Guides

Here you will find a collection of guides to help you on your way.

New to the Hobby? LAMP SELECTION MADE EASY

Are you new to the hobby or do you simply want to have a marine aquarium with the greatest flexibility for keeping the widest range of corals, plants and ornamental algae? If so, we offer the following advice:

For every two linear feet of typical, home-sized marine aquaria, a single 250-watt Blue Balance (14,000 K) pendant fixture mounted 8-12” above the water surface will serve most applications with brilliant results in colors and growth. For special aquariums deeper than 24”, upgrade to a 400-watt lamp per two linear feet. For tanks shorter than 20”, downgrade to 150 DE or 175-watt SE lamps. Let Blue Balance light the way to successful reefkeeping.

Choosing Lamp Sizes

Regarding lamp size or power, consumers are offered wide range of options that can be complicated to ponder… not only for the variety available, but also from the well intended yet sometimes misguided advice of frenzied fellow aquarists. To be blunt, there has been an unhealthy trend of recommendations for exceedingly higher wattages of lamps over reef and planted aquariums. And while it might seem to be a bit strange for you to read a lighting dealer de-emphasizing a “more is better” philosophy, we must all ask ourselves, “is my aquarium and livestock really better off with excess light?”

Science has shown us quite clearly that more is not always better for illuminating photosynthetic organisms, such as aquarium corals. Beyond the stressful point of photoinhibition (a harmful condition caused by excess light exposure), there are also energy efficiency issues to be considered. We should also want to live more gently on the planet and to be better stewards of Earth. Most notably of all, perhaps, is the simple health and welfare of livestock under proper lighting for the goals we wish to achieve.

To determine the size of lamps required, we must first identify the needs of a carefully selected group of compatible organisms. Shallow water species will simply require more light than deeper water species. And deeper aquaria will require more light than shallow tanks. Take your time in pre-selecting a suitable group of organisms with like needs, as in biotope displays, for best success.

Next, consider the depth of the aquarium and the depth of placement for corals and other photosynthetic species. As a rule, 150 or 175-watt lamp sizes are popular for shallow tanks in the height range approaching 18” (45cm). Aquaria closer to 24” (60cm) in height are better suited for the employ of a 250-watt lamp. Systems that are 24” or taller will commonly require a 400-watt lamp. In any of the aforementioned examples, you will typically need one lamp per two linear feet of aquarium. Thus, for example, a 24” long 20 gallon aquarium might require a single 175-watt lamp to illuminate it while a 48” long 120 gallon aquarium could use two 250 or 400-watt pendant fixtures, depending on the needs of the corals being kept.

It may be a fair rule of thumb to say that a typical garden reef (mixed species) aquarium needs at least 7 to 10 watts of reef quality light per gallon of water. Apply the higher end of this rule to systems with a greater population of shallow water reef species, such as colorful Acropora, white Pom-Pom Xenia, and yellow Leather corals (Sarcophyton elegans).

Selecting Lamp Types

The choice between lamp types may seem confusing at first, but rest assured it can be a rather simple buying decision. The options fall between single-ended (SE) or double-ended (DE) lamp styles… both available in like wattages and the same color ranges.

Single-ended lamps, also known as mogul base, have been the most popular style for decades. They are commonly recommended for newer aquarists and beginners. A mogul SE lamp screws into a ceramic socket with ease, much like a common household incandescent light bulb. They can be operated in pendants and fixtures, in any position, without a protective glass lens between the aquarium surface and the lamp because this style of lamp has a protective glass envelope to reduce harmful UV light emissions. There is, however, a small risk of aquarium water splashing up and onto a hot lamp, if unprotected, causing the lamp to possibly shatter. Some hobbyists choose to leave these bulbs unprotected, nonetheless, because they gain a slight advantage (more light penetrating the aquarium) in the absence of an obstructing glass lens cover.

Double-ended lamps (DE) have been steadily increasing in popularity worldwide due to their ability to yield a greater output of light and often better PAR value (measure of useful light to photosynthetic organisms). They all require a protective glass lens, however, and cannot be used unshielded over an aquarium. Unprotected DE lamps produce harmful amounts of UV light. With a proper protective lens in place, there is the added chore of weekly lens cleaning to insure that dust, debris or salt creep does not impede the amount of light that actually penetrates the aquarium water. The changing of DE lamps is also a bit more difficult than SE style metal halide lamps. More experienced aquarists tend to favor using DE style lamps over SE mogul styles. Purchase lamps.

Choose Lamp Colors

Lamps are often described by their color temperature and there has been much debate in the aquarium, aquaculture and other industries about the usefulness of this unit of measure. Described in degrees of Kelvin, a “warmer” colored lamp has a lower number, while a “cooler” colored lamp has a higher number. The problem with assessing a lamp for your needs based on color temperature alone, in part, is that a measure of Kelvin does not tell you much about the useful quality of the light. More than anything, perhaps, it simply helps consumers make a decision on their aesthetic preference for the visual color of light over their aquarium systems. By far, most hobbyists prefer bluer (cooler) colored metal halide lamps.

The challenge here, however, is that the popular bluer lamps often have lower PAR values and as such are not as good at growing corals. Thus, consumers must do due diligence in reckoning their specific needs and wants for a system or display before selecting lamp colors. Consumer priorities generally fall into the categories of: 1) best coral growth, 2) best coral colors, and 3) pleasing visual light color (the aesthetic).

The Signature Series of IceCap metal halide lamps makes your decision making process easy, based upon your unique preferences in lighting:

  • BLUE GROWTH is our 10,000 Kelvin lamp series and – as the name indicates – is a light designed with coral growth as a priority. The lamp has a strong element of pleasing blue color, but overall it is the whitest halide light that we offer. On this warmer side of the spectrum, you will enjoy the most useful light quality for growing the widest range of corals, especially shallow water species. Coral farmers and enthusiasts of keeping shallow water coral species, anemones, and luscious ornamental plants heavily favor this lamp.
  • BLUE BALANCE is our 14,000 Kelvin lamp series and it is the most popular selling lamp among aquarium hobbyists at large. The balance of useful light/high PAR for coral growth plus pleasing aesthetic color and strong blue weight in the spectrum have made this lamp the mainstream choice for reefkeepers. For achieving the best balance of growth and color, and to keep the widest range of species under a single lamp color, our Blue Balance is a best bet!
  • BLUE DEPTH is our 20,000 Kelvin lamp series and it has been designed with a priority for making coral colors bold and vibrant. Keepers of larger polyped stony corals, such as Acanthastrea, brain, and hammer corals, are especially pleased with the intensity of color achieved in specimens under this lighting scheme. Very commonly, aquarists like to add 20,000 K lamps to a mix of warmer colored lamps for better-balanced results in both color and growth of aquarium specimens.