
- What is a Metal Halide Retrofit Reflector?
- How much Light do I need for my Aquarium?
- How Long do I keep my Aquarium Lights on?
- How often should I change my Metal Halide or T5 bulb?
- Should I Supplement Metal Halides with Fluorescents?
- Do I need Moon Light for my Aquarium?
- What are the benefits of using T5 Fluorescent lighting for Reef Aquariums?
- What are the benefits of mixing T5 HO Fluorescent Bulbs for Aquarium Use?
- Compare Metal Halide vs. T5 for Aquariums
- How much electricity will my MH or T5 Aquarium fixture use?
- Where Can I find Technical Information for Sunlight Supply's Aquarium Fixtures?
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- How much Light do I need for my Reef Aquarium?
The amount
of light needed depends on many
factors: Tank Size/depth, intended livestock
and personal taste. 175 Watt works
very well for shallow tanks 18 " or
less with mixed reef corals and sps
and clams when placed higher in the
tank. 250 watt works very well for
tanks up to 24" deep with mixed
reef and more concentration on sps
and clams. 400 watt works very well
for tanks up to 48" deep and
is usually used for dedicated SPS
and clam tanks. For large aquariums 1000W
lamps are available. It has
become commonplace for one lamp
to be applied to every 24 square
inches in the tank. So for a tank
48 inches long, 20 inches deep,
and 20 inches tall, two 250w systems
would be a good choice, although
more can be used (wattage & bulbs)
depending on what you want. You
could also use the 3-5 watts per
gallon rule as shown here.
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3-5 Watts Per Gallon
Gallons
|
Watts |
| 55
Gallons |
165
- 275 |
| 75
Gallons |
225-375 |
| 150
Gallons |
450-750 |
Watts based on
Tank Depth
Tank
Depth
|
Watts |
| up
to 18" |
175 |
| up
to 24" |
250 |
| 24" and
up
| 400 |
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- How Long do I keep my Aquarium Lights on?
| Type |
Hours
per Day |
| Actinics/Fluorescents |
12
Hours |
| Metal
Halide supplemented with actinics |
6
-10 Hours |
| Metal
Halide Alone |
12
Hours |
- How often should I change my Metal Halide bulb?
Metal halide bulbs should be replaced after 8-10 months of use or after 3000 hours of use. Although the lamp will continue to light beyond this they will have lost up to 30 percent or more of their lumen output while consuming the same amount of electricity.
- Should I Supplement Metal Halides with Fluorescents?
If you are using a 10,000K Metal Halide bulb or higher supplementation is usually not necessary. However to achieve the best colors from fish and corals the way they would appear in the ocean you could supplement based on these guidelines:
| Metal Halide Bulb |
Can Be Used Alone? |
Supplement with: |
| 5500K |
No |
Actinic |
| 6500K |
Yes |
Actinic enhances the spectrum |
| 10,000K |
Yes |
Actinic enhances the spectrum |
| 14,000K |
Yes |
None Needed |
| 20,000K |
No |
Daylight or 50/50 |
- Do I need a Moon light or Lunar light for my Reef aquarium?
Click here for information on Moonlights
- What are the benefits of using T5 Fluorescent lighting for Reef Aquariums?
Click on this link for information on T5 Aquarium Lighting
- What are the benefits of mixing T5 HO Fluorescent Bulbs for Aquarium Use?
Click on this link for information on Mixing T5 bulbs for Aquarium use
- Compare Light Output of Metal Halide & T5 Fluorescent
| Type |
Watts |
Lumens |
Lumens
per Watt |
Life Hours |
Kilowatt Hours per year** |
Bulb Replacement Cost |
T5 HO Fluorescent
*4-54W Bulbs |
216 |
20,000 |
92.6 |
20,000 |
946 |
$9-15 per bulb |
| Metal Halide |
400 |
32,000 |
80 |
20,000 |
1,980 |
$30-$40 |
* 4- 54W T5HO bulbs are equivalent to to one 400W HPS or MH bulb.
**Assumes bulbs are run 12 hours per day, 365 days per year. |
- How much electricity will my MH or T5 Aquarium fixture use?
On average a light system will increase your electricity cost from $8 to $12 per month—the exact amount depends
on the size of the system and the number of hours operated. However, since these lights are so energy efficient, you
are getting huge amounts of light for your money! Make sure your power circuit can handle the power draw. For
safety reasons, do not exceed 75% of the rated ability of the fuse/breaker (for example: use no more than 15 amps
on a 20 amp circuit). To calculate your cost, multiply the bulb wattage X hours of operation and divide by 1000.
This figure is the number of kilowatt hours of electricity consumed. (Example: a 400 watt bulb running for 18 hours
will use 7.2 kilowatt hours). Check your power bill for the cost of each kilowatt hour. Then multiply the number of
kilowatt hours by the cost of a kilowatt hour (K/hr) to arrive at the cost per month to run the light in your area.
Click here to download the Power Cost Guide for Sunlight Supply's Aquarium Fixtures
- Where Can I find Technical Information for Sunlight Supply's Aquarium Fixtures?
Click here to download the Technical Information Guide for Sunlight Supply's Aquarium Fixtures
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