450 G FOWLR lighting

fishinchick · 02/04/2018, 01:58 PM

Okay so I have this 450 gallon cylinder fowlr. I'm having a heck of a time with lighting. The old lighting is a couple of canopies sitting directly over the top that have shifted spectrum and are causing algae. I needed to get something possibly like pendants over it which is the preferred choice of the client. I really don't want to set something on top of the tank again and I definitely don't want anything that attaches to the side of anything

What I would absolutely love to find is some sort of screw in socket LEDs that are not going to cause lots of heat. I don't need anything terribly blue and of course I don't need a $500 Set of Lights. This is just a fish only system with no corals

Any suggestions or input would be great. I do not want anything long. I do not want halides

elecbzerk · 02/04/2018, 04:42 PM

I have had older T5 bulbs that caused some algae before, but every FOWLR tank Ive had I used T5's and just kept an eye on the PAR, basically lasted about 1 yr. Or maybe some of the cheaper freshwater LED fixtures. Also, you could try some softies that love phospates like GSP..never seen a fish mess with GSP and grew like wildfire in my FOWLR in my past.

McPuff · 02/06/2018, 10:59 AM

I would just get some cheap LEDs that provide a pleasant spectrum. No need to change bulbs or provide high intensity. These can all be hung in some way as well. Should work very well.

on the spot · 02/06/2018, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishinchick

...I needed to get something possibly like pendants over it which is the preferred choice of the client...

1/8 hardboard - a 4x8 sheet is fairly cheap. Rip a 6" length off the 8' edge, and bend it into a circle.

Would make a nice pendant type lamp hider - light enough to hang.

HTH

PeteStarks · 02/06/2018, 09:42 PM

You can grab some Chinese black box units for fairly cheap. I got tired of messing with the T5's in my aging light fixture and have been happy with the upgrade so far.

02/04/2018, 01:58 PM	#1
fishinchick Mrs. Aquaman ;) Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,494	450 G FOWLR lighting Okay so I have this 450 gallon cylinder fowlr. I'm having a heck of a time with lighting. The old lighting is a couple of canopies sitting directly over the top that have shifted spectrum and are causing algae. I needed to get something possibly like pendants over it which is the preferred choice of the client. I really don't want to set something on top of the tank again and I definitely don't want anything that attaches to the side of anything What I would absolutely love to find is some sort of screw in socket LEDs that are not going to cause lots of heat. I don't need anything terribly blue and of course I don't need a $500 Set of Lights. This is just a fish only system with no corals Any suggestions or input would be great. I do not want anything long. I do not want halides __________________ Often the best answers are the ones using the least complicated explanations and smaller words. Adrienne Longo-White Current Tank Info: 55 gallon mixed soft/LPS

02/04/2018, 04:42 PM	#2
elecbzerk Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kerrville, Tx Posts: 470	I have had older T5 bulbs that caused some algae before, but every FOWLR tank Ive had I used T5's and just kept an eye on the PAR, basically lasted about 1 yr. Or maybe some of the cheaper freshwater LED fixtures. Also, you could try some softies that love phospates like GSP..never seen a fish mess with GSP and grew like wildfire in my FOWLR in my past.

02/06/2018, 10:59 AM	#3
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	I would just get some cheap LEDs that provide a pleasant spectrum. No need to change bulbs or provide high intensity. These can all be hung in some way as well. Should work very well.

02/06/2018, 09:42 PM	#5
PeteStarks Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 53	You can grab some Chinese black box units for fairly cheap. I got tired of messing with the T5's in my aging light fixture and have been happy with the upgrade so far.