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Saltwater Aquarium Lighting - Reef System Lighting

Chapter 3 - What To Buy & Why

By Stan & Debbie Hauter, About.com

by Don Carner

Let's stop and review. In Chapter 1 I addressed fish-only tank lighting requirements, including using pre-manufactured light hoods for these types of tanks, was well as the possibility of using them for keeping "some" reef life.

In Chapter 2 I covered the basic fundamentals of NO/Standard and VHO fluorescent tubes, such as how CRI or Kelvin determines a bulb/lamp's color frequency, how wattage is beneficial and why it's important, and fluorescent tube wattage comparisons. Depth simulation has also played a part in our lighting selection process.

Now that we have a better understanding of the basic principles of aquarium lighting, and the various methods by which they are presented to the hobby, we face the ultimate decision of what to buy for a reef system, and why?

O.K., remember how I said that each company likes to tout its product as the savior of the marine community? Well, I can tell you that you will have equal success with fluorescents as well as PCs (Power Compact fluorescents), MHs (Metal Halides) and power stars (a differing bulb manufactured than standard MH). Marketing is nowhere more dominant than in this hobby

Next Page > Light Manufacturers' Marketing Game
Page > 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Chapter 1 > Fish-Only Tank Lighting

Chapter 2 > Understanding Tube Wattages, CRI and Kelvin Ratings.

Chapter 4 > Coral Lighting: How Changes in Lighting Effects Corals

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