24" strip on a 30" tank?

[dooboogoo]

I'm thinking of getting a Current Satellite 24" 1x65W CF strip light for a 20L I'm planning on setting up in a couple months. I'm pretty sure that the stock mounting legs won't fit a 20L, so does anyone have any ideas of how I can mount this on top of my tank? It would be cool to suspend it, but I'm not sure if I'd be brave enough to drill into the fixture.

Another thing would be to get an AH Supply 55W bright kit and making my own hood for it. If I do decide to go with the kit, just out of curiosity, can it work with a 65W bulb?

Thanks

[oldpunk78]

you know that they make 30" fixtures, right?

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...ripwlunarlight

[waterfaller1]

You will have dark corners with a 24" fixture.

[dooboogoo]

yeah, but i found a 24" fixture on ebay for 39 bucks....so...i want it. lol

[Hilde]

I bought a dual satelite on Ebay that is 24in for my 30 in tank for it was only $50. Bulbs are 1 x 65 watt Dual Daylight 6700K/10,000K square pin and 1 x 65 watt Dual Actinic 460nm/420nm square pin. I used the legs to rest on the edges of the hood. The bulbs did nothing for the plants. To replace the bulb would have cost me $30.

Before you buy find out the cost of replacing the bulbs and what type of bulbs they are. My favorite bulbs are hagen life-glo2 and Zoo Med Reef.

[bsmith]

I had a 24" 2x65w coralife pc fixture on my 37g. That tank was 30" wide and 23" tall. I had no issues with dark corners, more then likely because it was so tall. When the plants in the corner got taller though they would get out of the light a little. I just had mine on a glass top. Worked great and looked good too.

[dooboogoo]

Originally Posted by Hilde

I bought a dual satelite on Ebay that is 24in for my 30 in tank for it was only $50. Bulbs are 1 x 65 watt Dual Daylight 6700K/10,000K square pin and 1 x 65 watt Dual Actinic 460nm/420nm square pin. I used the legs to rest on the edges of the hood. The bulbs did nothing for the plants. To replace the bulb would have cost me $30.

Before you buy find out the cost of replacing the bulbs and what type of bulbs they are. My favorite bulbs are hagen life-glo2 and Zoo Med Reef.

I got the 30" model off ebay, too. I replaced the actinic and I had awesome growth, I had to trim every week or I'd have a jungle! It's on my dad's tank now, and I miss staring at a planted tank when I'm home in my new apt, so I'm setting up a new one! Thanks for the advice.

[milesm]

Originally Posted by oldpunk78

you know that they make 30" fixtures, right?

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...ripwlunarlight

i believe this fixture uses a bulb that is roughly 24", so there will some areas with very low par values. they just don't make 30" bulbs, at least in the us, afaik.

a 20l though, is relatively shallow, so you could afford to raise the fixture a couple of inches. you'll get better spread.

the ahs 55w ballast (workhorse 3) has a maximum rating of 64w. i suppose you could ask kim if it's safe to use it with a 65w bulb, or if he can give you a higher rated ballast. btw, ahs uses straight pin lamp connectors.

[dooboogoo]

I was also thinking that since the 30" and the 24" models use the same bulb, then it wouldn't really matter?

[waterfaller1]

Originally Posted by milesm

. they just don't make 30" bulbs, at least in the us, afaik.

Ahh..but they do, in a T-5 fixture. I own 3 of them. The bulbs and the fixture are 30". They run much cooler than PC's, and the bulbs don't have to be changed.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...lestriplight30

[milesm]

Originally Posted by waterfaller1

Ahh..but they do, in a T-5 fixture. I own 3 of them. The bulbs and the fixture are 30". They run much cooler than PC's, and the bulbs don't have to be changed.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...lestriplight30

learn something new every day. they should run cooler than pc because they are no, not ho.

i guess what you mean by "the bulbs don't have to be changed", is that you don't have to swap an actinic for a fw bulb, not that the bulbs last forever

[oldpunk78]

^ she just meant that you can run the t-5 bulbs until they burn out. the don't drop-off(as much) like power compacts do.

[waterfaller1]

No, I meant most pc fixtures come with an actinic. This is meant for fw and comes with a colormax bulb. The new ones are really nice, they bring out the reds. The 6700K daylight is good. When you replace, you can consider using 10K's, that's what I use..along with the pink-colormax plant bulb. They do also last much longer, over twice as long as PC's. I think the color overall is easier on the eyes too, not so harsh. They use less wattage, another advantage.

[Hilde]

Originally Posted by waterfaller1

They use less wattage, another advantage.

I have noticed that too. When my electric bill went $100 over the budget plan I was on I took the Pc light off the tank. I saw the electric bill decline the next month. I am trying to sell it in the area now and no 1 wants it. Found I was wrong about the light being at fault for electric bill rising.

[dooboogoo]

hmmm maybe I'll get a 36" 2x39W T5HO strip light, to avoid any dark corners, then.