Recent content by Jim5

Okay, I'll change my PC bulbs every year as this seems to be the concensus. I'm just not usually fond of replacing something that seems to be working. I don't have a radiometer, so I cannot really tell how much brightness the bulbs have lost. I do bring my bulbs to the local hazmat, btw, to...

David, With the low wattage of PC bulbs, mine are 96w, it's hard to believe I would make up the cost of the energy loss with the high cost outlay for the bulbs but I've never tried to figure this out. I did hear that as the bulbs get dimmer, algae growth may become more of a problem but I...

I have seen it written that PC bulbs should be replaced yearly. Is this really necessary? I understand that most typical fluorescent bulbs quickly lose their brightness when new and then very slowly dim. PC bulbs for room lights claim long lives of many years but obviously are not lighting...

Thanks for your responses. I was looking on the JBJ website http://www.jbjlighting.com and did not see a 27 watt fixture. Maybe it has been discontinued. Is it the clamp on form factor? They do have one which is 19.25" which might work. I saw the hang on ecosystem, but it seemed overpriced...

What is the best lighting fixture for a 24in Aquafuge so I can grow grape Caulerpa. I've seen the Jalli 13 recommended but a single 13 watt light does not seem like a lot. I've also seen the jbj lights recommended but am not sure exactly which one would work as they make a lot of different...

I keep a glass aquarium in my stand under my main tank premixed with salt water. I fill it with deionized water run directly from the tap using a 50 foot hose. In the tank is a heater, a small internal filter to get out dust, etc., a mixing spoon, and a small powerhead. When the main tank...

I find growing lots of macroalgae (green bubble in my case) outcompetes the hair algae for nutrients. Whenever I thin out the macroalgae then the hair algae grows. However, if you put macroalgae in your main tank be ready to spend an hour or so every couple weeks to keep it from taking over...

I have a 58 Gal Oceanic and use a CustomSeaLife PC fixture with 4 96W bulbs. I leave the light resting on the tank and have not used a chiller. There's a total of around 4 inches of open water around the fixture which allows evaporative cooling. Occasionally I've used a fan in the summer but...

I remember reading the thread "The Great Temperature Debate" a couple years ago in which the question of temperature was impressively discussed at length. It seems to me that until the effect of temperature is put to the test in a controlled experiment, the answer may never be known. I am not...

That's OK. It's tempting to pop it but I won't! Maybe I'll try to use this to help answer the question on coral interaction in the final. Jim

The last week I noted a large thin tense looking bubble (about 3-4 cm)on my Plerogyra sinuosa where it's shaded. The rest of it has looked normal except tonight I noted long sweeper tentacles (~2cm)appearing for the first time in a year. Is this something good, bad or indifferent. What's with...

Tehlia, Since the main change was the skimmer and there was a quick demise, I would wonder about some type of poison. Was the skimmate somehow reentering the tank? Also, was the skimmer turned on again before the loss? I believe H2S can build up in this situation and cause sudden death when...