Experiences using Halogen can lights over tank

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Soggy Pockets

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 7, 2008
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Sugar Grove, ILlinois
Hi all...


I have a recently establish saltwater tank this will be fish only. The tank is in our finished basement and measures 8'x3'x16". The tank is on a stand that sits about 42" high - with the top of the water level approximately 3' below the drop ceiling.

My wife does NOT want a hanging type light and wants something either flush with the ceiling tiles (can lights) or track lighting.

A friend that is very active in the hobby suggested we go with halogen can lights with either a 12k or 14k bulb....I would like to get as "blue" a light as possible.

Does anyone have experience using halogen can lights to light a tank? If so, what did you like/not like, and advice do you have?

Thanks for your time and input.

bill, aka soggy pockets.
 
I read this last night and almost commented but decided there was someone out there that was brighter that I was. Anyway, I think with a halogen light mounted in a can on the ceiling, you are going to light up the entire area. I dont see you being able to direct the light to the tank. Track lighting seems like a better option but even with that you will likely need to go with spots. How attached are you to the current wife?:ROFL:
 
i don't think there are 12000k or 14000k lights for halogens, halogens are just a special type of incandescent and are very limited in the spectrum they can give out(2700k-3300k) and they are horribly inefficient nor give off enough light

i believe your friend was refering to Metal halides, they're completely different, don't mix them up metal halides are the only lights IMO suitable for a saltwater tank becuase they are very efficient at producing a blue light(10k all the way up to actinic) where as flourescents loose efficiency as they go up in colour temp, halides become more efficient, although they go down in efficiency(significantly) as the colour temp goes down
 
halogen lighting isn't very efficient. At 3 feet above the tank you would use an insane amount of energy to adequately light the tank.


Why don't you put the the fixtures on top of the tank?
 
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