Coralife Mini Compact Flourescent Bulbs good?

Discussion in 'Reef Lighting' started by HollyG, Oct 8, 2011.

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  1. HollyG

    HollyG Teardrop Maxima Clam

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2011
    Messages:
    824
    Location:
    Canada
    So, I am downsizing my 33 gallon to a 10 gallon, just to make it more managable and for the fact that we probably are going to move again in the near future maybe. In the 33 gallon I have 2 T5 bulbs. 39watts each. I am keeping star polyps, mushrooms, zoas, minti caps, monti digis and clove polyps. All seem to love the light, though I thought it may not have been enough for the montis, but I guess so. Anywho.. so in the 10 gallon that I will be transfering everything to I will be using 2 coralife mini compact flourescent bulbs, both 20 watts each. Now will that be at least enough light to keep everything healthy? With the T5 fixture I am only getting roughly a little over 2 watts per gallon and the bulbs are only 6,000k, and everything has been doing great under those conditions. With the mini compacts it will be 4 watts per gallon, and if I remember correctly each bulb is 10,000k but is the lighting on the mini compacts as good or better than my T5's??
     
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  3. dowtish

    dowtish Horrid Stonefish

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2011
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    2,062
    Location:
    Nashville TN
    I have used the 10 watt and a friend of mine uses the 20w on his 10 gallon and has decent growth from them. you won't get as good of colration as you would from T5s, but they will suffice IMO.
     
  4. aarondu

    aarondu Plankton

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2011
    Messages:
    11
    Compacts SUCK. The end.