help on buying lights

[antimatter]

hey everyone. I have been trying to find some lights so I can get some hardy/lower level light corals in my 29 gallon tank. Someone offered me these lights used. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12109&N=2004+113345
The price is 50 and 10 for shipping. It is an older model and doesn't have the lunar light.

One problem i am worried about is that my tank is thirty inches across and the light is only 24 inches. is this do-able? if it is, is it worth it? thanks a lot in advanced

 

[Dustin83]

Yep, had that exact same light also on 29 gallon before. My 29 gallon was actually 24 inches long. Since you're saying yours is 30, I'm assuming that it's not as deep as mine. I actually did pretty well with mushrooms and soft corals under this light. If your tank is not as deep as mine, I'm pretty sure you'll be okay with this light.

The only problem is the length. How are you planning on making it stand on top of the tank? I have seen setups where people glue two wooden sticks at the top of the tank, each one running from front to back, and 24 inches apart (in this case). And then they used the mount legs to place the light on top of the wooden sticks. This can be done but can look messy. Also, the corner of your tanks may have some dark spots since the light's not long enough. In this case, you would have to position your corals toward the middle of the tank.

If you decide to get it, also ask how long he has used the bulbs for. Compact fluroescent bulbs DO burn out and if it's been running for over 6 months, there's a good chance that you might have to replace them in near future.

Hope this helps!

 

[saltyjane]

I had the 30" unit on my 29 gallon for quite some time and the light was fine for softies. I recently bought a 24" T5 light fixture for my tank and found a way to use it that really doesn't look bad. I bought a 4"x4"x6' piece of lumber at Menards. I had them cut two lengths approximately 11 1/2 inches long(you'd have to measure your tank) to run front to back on the tank. I also fine-tooned (used a dremel tool on the bottom edge of the wood) it to fit down inside the lip/ledge of the tank top so there was no chance of them scooting off the top of the tank. Mine fit like a glove and are very secure. Before I placed them on the tank, I spray painted them black with Rustoleum. Then put a coat of polyurethane over that. Let it dry a few days and I was good to go. My light fixture rests on top of these and looks great

HTH
SJ