T12 Lighting (Anemones & Clams)

[robeterl]

I have been looking into lighting for my tank because I would like to put an anemone and some clams in my tank. First question is putting will there be a problem with haveing anemones and clams?

Also I have found some T-12 lights will give me 95W. Has anyone found drawbacks to using these bulbs?

 

[Northstar24]

T12 lighting will not give you enough usable light to keep clams or anemones. Also, I am not aware of any bulbs available for our spectrum in the T12 bulb size - which will be an issue

You options would be T5, Metal Halide, or LED

Take a look at this sticky here, and let me know if you have further questions

https://www.livingreefs.com/lighting-101-a-t41427.html

 

[bjohanson1234]

t12 VHO lighting is an antiquated technology. It has been replaced with the much better t5HO lighting. This is more energy efficient and puts out more light per watt used.

You can also look into MH lighting which is still a high quality source to go with.

If you want to venture into the new, look into LED. These have many benefits over standard forms of lighting. They run cooler, use less energy and last a long time. Because they are still reletively new, they tend to be more expensive than the other two and there is a lot more confusion about what constitutes adequate spectrum from these.

 

[robeterl]

I may have misspoken about the type of bulbs I am talking about. The link says is would give me 95W as opposed 39W. Here is a link that clarifies the bulbs I am referring to.
UVL VHO Super Actinic Bulb

 

[Northstar24]

Those VHO's are very outdated - and I dont think they would be sufficient for clams or anemone's - which are some of the most light demanding creatures in the hobby

 

[robeterl]

Are there any kind of T-5 bulbs available that would give me the proper lighting?

 

[Bifferwine]

T5s would be great. Is this a 40 gallon tank? You'd want at least 4 bulbs.

 

[bjohanson1234]

What king of light fixture do you have? That will determine what kind of bulbs you need. Fluorescent is different than regular incandescent lamps. The ballast inside determines the wattage of the bulb you need to get. You cant just throw in a larger wattage bulb and expect it to work.

 

[robeterl]

My light fixture holds only two bulbs. I may have to eat the cost of the light fixture I have to get one that holds 4 bulbs. And yes it is a 40g tank.

 

[bjohanson1234]

You have to replace the bulbs with the same size and wattage as the other bulbs that are already in there. That is how fluorescent lighting works.

 

[Northstar24]

If your fixture takes the T12 bulbs you can't just slap T5's in the same fixture, that's a sure fire route to an electrical fire